University of Plymouth faces The 3rd Degree

Academic reputations will be on the line on national radio today when the University of Plymouth undergoes The 3rd Degree for the first time.

The popular BBC Radio 4 show, presented by comedian Steve Punt, pitches ‘The Students’ against ‘The Dons’ over a series of specialist subject and general knowledge rounds.

Geology Professor Iain Stewart, biomedical scientist Dr Tina Joshi, and historian Dr Jameson Tucker all agreed to take part in the show, facing off against their student counterparts Sophie Diver, Benita N’Sanda, and Jacob Baker.

Professor Stewart, no stranger to BBC productions having presented numerous scientific documentaries, said:

“There is huge pressure to answer all of your questions correctly – you can feel your colleagues waiting for you to make a mistake. And for all of my experience in television, it’s rare that you have an audience and one you can sense reacting to your answers.”

The 3rd Degree has been running since 2011, with each show recorded at a different university. For the visit to Plymouth, the production team used the University’s performing arts centre, The House, which has also hosted BBC’s Question Time on its last two visits to the city.