Rachel Riley’s Absence from 24/02/2025-14/03/2025

[Philip A]

From 24th February to 14th March 2025, Rachel Riley will take a short break from Countdown to work on another project.

Standing in for her is Dr Tom Crawford, a mathematician at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, who completed his PhD in applied maths at Cambridge in 2016.

His YouTube channel, Tom Rocks Maths, has over 200,000 subscribers. He also wears maths tattoos.

This makes him the first ever male arithmetician on Countdown in 42 and a quarter years.

https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/coun ... 12214.html

[Gavin Chipper]

Reading that, I thought to myself that Dr Tom Crawford doesn't sound like the name of someone they'd pick to do the numbers on Countdown. But then I saw a picture of him.

[Fiona T]

apparently he takes his clothes off, so that could add a new dimension.

[Adam Gillard]

Jenni Falconer seemed quite excited about it when she mentioned it on the radio this morning.

[Marc Meakin]

I wonder if RR is doing the traitors ?

[David Williams]

Surely she's just missing (missed?) three consecutive days filming. Diary cock-up?

[Philip A]

Surely she's just missing (missed?) three consecutive days filming. Diary cock-up?

Correct, but by the magic of television she’s off screen for 3 weeks, which is also correct.

No diary cock-up. 240 shows per year so it’s right to change things up and let someone else have a go while regulars focus in other things. Good way to get new viewers in too. Riley and Crawford are in fact good friends.

[Gavin Chipper]

Surely she's just missing (missed?) three consecutive days filming. Diary cock-up?

I was thinking this. The number of filming days they have, you'd think it would be easy to fit them around other commitments. Similarly with Jon Richardson (and Sean Lock previously ) on Cats.

[Philip A]

Rachel and Tom were actually in the studio together, as seen in an Instagram picture in which Tom announced that he got the gig. We had substitutes during lockdown, due to Covid and maternity leaves so this must have all been planned. There’s so much to do. Rachel’s allowing someone else to have a go and I think she’s doing the right thing.

[Philip A]

Ah, he actually hosted a version of Countdown before – with an octochamp playing! https://youtu.be/wib428pe5BQ?si=ahlj6jmrz_tRKk1k

[Jon Stammers]

Wow, one of these days someone might actually fill in for Susie - when was the last time SHE had a day off?

They didn't even get a stand-in for Rachel's last maternity as I recall, just filmed loads extra and worked around it which seemed insane!
Maybe they have a bit more sense now??

Tom seemed incredibly nervous on his first show or two, making comments thanking people for only picking 1 large...
And he was saying either "sure thing" or "sure can" on EVERY round which began to grate a little, hopefully he's easing in more now. But yes, a refreshing change in a way.

[Philip A]

Wow, one of these days someone might actually fill in for Susie - when was the last time SHE had a day off?

They didn't even get a stand-in for Rachel's last maternity as I recall, just filmed loads extra and worked around it which seemed insane!
Maybe they have a bit more sense now??

Tom seemed incredibly nervous on his first show or two, making comments thanking people for only picking 1 large...
And he was saying either "sure thing" or "sure can" on EVERY round which began to grate a little, hopefully he's easing in more now. But yes, a refreshing change in a way.

Susie was absent for some separate weeks from 2021 to 2022; in those cases, Dictionary Corner was one person (the celebrity). 2021 was her first absence since her maternity leave midway through the Des O’Connor era, with Michael Wylie (RIP) and Alison Heard sitting in.

The extra filming sessions were during Rachel’s first maternity leave; during her second in 2021/22, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon stood in, having debuted in the 2021 Black To Front edition with Trevor McDonald.

What also happens now is when filming ends early (e.g. due to host(s) or contestants falling ill), they’ll add an extra show to the next recording block whenever possible (in that case, the next guest would have 6 shows).

So I think it’s right to let others have a go once in a while.

What I like about Tom (echoing social media reaction here) is that he pauses and waits for the contestant to answer.

[Jon Stammers]

Thanks Philip, very interesting.

[Philip A]

How nice of him to show up at Co:Oxford!

Crawford V Imafidon in an exhibition match one day?

[Gavin Chipper]

How nice of him to show up at Co:Oxford!

Crawford V Imafidon in an exhibition match one day?

Did he play?

[Graeme Cole]

How nice of him to show up at Co:Oxford!

Crawford V Imafidon in an exhibition match one day?

Did he play?

No, he put the letters and numbers on the board in the final. Also came to the pub afterwards.

[Gavin Chipper]

Sheesh, and I missed it.

[Jamie Weisenberg]

I watched today's episode and I am more convinced than ever that Rachel gets fed the solutions through an earpiece..

[Mark Deeks]

Why? Because she's good at it?

[Jamie Weisenberg]

Why? Because she's good at it?

She's very good !

[Fred Mumford]

I wonder what her max rate is?

We can't tell if she gets the answer on the occasions that either contestant does, but it wouldn't be too unreasonable to assume that she does.

[David Williams]

I wonder what her max rate is?

We can't tell if she gets the answer on the occasions that either contestant does, but it wouldn't be too unreasonable to assume that she does.

I don't know how performances compare, but Carol would occasionally say that a contestant had beaten her. I don't think I've ever heard Rachel say that. I think it would be reasonable to assume that it does happen but she doesn't say. I've never ever thought that she was being fed solutions. I did think that Anne-Marie was. Telltale pauses as she was writing.

[Mark Deeks]

Why? Because she's good at it?

She's very good !

Which is why she's in the job. So I ask again, why do you think she's being fed answers?

[Gavin Chipper]

I wonder what her max rate is?

Sometimes people use 220 minus their age, but it's quite a crude measure.

[Philip A]

If you look up Dr Tom Crawford’s YouTube channel and look up the relevant Countdown videos where he goes over all the numbers rounds he faced in his 15 shows, he does actually reveal that he is told that a numbers round is impossible (i.e. he’s told in his ear – all the hosts wear earpieces like nearly all these shows). That’s why Rachel says, “this one’s impossible” or “I’ll have another look.” Magic of TV.

Give Tom more shows and he’ll solve more and miss less (mind, Rachel missed some tricky ones during her first week in 2009). Would like to see him on again in the future.

BTW, ICYMI, Rachel was away whilst filming for a show called, “SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters” which you can watch on ITV X.

[Fred Mumford]

he does actually reveal that he is told that a numbers round is impossible (i.e. he’s told in his ear – all the hosts wear earpieces like nearly all these shows)

I think that much was obvious already though, as there is usually no way of knowing with absolute certainty that a round is impossible (1 1 2 2 3 3 and its ilk excepted).

Unfortunately that leads to some people assuming that if someone with a solver is in their earpiece telling them a round is impossible then they would also be feeding them the solutions.

[Jamie Weisenberg]

Which is why she's in the job. So I ask again, why do you think she's being fed answers?

The human brain cannot process complex solutions in just 30 seconds unless you're a young autistic math wiz.

[Mark Deeks]

Of course it can. Rachel isn't unique in this. You should see the abilities of some of the Apterous numbers specialists. Your and my brains might not be able to do it, sure, but that's different to no one being able to. Rachel clearly can. It's why she's in the job.

[Gavin Chipper]

Occasionally I'll even get ones Rachel misses. Why isn't she fed those ones? I'm not young or a maths wiz and I'm definitely not autistic. Not even close.