Three Leeds students went head to head against their lecturers on a Radio 4 quiz show this week.

‘The 3rd Degree’, hosted by comedian Steve Punt, saw three students studying Civil Engineering, Popular Music and Psychology take on a team of lecturers from the students’ faculties.

Students Ralph Burton, Harry Bedford and Cameron Smith were put to the test in a ‘Specialist Subject’ round, followed by a ‘Highbrow and Lowbrow’ round, which tested the students’ and lecturers’ knowledge of everything from Shakespeare to Andy Warhol.

Whilst the BBC advertises the show as a place ‘where students wished they had done more than just glanced at that reading list,’ the Leeds students still managed to beat the lecturers.

Harry Bedford told Leeds Student: “Pop music knowledge is supposed to be my thing but the show ended up challenging those hidden away, random bits of knowledge you pick up in life, like the name of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography.”

Experimental Psychology lecturer, Catriona Morrison, said: “I took part because I thought it would be a sporting thing to do, and a bit of a laugh. The charming producer sold it to me as a bit of fun, and it was, but I hadn’t quite considered the possibility of public humiliation! It was a really enjoyable experience and the important thing is that University of Leeds came out well from it.”

The show is available on BBC iPlayer until May 6.

Words: Sabrina Poole