Sam Kay

Sam Kay is an accountant and former chemistry student at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was a member of the college's team in the 2009 series of the BBC Two quiz show University Challenge. The team won, but it was later discovered that Kay was no longer a student at the time of recording. As a result, the team was disqualified and the runners up, the University of Manchester were declared the winners.
University Challenge
Kay was one the members of the Corpus Christi team for the 2009 series of University Challenge along with Lauren Schwartzman, James Marsden and team captain Gail Trimble. The team reached the grand final, in which they defeated the University of Manchester 270 points to 190. However, it was discovered that Kay, who had completed a degree in chemistry had intended to do a PhD. Kay did not have enough funding so he dropped out of college and became an accountant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Under the roles of University Challenge, all the contests must be students at the time of recording.
When the news of the scandal first broke, there were reports of a possible rematch. Matthew Yeo, captain of the Manchester team said that he did not want a rematch and that: "We hope any decision does not detract from what was a thrilling final won by a truly tremendous team."
On 2 March, 2009, the BBC and production company Granada Productions published a statement which said:
"The University Challenge rules on student eligibility are that students taking part must be registered at their university or college for the duration of the recording of the series. Whilst obviously not intending to, Corpus Christi broke this important rule where other universities and colleges taking part adhered to it. We therefore find ourselves in the regrettable position of having no choice but to disqualify Corpus Christi from the final. This means they forfeit their hard-fought title which now goes to the Manchester University team."
Jeremy Paxman, the host of University Challenge said: "I suppose it is mildly embarrassing but I do feel sorry for the Corpus Christi team - I mean they were all legitimate students when it started. But rules are rules, and they had to be stuck to." A spokesperson for Corpus Christi college told the BBC website that: "Our students entered University Challenge in good faith. The team had a wonderful run and we are, of course, disappointed to be losing the title." Yeo reacted by saying: "While we accept the decision of the University Challenge judges, we are saddened to have been awarded the trophy under such circumstances."<ref name="BBC Second"/>
However, there was disapproval from some Manchester students at being given the victory. One student, Cori Bromfeld said: "I was talking to some of my friends and we think that Manchester did brilliantly to get to the final, and to win in this way does take away some of the achievement. People in the future will say that we only won because the other team cheated."<ref name="BBC Second"/>

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