A notoriously difficult question from the BBC quiz show University Challenge has left many viewers baffled. The query, posed by former presenter Jeremy Paxman, asked contestants to name a colour based on its unusual origin story.
The question referred to a perfume launched in the 1930s by designer Elsa Schiaparelli, whose packaging gave rise to a two-word colour name. A contemporary publication described it as a 'crude, cruel shade of rose'. Neither of the two competing teams could provide the correct answer.
One student from Imperial College London guessed 'Chanel Pink', while another from Balliol College, Oxford, suggested 'Flame Red' – both were incorrect. The correct answer is 'shocking pink', a vibrant hue that featured on Schiaparelli's perfume box and was famously worn by actress Zsa Zsa Gabor in the 1952 film Moulin Rouge.
The question has since gained notoriety as one of the toughest ever asked on the show, which is known for its challenging general knowledge rounds. Paxman hosted University Challenge from 1994 until May this year, when he was succeeded by Amol Rajan.
