Famous Countdowners...

[Conor]

...whose fame extends outside of the Countdown sphere (and for more interest, the game show sphere). I was casually reading a Wiki article when the name Ariane Sherine buzzed my memory to Chris Philpot's show, and it's the same one.

CJ de Mooi is the other who comes to mind, and perhaps Jack Welsby for his Tube Challenge record, but I'm struggling. Suggestions?

[Ryan Taylor]

Burnley footballer Clarke Carlisle

Tamworth (then Notts County) footballer Neil MacKenzie
Chris Wills is arguably semi-famous on the quizzing scene i.e. if you watch a lot of quiz shows you know of him

Comedian Alex Horne (which I found quite funny when I watched clips of him on youtube and now he appears on the quite surreal 'We Need Answers' on BBC Three)

Daphne Fowler (Egghead) I seem to recall (after reading her website a few years ago) also went on 'Countdown' and actually said it was quite a negative experience

[Charlie Reams]

Daphne Fowler (Egghead) I seem to recall (after reading her website a few years ago) also went on 'Countdown' and actually said it was quite a negative experience.

Don't think it was her, there's no CDwiki entry for her (under any of her names). You might be thinking of CJ again, who did say on his website that it was a negative experience but only because he was moaning about losing.

What about rugby player Ayoola Erinle? Also you might consider Joyce Cansfield a minor celebrity since she's a regular author of the Times crossword, albeit anonymously. (Or is it pseudonymously? I forget.)

[Ryan Taylor]

Daphne Fowler (Egghead) I seem to recall (after reading her website a few years ago) also went on 'Countdown' and actually said it was quite a negative experience.

Don't think it was her, there's no CDwiki entry for her (under any of her names). You might be thinking of CJ again, who did say on his website that it was a negative experience but only because he was moaning about losing.

What about rugby player Ayoola Erinle? Also you might consider Joyce Cansfield a minor celebrity since she's a regular author of the Times crossword, albeit anonymously. (Or is it pseudonymously? I forget.)

Yeah just gone back on her website, I can't see any sign of Countdown on her list of quiz shows so cross her off the list.

[Conor]

Ah, Clarke Carlisle! Reminded me of Ayoola Erinle. David Elias (a series champion) wrote questions for the Krypton Factor and The Weakest Link.

[Charlie Reams]

Oh and let's not forget Jon O'Neill, who had a starring role in the autobiography of darts fatty Wayne Mardle (and by starring role, I mean one mention with his name misspelled).

[Ryan Taylor]

"That prick from Countdown on Big Brother"

[Conor]

Oh and let's not forget Jon O'Neill, who had a starring role in the autobiography of darts fatty Wayne Mardle (and by starring role, I mean one mention with his name misspelled).

Our Jon O'Neill? And Wayne Mardle's a healthy average by darts' standards.

[Charlie Reams]

Oh and let's not forget Jon O'Neill, who had a starring role in the autobiography of darts fatty Wayne Mardle (and by starring role, I mean one mention with his name misspelled).

Our Jon O'Neill? And Wayne Mardle's a healthy average by darts' standards.

Yep, that one. I actually have no idea what Wayne Mardle looks like, I just wrote that to raise Kirk's ire. Way to spoil my fun!

[Ryan Taylor]

Oh and let's not forget Jon O'Neill, who had a starring role in the autobiography of darts fatty Wayne Mardle (and by starring role, I mean one mention with his name misspelled).

Our Jon O'Neill? And Wayne Mardle's a healthy average by darts' standards.

Yep, that one. I actually have no idea what Wayne Mardle looks like, I just wrote that to raise Kirk's ire. Way to spoil my fun!

He's a bit of a prick really. Not one of my favourites. Comes on to the Hawaii-Five-O music in some outlandish hawaiian shirt and some stupid glasses usually. It's really gimmicky and trashy. He's pretty fat though.

[James Robinson]

There was the journalist John Diamond, who appeared in Series 9, who was married to Nigella Lawson, until his death from cancer in 2001.

[Jon Corby]

Lead singer of The Beloved, whose name I forgot. Something stupid like Crispin or Tarquin, I think.

[Ian Volante]

Lead singer of The Beloved, whose name I forgot. Something stupid like Crispin or Tarquin, I think.

Something stupid like Jon actually...and apparently he played in nine prelims due to a draw in the eighth.

[Jon Corby]

Lead singer of The Beloved, whose name I forgot. Something stupid like Crispin or Tarquin, I think.

Something stupid like Jon actually...and apparently he played in nine prelims due to a draw in the eighth.

Well that couldn't have backfired any worse, could it?

I must have been thinking of Kula Shaker for some reason.

[Ryan Taylor]

Wow. He even spells it the same shit way.

[Gavin Chipper]

Danny Sapsford played tennis at Wimbledon.

[Howard Somerset]

Joyce Cansfield - crossword compliler

When I once asked her if she was the same Joyce Cansfied who had recently won the Listener Crossword Puzzle, she replied that she'd won a number of them... and was a regular compiler of them.

[Gavin Chipper]

Joyce Cansfield - crossword compliler

When I once asked her if she was the same Joyce Cansfied who had recently won the Listener Crossword Puzzle, she replied that she'd won a number of them... and was a regular compiler of them.

So she cheats.

[Charlie Reams]

Joyce Cansfield - crossword compliler

When I once asked her if she was the same Joyce Cansfied who had recently won the Listener Crossword Puzzle, she replied that she'd won a number of them... and was a regular compiler of them.

I think you just inadvertently revealed that I'm on your foes list

[Howard Somerset]

Joyce Cansfield - crossword compliler

When I once asked her if she was the same Joyce Cansfied who had recently won the Listener Crossword Puzzle, she replied that she'd won a number of them... and was a regular compiler of them.

I think you just inadvertently revealed that I'm on your foes list

So you are, Charlie.

And having read the thread a lot more carefully now, it seems that Ryan must be on my foes list too, cos I can't have seen the post in which he quoted the post from you which I can't have read.

[Tracey Anne Mills]

Pete Cashmore he is the editor of nuts magazine, did quite well as a contestant.

[Oliver Garner]

Someone on a par with Sir Stelios

[Andy McGurn]

Theres also Ariane Sherine who founded the atheist bus campaign.

[Jon O'Neill]

Theres also Ariane Sherine who founded the atheist bus campaign.

See OP:

I was casually reading a Wiki article when the name Ariane Sherine buzzed my memory to Chris Philpot's show, and it's the same one.

CJ de Mooi is the other who comes to mind, and perhaps Jack Welsby for his Tube Challenge record, but I'm struggling. Suggestions?

I met this guy last night who went to your school or college or something Conor, Nick Gardner, he seemed quite weirded out when I said we had a Countdown rivalry back in the day.

[Gavin Chipper]

Theres also Ariane Sherine who founded the atheist bus campaign.

She was the first one mentioned!

[Conor]

I met this guy last night who went to your school or college or something Conor, Nick Gardner, he seemed quite weirded out when I said we had a Countdown rivalry back in the day.

Don't know him, I think. Perhaps he would've been less weirded out if you'd said we'd slept together.

[David O'Donnell]

Lead singer of The Refuseniks played against Kai.

[Jojo Apollo]

Daphne Fowler (Egghead) I seem to recall (after reading her website a few years ago) also went on 'Countdown' and actually said it was quite a negative experience.

Don't think it was her, there's no CDwiki entry for her (under any of her names). You might be thinking of CJ again, who did say on his website that it was a negative experience but only because he was moaning about losing.

What about rugby player Ayoola Erinle? Also you might consider Joyce Cansfield a minor celebrity since she's a regular author of the Times crossword, albeit anonymously. (Or is it pseudonymously? I forget.)

Yeah just gone back on her website, I can't see any sign of Countdown on her list of quiz shows so cross her off the list.

You might be thinking of Jackie McLeod, she has been on quite a few games shows also. I sometimes get her mixed up with Daphne.

[Tracey Anne Mills]

Pete Cashmore: the editor of nuts magazine

Nick Saloman :I think he is a comedian but I am not certain about him

[Matt Morrison]

Pete Cashmore: the editor of nuts magazine

Ah, nice one. That rings a bell, swear I've heard that somewhere before.

[Andy Wilson]

Lead singer of The Refuseniks played against Kai.

This is what he's up to now http://www.myspace.com/thebonvivants
Plenty of gigs around London for those in the area!

[Andy Wilson]

PS - I had to google this as I remembered that band name really well. Think they were a local band the Refuseniks and Cork is small.

EDIT: Just found him on fb (was easy, we've over half a dozen mutual friends) and sent him an aptolink. Keep an eye out for him.

EDIT 2: Of course if I'm honest, I had to check it out as I was sure I was going to be the first Cork muso to appear on Countdown. Alas, not to be

[Craig Beevers]

You might be thinking of Jackie McLeod, she has been on quite a few games shows also. I sometimes get her mixed up with Daphne.

Poor Daphne.

[Jojo Apollo]

You might be thinking of Jackie McLeod, she has been on quite a few games shows also. I sometimes get her mixed up with Daphne.

Poor Daphne.

Nah, she's quite rich actually, you should see the stack of money she's won over the years.