New Talent

[Douglas Wilson]

As enjoyable as this series has been, we've only had two really big guns from apterous in Ed and Adam; compared to last series when the top 6 were all top players.

Looking at the pro ranks the ones that stick out that haven't been on are James Ngyuen, Dale Levell, Hugh Binnie, Thomas Cappleman, Josh Hurst, Graeme Cole, Liam Tiernan, Dan Seasmith, Lloyd Pettet and Matt Bayfield. (All in and around the top 30)

Just wondering if any of you guys have applied/auditioned/recorded or even just planned to apply??

[Ryan Taylor]

I think a no entry sign is being held up to anyone considered an apterite for the time being.

[Douglas Wilson]

Why?

[Edward McCullagh]

As enjoyable as this series has been, we've only had two really big guns from apterous in Ed and Adam; compared to last series when the top 6 were all top players.

Looking at the pro ranks the ones that stick out that haven't been on are James Ngyuen, Dale Levell, Hugh Binnie, Thomas Cappleman, Josh Hurst, Graeme Cole, Liam Tiernan, Dan Seasmith, Lloyd Pettet and Matt Bayfield. (All in and around the top 30)

Just wondering if any of you guys have applied/auditioned/recorded or even just planned to apply??

All these people are dead on, and I hope they do all apply because they would be fantastic contestants

So fucking well apply if you haven't

[Martin Bishop]

Thomas Cappleman

Already been on. His lack of Countdown fame would be my fault.

[Thomas Cappleman]

Made the mistake of going on shortly after Apterous was made, and before I discovered it (unfortunately I then found it before my episode was screened).

[Douglas Wilson]

So to confirm, if you're an apterite then you're not allowed on Countdown any more?

[Soph K]

So to confirm, if you're an apterite then you're not allowed on Countdown any more?

but isnt that unfair?? ok so just to make this clear, you think that peoplethat are on apterous cant be a contestant on countdown???

[Ryan Taylor]

So to confirm, if you're an apterite then you're not allowed on Countdown any more?

Well, I think that might be a bit strong. I'm not really in any position to say as I basically don't know. But my instinct is that for at least a couple of series people who are like aptonerds are being at least postponed to a future series on the basis that application numbers have dropped having witnessed the likes of Kirk, Chris, Oliver and Jack (and the rest) winning the series. So maybe they just want sort of normal people to come back to the show and of course you still do get good natural anagrammers along who haven't used apterous. On the whole though, I really don't know, I'm just speculating.

Maybe what should happen is all these apto people could get put against each other for like, I don't know, say, 3 weeks worth of episodes to clear the pathway.

[James Robinson]

Maybe what should happen is all these apto people could get put against each other for like, I don't know, say, 3 weeks worth of episodes to clear the pathway.

Hopefully this early finish to this series will mean something like that will happen at some point during the year.

[Martin Bishop]

Maybe what should happen is all these apto people could get put against each other for like, I don't know, say, 3 weeks worth of episodes to clear the pathway.

Or they could put them all up against each other for a week and a half at the end of the series.

Is there any real basis for this? Have any of the above applied and not got on?

[Andy McGurn]

Maybe what should happen is all these apto people could get put against each other for like, I don't know, say, 3 weeks worth of episodes to clear the pathway.

There have been more all-apterite games this series than in recent series. Like Edward McCullagh vs Dave Dyer, Ned Pendleton vs Colin Cox, Ned Pendleton vs Dan McColm and my own games with Adam Fleetwood, James Hall and Peter Mcloughlin. Is this coinidence or was this planned?

I think some more all apterous games in the heats would be great. Som kind of set up like Graeme Cole vs Matt Bayfield with the the winner playing Liam Tiernan and the winner of that playing Matt Morrison would surely be great for all of us. Then there could be other sections of the series where its all "regular people" that would satisfy the geeral viewer.

[Mark James]

It's too bad Damo's not on here much any more. I'd like some official response to these allegations (that's probably too strong a word). If there's any truth to them I would be disappointed. It would be akin to the FA not letting people who train a lot to be footballers. I can sort of see the argument that people are put off applying when they know they don't have a chance to beat the likes of Kirk, Chris et all but then I think, do Eggheads or The Chase struggle to get contestants because they'll have to play against the Eggheads and the chaser?

[Michael Wallace]

do Eggheads or The Chase struggle to get contestants because they'll have to play against the Eggheads and the chaser?

Er, II doubt Countdown would struggle for contestants if they were offering even the chance of winning £££...

[Gavin Chipper]

So is there anyone in particular that has or thinks they have been put off to a leter series?

[Mark James]

do Eggheads or The Chase struggle to get contestants because they'll have to play against the Eggheads and the chaser?

Er, II doubt Countdown would struggle for contestants if they were offering even the chance of winning £££...

Good point. They should do a version of Countdown for money where you have to beat Susie at the letters and Rachel at the numbers.

[Ben Wilson]

do Eggheads or The Chase struggle to get contestants because they'll have to play against the Eggheads and the chaser?

Er, II doubt Countdown would struggle for contestants if they were offering even the chance of winning £££...

Good point. They should do a version of Countdown for money where you have to beat Susie at the letters and Rachel at the numbers.

The irony being that on Eggheads you have to pick six players, with one acting as a reserve. Guess what role the best player inevitably ends up taking (at least in the first series)...

[Lesley Hines]

I'd have to say, even 99-year-old Granny-in-law's noticed the decline in standard recently. (She also commented how Jeff's jokes always sound like he's reading them off a script - hmmmmm.) AFAICS, it's just going to end up with an increase of apterous players called stuff like Practice Name, rather than a decline in apterous players going on.

[Johnny Canuck]

Or they could put them all up against each other for a week and a half at the end of the series.

CoC XIV?

[Martin Bishop]

Or they could put them all up against each other for a week and a half at the end of the series.

CoC XIV?

Calm down, I was referring to the series finals.

[Oliver Garner]

I'd have to say, even 99-year-old Granny-in-law's noticed the decline in standard recently. (She also commented how Jeff's jokes always sound like he's reading them off a script - hmmmmm.) AFAICS, it's just going to end up with an increase of apterous players called stuff like Practice Name, rather than a decline in apterous players going on.

I think a bot should go on next series, maybe Plum. He'd probably get to the quarters.

[Matt Morrison]

I love that people are so desperate for middle-of-the-range apterous talent that even my name got mentioned!