Eric Monkman's Biography

Who is Eric Monkman?

Eric Monkman heralds from Oakville in Canada, and is the son of two doctors.

However, when Eric was 13, his father died of lung cancer.

Eric studied at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, during which time he applied to be on Jeopardy in the USA, but was rejected.

Eric Monkman gained a masters degree in Economics at Wolfson College, Cambridge, and came to prominence as a 29-year-old through his notable appearances on University Challenge where he was captain of the losing finalists Wolfson College.

He became the Marjorie Deane Intern at The Economist.

In August 2017, Eric Monkman and another University Challenge legend, his friend Bobby Seagull (they were rival captains in the semi-final of the show) hosted Monkman and Seagull's Polymathic Adventure on BBC Radio 4.

In October 2017, they also published a book together, The Monkman and Seagull Quiz Book.

His partner is Jiang Na, a professor of law at Beijing Normal University.

In 2018, BBC Two commissioned a four-part documentary series Monkman and Seagull's Genius Guide to Britain.

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