Poll: When Did You Start Watching Countdown?

[Philip A]

When did you first watch Countdown? Did you get into it during Covid lockdown? Did you watch the very first edition on 2nd of November 1982?

[Fiona T]

When did you first watch Countdown? Did you get into it during Covid lockdown? Did you watch the very first edition on 2nd of November 1982?

Probably - I remember the launch of C4, but couldn't say hand on heart I sat and watched countdown. Would definitely have seen it in that era though, and dipped in and out over the years. Couldn't have named a single champion before I applied for the show though!

[Steve Hyde]

Late 80s-early 90s all the way through to Richard Whiteley's death, then a long break until Anne Robinson started presenting

[Tom S]

Would have watched it for the first time in the 00s at my great-grandmothers', but didn't get into it properly until 2017.

[Thomas Carey]

Adam gillards octorun early 2011

[Adam Beach]

CoC XV here, having seen it promoted on the Countdowners Facebook group I'd just joined at the time. I've seen every episode since then, plus the hundreds of episodes on YouTube. I'm itching to see more from the short-lived "wooden" era (1989–1991), particularly those from Series 18 where the red and white tiles were used.

[Matt Rutherford]

Remember getting home from infant/junior school. My gran put it on (followed by Deal Or No Deal). I do point out the irony to her when she complains about me spending money heading out to luxurious vistas (such as Glasgow or Milton Keynes) to play

When I told Jack Hurst that I watched him on TV shortly after starting Y4 (ages 8-9) I think I gave him a mild existential crisis. Sorry Jack!

[Gavin Chipper]

I was aware of its existence anyway but we had a great aunt that watched it and I think started regularly-ish watching when we went to stay with her once. John Clarke winning series 11 in 1987 would have been my first champion.

[Steve Hyde]

This is the first episode I remember - the absolute gimme of a 7 in round two has stuck with me. But I was definitely watching for a couple of years before that

https://wiki.apterous.org/Episode_1274

[Ben Wilson]

I definitely recall watching the Masters when it was on in the early 90s, possibly before then but I couldn't say for certain. The first final I remember is the late Huw Morgan vs Harshan Lamabadusuriya (both of whom I would later have the pleasure of meeting), while the first contestant I distinctly remember (and who would indirectly inspire me to go on the show myself) was Bhavin Manek.

[Tracey Anne Mills]

I watched Countdown when I was 11 years old in 1983, but started getting into it more in 1996 around the the time of the Supreme Championships when I was on maternity leave from my last job. I watched more of it in the in late 90s before deciding to take the plunge and go on the show as a contestant which I finally did..........and the rest is history.

[Fred Mumford]

Did you watch the very first edition on 2nd of November 1982?

Yes, and although it did sound like the kind of programme I would like, the main reason for watching was obviously to see the launch of a new channel. I think I did continue to watch Countdown for the next few weeks but after that I doubt I caught more than an episode per year on average for the next 30 years. However, since the middle of Series 69 in 2013 I don't think I've missed an episode.

[Johnny Canuck]

If you say 1980s, hang on a minute and keep the duct tape over your mouth, we just have to go through your cabinet of old tapes…

[Gavin Chipper]

The launch plus other launch-based stuff here. Go to 17:27 for the launch.

[David Williams]

1999. Before that I thought Countdown was a show presented by William G Stewart where they started with 15 contestants and counted down until there was only one left. I appeared on the show less than a year after I started watching regularly, and I still watch regularly now.

[Ahmed M]

I'd seen a couple episodes here and there beforehand but it was Eoin Monaghan's octorun in 2010 that hooked me. Signed up to Apto midway through it

[Gavin Chipper]

1999. Before that I thought Countdown was a show presented by William G Stewart where they started with 15 contestants and counted down until there was only one left. I appeared on the show less than a year after I started watching regularly, and I still watch regularly now.

What did you think 15 to 1 was? A lunchtime discussion show at the regular time of 12:45?

[David Williams]

1999. Before that I thought Countdown was a show presented by William G Stewart where they started with 15 contestants and counted down until there was only one left. I appeared on the show less than a year after I started watching regularly, and I still watch regularly now.

What did you think 15 to 1 was? A lunchtime discussion show at the regular time of 12:45?

No idea. I suppose I was vaguely aware of the existence of both, but that was as far as it went. Daytime TV was a mystery to me.

[Ian Volante]

I'm most likely to have watched in 1982 after school. Don't remember specifics until the likes of Gino Corr. I certainly outscored both grand finalists at some point in the late 80s or early 90s.

[David Roe]

I saw episode 1, but wasn't impressed. It was perhaps a couple of years later that I started watching regularly.

[Adam S Latchford]

watched bits as a kid but can't recall anything, then I watched halfway through series 82 during lockdown and just insta applied

[Thomas Cappleman]

Apparently I learned my letters from Countdown (then some time later learned lower case), so 1990-1994. Watched on and off growing up, though very rarely watch now.

[JackHurst]

Never seen it

[Philip A]

I saw episode 1, but wasn't impressed. It was perhaps a couple of years later that I started watching regularly.

It had a bad start to be fair: first show took so long to film (2 hours!) because Richard kept fluffing his lines, ratings fell from 3.5 million for Episode 1 to 500 k to Episode 2, and there were reports of thumb twiddling in the press! They ended up doing 2 shows on day 1 instead of 5. Luckily, its audience rebuilt over the next 10 years.

Bullseye similarly had a bad start: first two episodes never broadcast, went out on Monday nights, lost 7 million viewers at launch (people preferred The Krypton Factor) but found its audience when it moved to Sunday teatime.

[Ryan Lam]

Started watching in 2013 during the 30th Birthday Championship, but it was only in 2017 during Series 76 that I started watching full-time on a regular basis. Proud to say I haven't missed a single episode since

[L'oisleatch McGraw]

Around 2007 it became must-watch TV. It still is, and I have missed probably no episodes since... I even endure the guest and OOW segments without FFing.

I was aware of its existence much earlier than that, and watched now and then. Always liked it... but became a proper fan in 2007.

[Jamie Weisenberg]

Looking at the responses above and how many are longtime fans, the question that needs to be asked is what is it about Countdown that is so addictive for some people ? Need a psychological explanation.

[Mike Brailsford]

Watched episode 1. At aged 11, I was already well in to quizzes, quiz shows and game shows and once old enough, began a quest to at least apply for anything that took my fancy for shows that requested contestants.

[Philip A]

Interesting and great responses.

First memory for me was 2003 when I was still at nursery. We only had 5 channels as we weren’t digital until 2005, and I watched every game show whenever I could (Wipeout, Weakest Link and 50/50). Watched more the following year. Got the board game featuring Richard & Carol on the front cover in Christmas 2004 when I was 6 and played when we could (I was rubbish at it). Missed only a handful of Des Lynam episodes, but watched less during Jeff Stelling era. Stopped watching for 18 months after the 30th Birthday Championship (felt show was over the hill at the time) but George Ford’s unbelievable 4 large play shortly after the show entered the Guinness Book of Records got me back into it.

Applied in 2017. Felt discouraged to apply for any more shows since then! Maybe one day I’ll change my mind.

[Logan Skelton]

I first saw Countdown on TV in 2001-2002, watched the odd episode or two a month over the years (including Catsdown), but it was not until 2020 during lockdown I started to get hooked, watched most if not all the episodes from there on, didn't sign up to Apterous until a while later, probably a good thing I did, I can't imagine my daily routine without Countdown now!