A moment of geographical confusion involving a senior politician provided an awkward highlight on BBC Two's University Challenge Christmas special. Carla Denyer, the former co-leader of the Green Party and now MP for Bristol Central, incorrectly identified Minsk as a Russian city during the quiz show's semi-final.
The Blunder That Made The Host Laugh
The error occurred when presenter Amol Rajan posed a question about a Russian port city founded on the Kola Peninsula. A discussion broke out within the Durham University alumni team, which included Denyer as captain, TikTok influencer Sophia Smith Galer, broadcaster Tracey MacLeod, and art historian Liz James.
Smith Galer was heard asking her teammates, "Minsk isn't in Russia is it?" to which MacLeod replied "Yes". Denyer then confidently offered "Minsk?" as the team's final answer. Rajan was left laughing as he corrected them, stating: "Minsk is the capital of Belarus. It's Murmansk that we're after."
Mixed Reaction From Viewers and Political Context
The gaffe did not go unnoticed by the audience, with one viewer taking to social media to question the knowledge gap. "Am I being unreasonable in thinking that seems like a pretty big knowledge gap for *a party leader* given events in Ukraine over the last four years?" they tweeted, referencing the geopolitical significance of Belarus's position bordering Ukraine.
Others were more forgiving, praising the team's overall performance and their "whole team enthusiastic effort" in securing a place in the final. Despite the mistake, the Durham team triumphed over Trinity College Cambridge with a score of 185 to 125.
From Engineer to MP and Onwards to the Final
Carla Denyer, 40, studied mechanical engineering at Durham University between 2005 and 2009. After a career as a renewable energy engineer, she entered politics and was elected as one of four Green MPs in the 2024 General Election—a historic result for her party. She served as Green Party co-leader from October 2021 until stepping down in September 2025 to focus on her parliamentary work.
Her team's quiz show journey continues tonight, December 2025, at 8.30pm on BBC Two. They will face Keble College, Oxford, in the University Challenge Christmas final, after Oxford beat University College London 170-115 in the other semi-final.
