University quiz genius could read at age of one

THE WOMAN hailed as the greatest ever University Challenge contestant today spoke of her "self-image issues".

Gail Trimble, who last night captained her Oxford University-Corpus Christi team to victory in the final against Manchester University, has answered more correct questions than any other contestant in the history of the quiz. But the 26-year-old postgraduate Classics student admits that she worries that people will dislike her if she appears too intelligent.

She said: "I've had lots of issues about my self-image - being a clever person you worry you're not going come across as a nice person in other ways. Of course we should all be ourselves and people are always telling me not to worry, but I'm just trying to get on with people."

Ms Trimble, who says she "bites her lip" to avoid correcting people all the time, grew up in Walton-on-Thames and studied at Lady Eleanor Holles school in Hampton.

Her mother is a JP, her father a BT manager and her boyfriend of five years, Tom West, is a trainee solicitor and fellow opera lover.

Since being described as a sex symbol for her scholarly looks, Ms Trimble has been forced to turn down a a photoshoot for "lads' mag" Nuts.

She insisted: "I want to be an academic - this has just been a bit of fun."