c4countdown

It depends how you count them, but by the wikicount, Susie Dent will overtake Carol Vorderman for the most appearances on Countdown. By my reckoning, she will overtake Carol on 14 April.

But, as I say, it depends how you count them:

Carol Vorderman:
Broadcast standard episodes: 4,692 (approx, due to unknown detail about ariths in S1-2)
Unreleased standard episodes: 1
Celebrity editions: 8
Broadcast Masters games: 97 (taking each game as 1x appearance rather than 4x/5x)
Unreleased Masters games: 7
Gotcha: 1
Broadcast specials: 23 + Saturday Night Takeaway game + 1 as contestant
Unreleased specials: 2
TOTAL 4,833

Susie Dent:
Broadcast standard episodes: 4,645
Unreleased standard episodes: 2
Catsdown episodes: 135
Celebrity editions: 10
Gotcha: 1
Brodacast specials: 34 + Celebrity Big Brother game + 1 as arithmetician
Unreleased specials: 3
TOTAL 4,833

(as of 13 Apr)

I was just wondering about this.

Good stats.
How far behind is Whiteley?

I think it will be a while before he catches up.

Jon O'Neill wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 7:31 pm Good stats.
How far behind is Whiteley?

Even more ways to count up Whiteley...

Richard Whiteley:
Broadcast standard episodes: 3,958
Unreleased standard episodes: 1
Celebrity editions: 8
Calendar Countdown games: 7 (as per the Masters, taking the two-legged final as 1x appearance rather than 2x)
Unreleased Calendar Countdown pilots: 2
Broadcast Masters games: 97 (taking each game as 1x appearance rather than 4x/5x)
Unreleased Masters games: 7
Gotcha: 1
Broadcast specials: 23 + Saturday Night Takeaway game + 1 as contestant
Unreleased specials: 2
TOTAL 4,108

Rhys Benjamin wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:44 pm Catsdown episodes: 135

Those qualify?

I mean if Rhys wants to count them, then sure. It's not like there are pre-existing rules for this sort of thing.

Well, for it to have credibility... it should probably meet a certain standard that is generally accepted.
e.g. Should the actual show acknowledge Susie's achievement when she reaches Rhys's threshold, or when she reaches a threshold that only includes real CD episodes sans gimmickry?

By the same token, you could say that Jimmy Carr has "hosted more episodes of Countdown" than Des Lynam... which I doubt many CD fans would accept.

There are separate totals for each type presumably specifically so that you can pick and choose what you would count. This is the best way of doing it.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:48 pm There are separate totals for each type presumably specifically so that you can pick and choose what you would count. This is the best way of doing it.

Yep, I listed them like that for that reason. I would include absolutely everything, with the possible exception of the Calendar Countdown Pilots and the Gotcha.

You forgot -

Susie - ZoomDown : 1

So by my count, I've hosted 181 games on ZD and am yet to need hair plugs

L'oisleatch McGraw wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:45 pmBy the same token, you could say that Jimmy Carr has "hosted more episodes of Countdown" than Des Lynam... which I doubt many CD fans would accept.

Jimmy Carr:
Catsdown editions: 134
DC guest: 5
TOTAL 139

Des Lynam:
Standard episodes: 304
DC guest: 1
Celebrity editions: 1 as contestant
TOTAL 306

So it's not even close.

Whatever. It's immaterial...
The point is, while Catsdown is a comedy show that isn't Countdown, Susie is not due to overtake Carol on April 13th.
If Catsdown counts, I would agree that ZD may as well also be included.

(Though yes, I understand that you mentioned several times in the original post that it depends on how you count them.)

Your tone seems very pointed right now.

ZoomDown isn't (yet) broadcast on Channel 4 in the Countdown studio and is not an official spin-off of Countdown, which Celebrity Countdown, Countdown Masters, and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown are.

So, to my mind, you either count Catsdown, or discount Celebrity and Masters editions too.

Nah, Catsdown is a merger of two formats, rather than a spin off of one... and as the comedy probably takes more airtime than gameplay, it should get bumped off the list for sure. (Perhaps the other two you mentioned should be dropped too from a purist's point of view? I am not sure. I don't know what the "Masters" was. I know that the celeb version was pretty poor, but still was entirely dedicated to gameplay.)

The wiki exists, Eoin... you could easily find out what the Masters was.

Don't care enough, Rhys.
About that, or about this conversation.
It is, in fact, weird that I keep putting new comments on it.
Clearly have too much time on my hands.

See, this is why they call you an agitator.

No one calls him an agitator.

Matt Morrison wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:54 pm No one calls him an agitator.

Or a statistician?

What I neglected to say in my first post (but probably should have) was:
"This is a cool observation Rhys. Nice work. I had been wondering how long it might take for Susie to overtake Carol."

Very interesting! You forgot to include Carol's 688,647 episodes of Apterous of course, but it's a good first approximation.

So if we, rightly, disregard Catsdown, Susie should overtake Carol later this year/ early next year
It would be pognant to have Ms Vorderman in dictionary corner to celebrate the event

Btw which guest in dictionary corner has made the most appearances?

Top 5:
1 Gyles Brandreth 333 (+ 2 as contestant)
2 Richard Stilgoe 240
3 Nigel Rees 184
4 Philip Franks 176
5 Richard Digance 173

TODAY IS THE DAY. Well, one of them, anyway.

I noticed today the credits are still crediting Susie despite her non-appearance. And also the Channel 4 EPGs but they were saying Nick Hewer during the Colin Murray days too. Contractual issues or cock-up?