a few days after the final was broadcast the bbc undertook an investigation into the eligibility of corpus christi team member sam kay, after it became evident that he had graduated in june 2008, before the filming of the quarter, semi-final and final matches, despite telling viewers he was studying chemistry. kay left corpus christi after failing to get funding for his phd and at the time of the final was working as an accountant. the captain of the manchester team, matthew yeo, rejected calls for a rematch of the final. however, in a statement on 2 march 2009, the bbc and the programme's makers, granada, stated that:"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."