RIP Tony Durrant

[Jennifer Turner]

I thought some of you might want to know this. Tony Durrant, a three-time Countdown champ only this year, died on 19 November. His funeral was written up in the Salford Advertiser: http://www.salfordadvertiser.co.uk/news ... last_round

[Gavin Chipper]

RIP. Bad news indeed.

Having read what it said about his numbers ability in the article, I couldn't help but look at his recaps. It does appear that he only missed the max in one numbers game, and Carol didn't get that one anyway.

[Jason Larsen]

Oh, no!

First, Michael Wylie and now Tony Durrant? How sad!

I liked him. I thought he was a nice and clever guy.

Well, he's in a better place now. He will be missed.

[Howard Somerset]

Sad news indeed. Details of all of Tony's appearances are to be found here.

As Gavin has said, he missed a max in only one of his numbers rounds, winning three of them, and drawing the remaining nine.

[Jason Larsen]

Wow!

Again, Tony will be missed!

[Jacob Sutton]

Sad news. I thought he was quite fun to watch, particularly his banter with Des at the end of his final show about him only smiling when it was time to go home (or something along those lines) and had very obvious ability.

RIP and condolences to his family and friends.

[Jason Larsen]

Jay, I remember that moment too and it is another reason why I miss him.

[Richard Priest]

Very sad. Only just found out. Tony was a very good player who really deserved to be in the quarter finals that series.He was unlucky that I was on form that day.He took his defeat sportingly. I would like to extend my condolences to his family and may he rest in peace.

[Derek Hazell]

On the wiki it says that the two Tony Durrants who appeared on Countdown were different people, but the one who appeared in 1986 was definitely a window cleaner from Eccles. Does anyone remember what the more recent Tony Durrant did or where he was from? Either they are the same person, one is the other's son, or it is actually the first one who died.

[Phil Reynolds]

On the wiki it says that the two Tony Durrants who appeared on Countdown were different people, but the one who appeared in 1986 was definitely a window cleaner from Eccles.

How do you know that?

[Derek Hazell]

How do you know that?

I have access to some old TV Times, and for a while they used to tell you each day who the new contestant was.

[Howard Somerset]

The two Tony Durrants could well be the same person, or indeed the person who appeared in series 10 could have been the father of the later one to appear. It is a family window-cleaning buisness, which goes under the name of Tony Durrant & Son.

And to answer your questions Derek, the series 58 Tony Durrant was definitely a window cleaner from Eccles. There is a link to his obituary on his wiki page.

[Derek Hazell]

The two Tony Durrants could well be the same person, or indeed the person who appeared in series 10 could have been the father of the later one to appear. It is a family window-cleaning buisness, which goes under the name of Tony Durrant & Son.

And to answer your questions Derek, the series 58 Tony Durrant was definitely a window cleaner from Eccles. There is a link to his obituary on his wiki page.

Okay, so we know that it was definitely the one who appeared in Series 58 who died, because it says he was 64, and he looked about that age. Also his son's name is Richard, not Tony. What we still don't know is whether he is the same person who appeared in Series 10, because the obituary doesn't mention if he inherited the business from a father also called Tony.

[Kate Horton]

Tony had appeared on the show previous to his Series 58 performance. hth

[Howard Somerset]

Thanks, Kate.

Wiki updated, Derek.

[Derek Hazell]

Thank you for your help with that puzzle, Kate!

Thanks also Howard for sorting things out on there