Jeremy Paxman has announced that the upcoming new series of University Challenge will be his last.

The 72-year-old, who revealed last year that he is suffering from Parkinson's disease, has hosted the UK's longest-running quiz show for the last 28 years.

The new series is currently being filmed and will be broadcast on BBC Two starting Monday, August 29, with Paxman's final episode due to air next summer.

"I've had a blast hosting this wonderful series for nearly 29 years," he said in a statement. I've been lucky enough to work with an amazing team and to meet some of the swottier brains in the country. It gives me hope for the future."

Kate Phillips, the BBC's director of unscripted, added: "Since the BBC revived University Challenge in 1994 Jeremy has been at the front and centre of the show's success and is without doubt one of the world's finest, and most formidable quizmasters.

"We are hugely grateful to Jeremy for his dedication to the programme for an incredible 28 years, he will be much missed by us all and the show's millions of viewers."

The BBC plans to reveal Paxman's successor later this week.