Jeremy Paxman and John Humphrys spar on air As University Challenge turns 50 today, the quiz programme's presenter Jeremy Paxman got a chance to be quizzed himself by John Humphrys. Speaking on the Today programme, Jeremy Paxman, who has presented University Challenge for the last 17 years, said he loved students and is "amazed by what they do." "The media stereotype about young people is absolute rubbish, they know amazing things and they care about interesting things too," he said. He seemed less enthralled by John Humphrys' questions however and told the Today presenter to "ask better ones."