"Ableism Complaints Lead to Cancellation of University Challenge's Christmas Special"

An episode of Christmas University Challenge has been withdrawn due to complaints from two contestants about the lack of accommodations for their disabilities. One of the contestants, who is blind, described the experience as "distressing." They stated that audio description, which had been promised, was not provided. Additionally, another contestant, who is neurodivergent, requested subtitles but their request was reportedly declined. The BBC and the show's production company, Lifted Entertainment, have both issued apologies to the individuals involved. It is understood that the contestants notified the producers about their disabilities prior to the recording. The production team claimed that subtitles were not feasible but assured audio description would be available. However, this did not happen in reality. One of the affected contestants expressed their distress over the lack of audio description for visual content such as a pie chart and maps. The other contestant, who struggles with audio processing, had requested subtitles to ensure equal participation but was told it was not possible. They also mentioned that other requested accommodations for their sensory needs were not fully provided. Despite these challenges, the contestants agreed to participate but stated that the lack of accommodations and last-minute changes negatively impacted their functioning for a week after the show. Following its recording, the contestants contacted the BBC to request that the episode not be aired. The decision was made to pull the episode on Friday, a decision appreciated by both contestants. They offered to assist in making the program more inclusive. The BBC expressed regret for the contestants' dissatisfaction and stated that they are working with producers to improve access to their programs. Lifted Entertainment offered their sincere apologies and acknowledged that the adjustments made for the contestants fell short of their requirements. They agreed with the BBC's decision not to broadcast the episode based on the contestants' experiences. The rest of the Christmas University Challenge series is reportedly unaffected by this decision. The competition includes 14 teams competing in seven first-round matches to determine the Christmas series champions. The format is the same as the original show, with teams answering a series of questions. The withdrawn episode featured two colleges from Oxford and Cambridge competing against each other. The program is presented by Amol Rajan from BBC News.