c4countdown

i'm very excited about countdown starting again today!

have always watched it but only sporadically due to work, childcare etc (it's after school so i rarely get chance to sit down and watch properly, just have it in background while cooking tea for kids etc) but since i passed my audition last week am much more interested and ridiculously exciTed!

THOUGHT I'D BETTER POST THIS HERE AS AM BOIUND TO ADD TO IT AFTER PROGRAMME AIRED.

EEK, CAPS LOCK FEVER! sorry, no time to edit, baby crying.

[apols for poor typing, have wriggly pox-ridden baby on knee]

Clare Sudbery wrote:i'm very excited about countdown starting again today!

have always watched it but only sporadically due to work, childcare etc (it's after school so i rarely get chance to sit down and watch properly, just have it in background while cooking tea for kids etc) but since i passed my audition last week am much more interested and ridiculously exciTed!

THOUGHT I'D BETTER POST THIS HERE AS AM BOIUND TO ADD TO IT AFTER PROGRAMME AIRED.

EEK, CAPS LOCK FEVER! sorry, no time to edit, baby crying.

[apols for poor typing, have wriggly pox-ridden baby on knee]

I am going to be watching this today, at work, with a load of my co-workers: I am already cringing at the prospect.

Good luck today David. Hope you do the business.

Ian Dent wrote:Good luck today David. Hope you do the business.

Thanks. I hope this isn't a spoiler but I had a great day.

For Charlie: the recap writer doesn't give an option for CofC XIII. What shall I do?

oh it's so infuriating, first the doorbell rang, then the dog escaped, then my son lost his DS, now the dog is insisting on sitting in front of the screen... countdown and busy households don't mix!

yes, good luck everybody!

Kai Laddiman wrote:For Charlie: the recap writer doesn't give an option for CofC XIII. What shall I do?

Just in case Charlie doesn't come on. Use the S59 option, Kai. He'll then sort it out afterwards, and I'll make sure the wiki version is ok. Glad you remembered it's you today.

Shocked DC and the contestants missed CINNAMON in R2.

UNFIXES round 3.

Howard Somerset wrote:Glad you remembered it's you today.

Am I doing it on the 19th as well?

Kai Laddiman wrote:

Howard Somerset wrote:Glad you remembered it's you today.

Am I doing it on the 19th as well?

Yes. And after that we alternate.

I'm guessing DoD may have had MORTICER.

Was there something edited out there? I recall reading about a couple of edits and everyone seemed very amused at the end of Round 8!

Ben Pugh wrote:I'm guessing DoD may have had MORTICER.

He did and COURTIER too.

Chris Philpot wrote:Was there something edited out there? I recall reading about a couple of edits and everyone seemed very amused at the end of Round 8!

There probably was, but I can't remember it.

MELODIST was there too in R13

Very close to METHODIST/ISM as well. Ive been playing so much Goatdown that I was genuinely waiting for him to ask what actual letter you wanted!

Yay, go David! :O)

If any of the production team still pop in here, then thank you for your excellent work. You've revitalised the show in just the right way whilst resisting the probable temptation to fiddle with any of the stuff that already worked. An excellent job, and Jeff is particularly great!

Well done to David and commiserations to James. That was a brilliant game to watch.

Very nice spot too David, at the end there, with CORTISONE.

Congratulations to David and James on a great contest.

Here's The Guardian's (minute by minute) recap with people playing along in the comments section:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... ments=true

Congratulations to David and commiserations to James. Very exciting crucial conundrum.
Jeff didn't call it crucial, can't remember what. Bit early to start stamping his mark on such an institution of a program, I thought.

Loved the posh new set.

Jeff and Rachel were quite good.
Got a bit worried when Jeff started spouting footie terminology whenever it was, but that seemed to be the only outbreak, that I spotted anyway.

Not a bad start, I thought. Definitely great to have the show back after a month off the air too.

Chris Philpot wrote:If any of the production team still pop in here, then thank you for your excellent work. You've revitalised the show in just the right way whilst resisting the probable temptation to fiddle with any of the stuff that already worked. An excellent job, and Jeff is particularly great!

...Thanks Chris. Much appreciated. Will pass on your kind words to the rest of the team (who are currently in studio recording the first games of Series 60).

Excellent game to kick off the CoC despite the infuriating repeated letters Managed HELOTISM as an equaller but fluffed the last numbers losing to the inhuman looking David by about 6 points and winning James by about the same. Its good to have Countdown back, and even better under the helm of Jeff!

Excelent start not quite UNBELIEVABLE JEFF but both presenters well all three are very proffessional Susie's even done her hair.

Lookingforward to another 60 odd series well here's hoping.

i got cinnamon round 2 and unfixes for round 3.

That Guardian recap is hilariously poor (which to be fair they note themselves), the new presenters are about the only thing they don't confuse, apparently James got 'encoats' from OEENDKZCS.

Very good start to the new series - I have to say that I was dreading it.

Jeff and Rachel are pretty natural...

The recurring letters were very strange! I've very rarely seen 3 of the one letter come up.

Also I noticed that the contestants now check each other's duplicate answers - very minor change but I think it is one for the better.

One small niggle is that while Rachel seems fairly relaxed when she is talking, her stance looks very awkward and I think the letters board needs to be moved up about 3-4 inches, as she is too tall for it.

Jeff and Rachel still have a lot of settling in to do, but today was enough re-assurance for me that the game itself is the biggest star, and that is can continue.

Ben Pugh wrote:That Guardian recap is hilariously poor (which to be fair they note themselves), the new presenters are about the only thing they don't confuse, apparently James got 'encoats' from OEENDKZCS.

ridiculously poor isn't it? They give incorrect words, mix us up in the scoring, complete mess.

The best player won with an amazingly quick 'critical' conundrum spot. Bit annoyed I didn't risk FLEETED in what was my best patch of the game. But would have made no difference with the excellent WIRETAP and ETHMOIDS and that conundrum. Well done David.

Peter Dunwoody wrote: One small niggle is that while Rachel seems fairly relaxed when she is talking, her stance looks very awkward and I think the letters board needs to be moved up about 3-4 inches, as she is too tall for it.

One solution could be for Rachel to go from 4" heels to some flat shoes?? Also would solve the problem of her getting the stilletto stuck in the gap that exists in the flooring of the new board turntable!

Peter Dunwoody wrote:I noticed that the contestants now check each other's duplicate answers - very minor change but I think it is one for the better.

They do that now because the way the new set is designed, Jeff is too far away from the contestants to be able to see what they've written.

Quality game played in a very good spirit. Enjoyed watching it for the second time.

James Hurrell wrote:

Peter Dunwoody wrote: One small niggle is that while Rachel seems fairly relaxed when she is talking, her stance looks very awkward and I think the letters board needs to be moved up about 3-4 inches, as she is too tall for it.

One solution could be for Rachel to go from 4" heels to some flat shoes?? Also would solve the problem of her getting the stilletto stuck in the gap that exists in the flooring of the new board turntable!

One suspects the high heels are Eadie's edict.

The return to a studio background for the credits was a nice surprise - should look great on the early morning repeats when we can actually see it!

It was an excellent way to kick off CoC, well done both players for a high quality game and particularly D-Jeffrey-o-Hansford-D for that awesome conundrum spot.

I have to say that James was incredibly gracious after the match. It must've been a nightmare to have to play first and against DoD and you deserved to be in the tournament longer. Your winning attitude after the game really set the tone for the rest of the championship.

Was indeed good to watch. I was disappointed that ZEEDONKS isn't a word from the ENCODES round though

James Hurrell wrote:

Ben Pugh wrote:That Guardian recap is hilariously poor (which to be fair they note themselves), the new presenters are about the only thing they don't confuse, apparently James got 'encoats' from OEENDKZCS.

ridiculously poor isn't it? They give incorrect words, mix us up in the scoring, complete mess.

The best player won with an amazingly quick 'critical' conundrum spot. Bit annoyed I didn't risk FLEETED in what was my best patch of the game. But would have made no difference with the excellent WIRETAP and ETHMOIDS and that conundrum. Well done David.

Cheers James. My work crowd were booing you for the entire first part until I informed that them about how nice a guy you are. I would say that we missed quite a bit but at least that made for a tense and exciting game or is it only me who thinks so?

Rachel seemed to be handing the letter and number titles very delicately as if she was afraid to handle them to roughly.

As stated earlier, DC and Jeff have been given much more desk space so the contestants have to be the ones who check each others papers in case they get the same word. Amusing if one said, 'Er no, he hasn't.'

A lot of multiple letters in the early rounds. 3 Es together !

Overall, a good first show. I've always like Jeff anyway.

Re the heels. I can't imagine Rachel would want to be on TV in flat shoes - they wouldn't look very elegant, would they? I think we'll find her posture gets better as she relaxes more. We are all prone to poor posture when a bit tense (actually, some of us are prone to it most of the time regardless of the situation!). But I think she handled herself admirably for her first TV appearance. And I think Jeff is going to make a great host - what a professional!

Eoin.V.Monaghan wrote:i got cinnamon round 2 and unfixes for round 3.

Same here.

Great start to the new era of Countdown. Really enjoyed the game, despite the very odd recurrence of letters. I'm sure both David and James found the poor selections frustrating but well done David for pulling out the quality words when available. Well played both and for the relaxed manner in which the game seemed to be played.

Loving Jeff as host already, agree re the comments about Rachel's stance but I imagine it would be hard to convince a girl to take off her high heels!

Thought that Andrew Sachs did not get much of a look in, was that maybe a time issue due to the longer than normal introduction or maybe not?

Yes, I agree with everyone about Rachel's stance. They either need to raise the board a few inches or encourage her to wear shorter heels. Otherwise she did well and hopefully will relax more as time goes on. Jeff did a very good job and seems like an excellent choice. The main thing we found slightly disconcerting watching today was the like of atmosphere. Some rounds were met in total silence and it seemed very strange. We wondered if maybe there was a smaller audience than usual. Was it really like that or was applause edited out?

Heather Culpin wrote:Was it really like that or was applause edited out?

To my mind, there's only usually applause for a hell of a word. Or maybe there's a concious effort to reduce the Deso-style playing to the crowd maybe?

Heather Culpin wrote:Some rounds were met in total silence and it seemed very strange. We wondered if maybe there was a smaller audience than usual. Was it really like that or was applause edited out?

I noticed this as well. It was almost eerie.

Ian Volante wrote:

Heather Culpin wrote:Was it really like that or was applause edited out?

To my mind, there's only usually applause for a hell of a word. Or maybe there's a concious effort to reduce the Deso-style playing to the crowd maybe?

Nah, we commented on that watching from the audience -there wasn't even applause for the contestants once they were introduced. This doesn't continue.

KateHorton wrote:...Thanks Chris. Much appreciated. Will pass on your kind words to the rest of the team (who are currently in studio recording the first games of Series 60).

Argh, Kate so you were all working while today's show was aired? Didn't you all want to watch it while it was actually being broadcast, so that you were sharing in with the nation's experience? (I'm like that when one of my favourite films is on TV even though I have it on DVD - I like to feel others are enjoying it at the same time.) And your contestants would have missed it too. Work?! Pfft!

Few main points from today from me, aside from agreeing with the praise and comments which others have said above :

1 - it was weird, but that was to be expected, and it stopped being weird fairly quickly
2 - Rachel's vowels are a bit odd (but then so are my Scottish ones - A and E often sounding similar )
3 - yes Rachel's so tall it makes her slouch (like all the tall slim girls I know), but you could see improvements in her posture fairly quickly. I like the little 'dip and curtsy' she does as she walks backwards after putting up the last letter
4 - yes, Jeff's jokes and comments were IMO sport heavy, which is fine as that's his world, but I hope and guess he'll expand on his material.

Lovely pair of contestants, lovely to have the show back, and well done to all involved!

Karen Pearson wrote:Re the heels. I can't imagine Rachel would want to be on TV in flat shoes - they wouldn't look very elegant, would they? I think we'll find her posture gets better as she relaxes more. We are all prone to poor posture when a bit tense (actually, some of us are prone to it most of the time regardless of the situation!)

Like John Sergeant on Strictly Come Dancing!

To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised about almost everything. I thought Jeff was very funny, probably the first Countdown host who makes me genuinely laugh. Rachel did well as well - she barely talked but of course Jeff has loads of TV experience and she has absolutely none, so I'm sure by the end of Series 60 (or earlier?) her personality will really shine through. Also, I noticed Jeff actually talks to the contestants, not talking to the contestants was something I didn't like about Des O'. I thought Rachel wrote quite slowly, and she does some of the numbers a bit weird like the 5, almost the way a left-handed person does them (like I do o and 0 the other way when I write left handed).

I did get UNFIXES but I'd have been here until Tuesday before I'd have seen CINNAMON.

So overall, I was really pleased and if it keeps up like this I might start watching the Series of Countdown again, and not just the Series finals and the CofC!

Martin Gardner wrote:

Karen Pearson wrote:Re the heels. I can't imagine Rachel would want to be on TV in flat shoes - they wouldn't look very elegant, would they? I think we'll find her posture gets better as she relaxes more. We are all prone to poor posture when a bit tense (actually, some of us are prone to it most of the time regardless of the situation!)

Like John Sergeant on Strictly Come Dancing!

A fan Martin So Jeff and Rachel for strictly 2009

I dunno whether this is the best place for my comment or not, but congratulations to both Dod and James for their performances today. I thought it was a cracking game to commence what's hopefully three weeks of great entertainment. No surprise to see a crucial conundrum involved either - an obscenely quick spot was a shock though.

I had to record the first show today as I had visitors for tea and as neither of them are Countdown fans I couldn't subject them to the show, especially as I like to participate. Anyway, I've just watched it and thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Rachel seems very nervous, but I'm sure she'll relax in time. Carole must have been nervous at first too. Jeff is more experienced so didn't seem so tense as Rachel. Congratulations to David, he did very well and I was sorry for James as he seems such a nice young fellow. He did well though, in fact far better than I did. Wow, there's no way I'd get on the show, not a chance!

James Hurrell wrote:MELODIST was there too in R13

Actually I only got this when Christine offered MODELS, as I started wondering if MODELIST^ was a word. So in the time I'd only offer HOISTED. ETHMOIDS is hilariously good.

kathleen batlle wrote: He did well though, in fact far better than I did. Wow, there's no way I'd get on the show, not a chance!

Don't be daft - don't forget you're competing against CofC quality contestants. If you're keeping up, you're doing well!

I found it all a bit weird - somehow unnerving that these strange people on a strange set had hijacked some well-known contestants and were pretending to present Countdown. Not helped by thinking the numbers and letters boards seemed to be different heights, and wondering if it was always like that. But I thought it was very promising. It probably just means that in a few days time this will be the norm, and the old regime will be a fading memory. I did like the way Jeff actually talked to the contestants, which seemed to have died out of late.

David

Kirk Bevins wrote:

kathleen batlle wrote: He did well though, in fact far better than I did. Wow, there's no way I'd get on the show, not a chance!

Don't be daft - don't forget you're competing against CofC quality contestants. If you're keeping up, you're doing well!

Thanks Kirk, that's very kind of you.

David Williams wrote: I did like the way Jeff actually talked to the contestants, which seemed to have died out of late.

David

I agree. It was refreshing that he'd read the contestants' cards and was able to remember the contents and use them during the programme. I hope this focus on the contestants continues.

Just watched the show in full, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think Jeff is the first presenter who's seemed natural from day 1. I liked his relaxed and chatty style with the contestants. And Rachel seemed very comfortable in her position. I look forward to seeing her when she's needed to produce a numbers solution.

It's been a long gap since S59 ended, but it was well worth the wait.

Well done to all.

In case this wasn't obvious, I think Jeff is damn awesome. Rachel is still growing into the role, as you'd expect, but she's light years ahead of where Carol was 1982.

Charlie Reams wrote:In case this wasn't obvious, I think Jeff is damn awesome. Rachel is still growing into the role, as you'd expect, but she's light years ahead of where Carol was 1982.

As a viewer of just one episode, I totally agree. There's no comparison between Rachel yesterday and Carol on her day one, as we've seen in clips recently.

Howard Somerset wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:In case this wasn't obvious, I think Jeff is damn awesome. Rachel is still growing into the role, as you'd expect, but she's light years ahead of where Carol was 1982.

As a viewer of just one episode, I totally agree. There's no comparison between Rachel yesterday and Carol on her day one, as we've seen in clips recently.

It's not really fair to make that comparison though, because Rachel has seen "how it's done", whereas Carol hadn't.

I think Jeff Stelling is very good indeed.
He does his business pleasantly, fluently and without waffle.
But I'm afraid I find Rachel's voice just a little harsh/hard, and lacking warmth.
I am hapy that Countdown has survived recent upheavals and is looking and sounding good.

If I'd been in a media proof bubble for the last six months, and watched today for the first time, I wouldn't have noticed that Jeff and Rachel were new. I guess getting that first show 'in the can' really took the edge off their nerves.