Amol Rajan: Critics warm to University Challenge's new presenter

Critics person welcomed Amol Rajan arsenic helium presented his archetypal occurrence of BBC Two quiz amusement University Challenge.

Rajan is lone the 3rd big successful the quiz show's history, pursuing Bamber Gascoigne and Jeremy Paxman.

As helium introduced the caller series, Rajan told viewers: "A fewer things person changed since the past series, but each the important things stay the same."

The Telegraph said Rajan's mode was "cheerful and relaxed" portion iNews said his accomplishment felt "seamless".

Rajan's archetypal occurrence was watched by 1.9 cardinal viewers - outperforming Extraordinary Portraits connected BBC One successful the aforesaid timeslot, which achieved 1.22m.

"He has the 2 indispensable qualities required for occurrence arsenic the seat of University Challenge," said the Independent's Sean O'Grady successful a five-star review.

"First, helium looks similar he's genuinely enjoying himself conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic the contestants, and so the shows dedicated followers. Second, helium has the demeanour of idiosyncratic clever and knowledgeable (which helium is), but doesn't travel crossed arsenic a know-it-all (which helium isn't)."

He added: "Quietly spoken and respectful to his youthful charges, [Rajan] is astir paternal successful tone... But I'm definite the questions are tougher and much analyzable than successful the Paxman era."

Awarding the occurrence 4 stars, the Telegraph's Anita Singh said: "Rajan is simply a brasher beingness than Jeremy Paxman - the agleam necktie and pouch square, the shiny golden ticker and jewellery - and, unsurprisingly, didn't look remotely over-awed by the job. But helium didn't over-egg it either.

"Besides, the format doesn't let immoderate presenter to enforce themselves excessively greatly, due to the fact that they can't bash precise overmuch different than inquire questions."

However, Singh was 1 of respective critics who mentioned that Rajan looked tiny successful stature compared with Paxman. "The opening occurrence began with the presenter down his table looking strangely tiny, arsenic if we were watching Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," Singh said.

The Guardian's Mark Lawson agreed, writing: "Paxo's seat seems to person been kept which, fixed Rajan's shorter stature, leaves a batch of leather headrest visible. A little steep spot mightiness marque him look much comfy astatine the desk."

Lawson praised Rajan's delivery. "The presenter was good down connected the speed-gun from his greeting vigor broadcasting, and up successful precision... He has shown however earnestly helium takes the relation by importantly adapting his presenting benignant to this caller challenge."

But helium inactive lone awarded the occurrence 3 stars overall. "He was adjacent to a 4th - but this is simply a gig measured by endurance not debuts," Lawson explained. "Gascoigne did 25 years, Paxman 29."

"When the players, from Manchester and Trinity Cambridge, fluffed a question, helium didn't scold," Stevens noted. "And erstwhile helium had to dock 1 squad 5 points, helium sounded genuinely regretful.

"Once oregon twice, erstwhile the students were floundering for answers, helium did snap, 'Come on!' but his bosom wasn't successful it. He sounded overmuch much sincere erstwhile heaping support connected some sides.

"He has to acceptable his ain style, of course. There'd beryllium nary constituent successful performing a Paxo tribute act, dripping with irony and snide asides."

Paxman signed disconnected from his last variation of the programme successful May, saying helium was "looking guardant to watching" aboriginal bid on with viewers astatine home.

His departure came 2 years aft the 73-year-old revealed helium had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

The temper of Rajan's archetypal programme wide was "less daunting" than erstwhile series, suggested Carol Midgeley of the Times successful different four-star review

"Rajan surely seemed to beryllium fostering a much pally vibe, though galore of the questions (to maine astatine least) remained ferociously difficult.

"True, helium looked smaller successful the large achromatic seat than Paxman did, and helium didn't bid the aforesaid vaguely terrifying demeanour. But successful a astute suit, orangish necktie and matching silk pouch quadrate Rajan acceptable his ain tone, which was determination betwixt 'firm but just supervisor' and 'study buddy'.

Rajan is well-known for presenting BBC Radio 4's Today programme and his ain bid of interrogation programmes connected BBC Two.

The Spectator's Melanie McDonagh wrote: "The full happening was conscionable fine. Amol was cheerful alternatively than intimidating. He lacks Jeremy Paxman's cherishable incredulity and helium doesn't person a agelong chemoreceptor to look down astatine radical with, which is nobody's fault."

"Nobody liked the slate-effect screen," she said. "What you privation for a quizmaster are existent cards, which you tin deploy to bully effect erstwhile exasperated. You can't slap down a screen. It besides means there's little oculus interaction with the teams."

Nick Duerden of iNews concluded: "It's accepted to consciousness a small fearfulness erstwhile alteration befalls a harmless and comfy programme. But Rajan's accomplishment felt seamless, and so, really, thing has changed.

"His University Challenge remains a amusement that's near-impossible to instrumentality portion in, but feels curiously nourishing conscionable to beryllium backmost and watch, often successful incomprehension, mostly successful awe."