Richard Whiteley the first face to appear on Channel 4, he was the original presenter of Countdown from 1982-2005 ( until his death in 2005).
Cathy Hytner was the original hostess from 1983-1987, Carol Vorderman who was the vital statistician (1982-1989) and took over from Lucy Summers from 1989-2008 where she co presented the show with Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam and the late Des O'Connor. The Series winners trophy is awarded to the series champions which started from series 54 onwards, it is named in memory of Richard Whiteley who was the original presenter of Countdown.
Des Lynam who presented the show from 2005-2006
The late Des O'Connor who presented the show from 2007-2008
Jeff Stelling who presented the show from 2008-2011
Our current hostess Rachel Riley who is a big Manchester United fan........she replaced Carol Vorderman in 2008
The longest serving lexicographer Susie Dent who has been with Countdown for over 30 years
Nick Hewer who presented the show from 2012-2021
Anne Robinson who started in Series 84 and finished in series 86
Dr Anne Marie Imafidon who covered Rachel Riley's maternity leave from 2021-2022
The current presenter our very own Colin Murray who is a Liverpool fan much to my annoyance !
The Late Joyce Cansfield she was the first series Champion and the runner up of the first C of C
The Late Michael Wylie was the first runner up, he was one of three contestants that went on to be part of the Countdown prduction team
Series 3 Runner up and the second octo-champ, our very own Mark Nyman who was 16 years old when he appeared on the show in 1983 and one of the first youngsters to do so........as we all know he supports some random team called QPR !!! ............ he was the first COC Winner way back in 1984 when it first started............he then rose through the ranks and went on to be part of the Countdown production team and was the occasional lexicographer until he left the show in 2000.
Last but not least......the most important man who keeps Countdown going the current producer......and some random dude that supports Blackpool FC...... Damian Eadie.......who always takes the piss out of me in a nice way.........he was the series 28 champion way back in 1994 and the runner up of Championship of Champions VII, and a participant in the Supreme Championship in 1996, he then went on be part of the Countdown production team and was the occasional lexicographer alongside former contestants Michael Wylie and Mark Nyman the only ones to have done so. Damian is still there to this day and wreaking more havoc, with no immediate plans to retire as of yet.
Arguably one of the greatest Countdowners of all time, Series 10 champion Harvey Freeman.He is the only contestant ever to have won four titles: octochamp, series winner, champion of champions and all-time supreme champion.
Last but not least one of the most well known contestants, Allan Saldanha who was 10 years old when he made his debut on series 15 and becoming it's 15th runner up. He took part in the Supreme Championships where lost the final to fellow Countdown legend Harvey Freeman, he returned to Countdown by making a guest appearance on the unofficial web series Zoomdown.
C1: Champion Fi Hamilton (1 win, 77 points.)
C2: Challenger Heather Beadnell.
DC: Susie Dent and Robert Rinder .
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: F R L A E I Y O T
R02: S D T L E I I A M
R03: 100, 75, 50, 6, 5, 4. Target: 523.
TTT:
R04: S W N E I E G T R
R05: P R L B O A E G S
R06: 100, 75, 3, 5, 4, 2. Target: 687.
R07: T S T K I O E C N
R08: G R H D U I A R G
R09: 100, 50, 4, 7, 1, 2. Target: 586.
TTT:
R10: R J T W E O E R U
R11: S M R Z O E U D T
R12: N M S O E A B F I
R13: T S V N E U A N E
R14: 100, 50, 2, 7, 3, 10, . Target: 815.
R15: G O L D E N T E A (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: F R L A E I Y O T
Fi: REALITY (7)
Heather: FLOATIER (8)
DC: FLOATIER (8)
Score: 0–8 (max 8)
A great start from our challenger as she spots the only 8 .......Floatier
Round 2: S D T L E I I A M
Fi: entails
Heather: MISLAID (7)
DC: MISDEALT (8)
OT: DELIMITS (8) IDEALISM (8) IDEALIST (8) MILADIES (8)
Score: 0–15 (max 16)
Plenty of 8s................Fi has her 7 disallowed as there is no N in the selection but Heather scores with her 7 Mislaid
Round 3: 100, 75, 50, 6, 5, 4. Target: 523.
Fi: 525.
Heather: 523. 5 × 100 + 75 − 50 − (6 − 4) (10)
Score: 0–25 (max 26)
Great solve from our challenger...........this was one I solved using a different method
100*5=500
500+75=75
575-50=525
6-4=2
525-2=523
Teatime teaser: Introduction of the 30th Birthday Championship grand final featuring two legends of the game Conor Travers the youngest ever series winner aged 14 ( Series 54 Champion and the first recipient of the Richard Whiteley memorial Trophy ) and Jack Hurst who was 18 years old at the time ( Series 63 Champion and the tenth recipient of Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy )
Round 4: S W N E I E G T R
Fi: WRESTING (8)
Heather: SEEING (6)
DC: WESTERING (18)
Score: 8–25 (max 44)
A good 8 from Fi as she can now breathe a sigh of relief as she .........gets some points on the board......but there is a 9 that I managed to spot along with Susie
Round 5: P R L B O A E G S
Fi: lopers
Heather: BORAGES (7)
DC: PERGOLAS (8)
OT: ALBERGOS (8)
Score: 8–32 (max 52)
Round 6: 100, 75, 3, 5, 4, 2. Target: 687.
Fi: 688. (5 + 2) × 100 − 4 × 3 (7)
Heather: 684.
RR: 687. (3 + 4) × 100 − (75 ÷ 5 − 2) (10)
Score: 15–32 (max 62)
A good 1 away solve from our champion that gives her 7 points.....but Rachel shows us how it is done........this was I solved using a different method
100+75=175
175*4=700
5*2=10
10+3=13
700-13=687
Round 7: T S T K I O E C N
Fi: TICKETS (7)
Heather: CONTEST (7)
DC: STOCKINET (18)
Score: 22–39 (max 80)
7s all round from our contestants.......one of those was kittens what did you expect from a cat lover ?????? my 8 was tokenist but Susie pulls a gem out of the bag with her 9 Stockinet
Round 8: G R H D U I A R G
Fi: arrid
Heather: GUARD (5)
OT: DURRA (5) GARRI (5) RAHUI (5) RAIRD (5)
Score: 22–44 (max 85)
A stinker of a round......5 is the max !
Round 9: 100, 50, 4, 7, 1, 2. Target: 586.
Fi: -
Heather: 586. (100 + 50) × 4 − 7 × 2 (10)
Score: 22–54 (max 95)
A good solve from our challenger that puts the game out of reach for Fi.....again this I used a different method to solve this
4+1=5
100*5=500
50-7=43
43*2=86
500+86=586
Teatime teaser: The introduction of new host Des Lynam and Carol Vorderman's post-show banter in Lynam's first show after the death of Richard Whiteley who will always be Mr Countdown
Round 10: R J T W E O E R U
Fi: REWROTE (7)
Heather: TOWER (5)
DC: REROUTE (7)
Score: 29–54 (max 102)
Round 11: S M R Z O E U D T
Fi: STORMED (7)
Heather: MOUSER (6)
DC: DETOURS (7)
OT: DOUREST (7) DOUTERS (7) ROUSTED (7)
Score: 36–54 (max 109)
Plenty of 7s.........NEXT
Round 12: N M S O E A B F I
Fi: BEMOANS (7)
Heather: BEMOANS (7)
DC: FAMINES (7) BEMOANS (7)
OT: AMBIENS (7) AMBONES (7) FEMINAS (7) MONESIA (7) NIMBOSE (7)
Score: 43–61 (max 116)
Lots of 7s in this round.......next !!!
Round 13: T S V N E U A N E
Fi: unvents
Heather: UNEASE (6)
DC: AVENUES (7)
OT: NANTEES (7) NEATENS (7) UNEATEN (7)
Score: 43–67 (max 123)
Round 14: 100, 50, 2, 7, 3, 10. Target: 815.
Fi: 820. 100 × (7 + 2) − 50 − 10 × 3 (7)
Heather: 810. (10 − 2) × 100 + 7 + 3 (7)
RR: 815. (100 + 10) × 7 + 50 − 2 − 3 (10)
Score: 50–74 (max 133)
A good 5 away solve from our contestants that bags them another 5 points.....but Rachel produces a perfect 10 !
Round 15: G O L D E N T E A
Fi buzzes on 7.25 seconds to say ELONGATED which is correct.
Final Score: 60–74 (max 143)
Fi has the last laugh by solving the conundrum but is happy with her 1 win and the teapot, tune into the show and find out whether Heather can get her second win........in the meantime bye for now !!
