University Challenge’s Eric Monkman: I don’t really speak like I did on the quiz show
BBC Eric Monkman claims he does not really speak like he did on University Challenge
The Cambridge graduate was a huge hit with viewers of this year's series of the BBC Two quiz and was known for his expressive manner and lacking an “indoor voice” as he answered host Jeremy Paxman's questions. But he told Radio Times the tone was not his usual one, explaining: “When you're on TV it's very stressful.
“I don't normally talk in that tone, but with most of my answers I was just trying to make myself heard. “When it was an answer I knew well, I delivered it with passion.” Monkman, 29, now a trainee financial journalist at The Economist, said he “practised speaking up because you had to make sure the person on the other end of the table could hear you”.
I finally realised, though, that people kind of liked me Eric Monkman
He said: “You didn't want your team or Jeremy Paxman saying, 'Hey, what was that?' “So you got used to delivering your answers with a fair bit of volume.“ Canadian Monkman created a buzz on social media thanks to his stellar performance, with the #Monkmania going viral and fans declaring their love for him.
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BBC The Cambridge graduate was a huge hit on the show popular with fans for his expressive style
He said it was difficult to get used to all the attention. “It was weird that people were talking about me in Britain, but I was in Canada for most of the time and nobody paid much attention to me there,“ he said.
BBC Canadian Monkman claims he adopt the style to be heard in the studio
RADIO TIMES