What Makes a Good Countdown Presenter?

[Philip A]

Since the passing of the great Richard Whiteley in 2005, Countdown has overseen 7 different presenters in a mere under 16 years, including 2 stand-ins: Des Lynam, Des O’Connor, Jeff Stelling, Nick Hewer, Colin Murray, Anne Robinson and Sir Trevor McDonald. Of these, Hewer served the longest: 18 series and over 2,000 shows in 9 and a half years.

But the question is: how you determine the host’s suitability for the role? What are the qualifications? What characteristics win over the viewers? How should the host interact with the contestants, even in the absence of a bit of banter?

First of all, the host should have a connection with what the show is about: testing the strength of word power, anagramming ability, arithmetic and problem solving of 2 contestants under studio pressure. If the host loves word play, be it from crosswords or Scrabble, then that’s a start.

But the host also gets the privilege of meeting over 100 contestants in 6 months, and this is a where a broad knowledge of the world comes in. The host should demonstrate interest in the contestant’s and go on the journey with them, and support them. Even if the host has little or no interest in their interest, they should be open to learning by default.

You also have to do your best not to be a distraction. It’s polite to speak to the contestants and have a good banter (as long as it’s not too personal!), but we feel this only works best before the contestants get stuck into the game. When they’re playing the game, any chatting should be about them currently playing the game, rather than stopping and starting for game-related and non-game related chat (an issue with Sandi Toksvig’s version of Fifteen to One, which, as much as I like her, found it like watching a broken internet connection with the constant stopping and starting).

Interview technique is also important. You should try to avoid asking closed yes or no questions, and ask more open-ended questions:

How many languages can you speak?

NOT…

Do you speak many languages?

Contestants should be treated like guests, as much as the celebrities in dictionary corner. The studio is cluttered, bombarded with lights, cameras and TVs, so it’s really important the host makes the contestants feel welcome and at ease. Easing, not teasing!

The host should also respect the format, and commend the contestant’s efforts and achievements. The host should keep an eye on the proceedings without getting distracted by the non-Countdown action that’s filled up by the anecdotes and the Origins of Words slot: where the contestant is in the seed table; statistics-wise, what score are they averaging? How many conundrums solved? How many 9s unravelled? That’s useful information for the viewers, because one of most important viewing aspects of any game show is wanting a player or players to do well. If no one cares who wins (an issue with the Celebrity Countdown series in 2019) then what’s the point?

A good host also makes the viewers feel lile they’re watching. How you conduct your behaviour, the way you communicate, and your diction are vital here. A rude and acerbic persona might have worked on The Weakest Link, but the right demeanour for hosting Countdown, in my view, is a warm, cosy and cuddly one – like Clive Myrie on Mastermind, who is always kind to the contenders, while also sucks in the viewers with his elaborate speech in the introduction by making them imagine what it’s like to be sitting in that black chair.

Perhaps Countdown – struggling to attain 500k viewers at the moment – should learn from other game shows, currently drawing in more viewers and airing in more viewer-friendly time slots, where the hosts clearly enjoys their jobs (Bradley Walsh, Xander & Richard, Warwick Davies, etc.)? Colin Murray clearly loved the show. A good format on paper isn’t enough. You have to make it presentable too.

If the host isn’t a fit for the role, what do you get? Viewers reaching for the remote and switching off in their droves.

[Callum Todd]

Mark Deeks.

Edit: Oh, sorry, I thought you said 'who makes a good Countdown presenter?'

[David Williams]

Four million people tuned in to see Richard Whiteley, and he had virtually no interaction with the contestants. Maybe that's the answer.

[Gavin Chipper]

Interview technique is also important. You should try to avoid asking closed yes or no questions, and ask more open-ended questions:

How many languages can you speak?

NOT…

Do you speak many languages?

I would have said that the first question is more closed than the second.

"Three."

As opposed to:

"Well, it depends on what you mean by many..."

[Gavin Chipper]

To answer the question: Not someone who asks "Why are all men annoying?" Imagine Nick Hewer asking the same question about women. It's just really childish.