Jeremy Paxman was born on 11 May 1950 in Leeds, England, to a family with a professional background; his father worked as a naval officer and administrator.

He was educated at Malvern College before studying at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he edited the student newspaper. He joined the BBC in 1972, beginning his journalism career in local radio before moving into national broadcasting.

Paxman rose to prominence as presenter of Newsnight (BBC Two) from 1989 to 2014, gaining a reputation for rigorous and sometimes confrontational interviews with political figures.

He became the long-time host of University Challenge on BBC Two from 1994 to 2023, making him one of the longest-serving quizmasters on British television.

He lives in the UK and has three children. In 2021, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, later stepping down from University Challenge in 2023.