c4countdown

Jon Corby wrote:This.

This what?

Jon Corby wrote:This.

Only three signatures, and two of them have been rejected.

That has to be an old petition - it mentions Des Lynam and not O'Connor. My vote for new host would be Richard Digance - bring back the Richard and Carol show!

Kirk Bevins wrote:My vote for new host would be Richard Digance - bring back the Richard and Carol show!

I know he's probably the guest who has appeared the most times in the DC Corner (although if memory serves me correct, it's been quite some time since his last appearance), but I just don't think he would make for a good host.

I would probably hope for someone like Magnus Magnusson or William G. Stewart etc (EDIT: what I mean is a well known gameshow host.

Joseph Bolas wrote:I would probably hope for someone like Magnus Magnusson

That would certainly make for interesting viewing!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magn%C3%BAs_Magn%C3%BAsson

jimbentley wrote:

Joseph Bolas wrote:I would probably hope for someone like Magnus Magnusson

That would certainly make for interesting viewing!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magn%C3%BAs_Magn%C3%BAsson

Yeah lets just have Richard Whiteley back! Myself and some other members of the Krazy Khemist Klub have been working on reanimating corpses using benzene.

jimbentley wrote:

Joseph Bolas wrote:I would probably hope for someone like Magnus Magnusson

That would certainly make for interesting viewing!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magn%C3%BAs_Magn%C3%BAsson

My bad, I didn't know that Magnusson had died .

I still say though that it should be a gameshow host to replace Des. My number one choice would definitely be Stephen Fry, but I don't think he would be obtainable.

Maybe you could get Carol to present and get someone else to do Carol's current job

Or you could just employ ME to host . I think a fresh young face would be ideal for the show and I know I will last much longer than what the two veteran Desmond's managed . Also, you can exploit me for less than minimum wage so everyone would be happy

Get Stephen Fry this time. I love that man.

Jon O'Neill wrote:Get Stephen Fry this time. I love that man.

At last a suggestion I can agree with!

Whoever thinks Nigel Rees should host Countdown should be shot, the man's a lizard. And the good kind of lizard either.

My first choice would be Philip Schofield. Don't ask me to quantify it in any detail but he strikes me as having all the necessary qualities and actually being under the age of 50.

They could pick an unknown - someone who Countdown would make famous rather than using an already famous person. Someone youngish as well so could be the host for a while.

Gavin Chipper wrote:They could pick an unknown - someone who Countdown would make famous rather than using an already famous person. Someone youngish as well so could be the host for a while.

jasoncullen wrote:Or you could just employ ME to host . I think a fresh young face would be ideal for the show and I know I will last much longer than what the two veteran Desmond's managed . Also, you can exploit me for less than minimum wage so everyone would be happy

Consensus.

Today's other news...............


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... tdown.html


Long live us.

KateHorton wrote:http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sh ... 461054.ece

Ah well, Stuart Earl will be happy. (ok, to be fair, I admit I haven't found Des all that great either)

Does this mean that the new presenter's first task will be to host a CofC?

I agree re Stephen Fry - a) that he should do it, b) that he won't

Kirk Bevins wrote:That has to be an old petition - it mentions Des Lynam and not O'Connor.

Maybe, but I don't think it has lost any of its considerable authority or relevance.

I'm not convinced by the Stephen Fry idea. I always felt that one of the reasons Des Lynam was a bit crap was because he was a bit too clever for it (or at least seemed it), and that one of the reasons Des O is so entertaining is his constant amazement at *everything* (including words that have come up time and time again which he still doesn't remember).

Michael Wallace wrote:I'm not convinced by the Stephen Fry idea. I always felt that one of the reasons Des Lynam was a bit crap was because he was a bit too clever for it (or at least seemed it), and that one of the reasons Des O is so entertaining is his constant amazement at *everything* (including words that have come up time and time again which he still doesn't remember).

Lol yes I love when he does that. Like the other day when Rick Wakeman was on about writing a book called Larking about. And Carol said that should be Frank's book (Frank Larkin, the champion at that time) and Des cottoned on and nearly imploded with joy!

Well, I don't know about you guys, but for Damian...


I hereby apply for the job!

I can send you a cv if you like, i've been on tv before!

Interesting that Kate picked the Sun article over any other. I picked the daily mail which is similar.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... years.html

Mentions 4 possible candidates (not sure where their information comes from!) including our friend Stephen Fry.

I wouldn't mind seeing Gyles Brandreth host.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Mentions 4 possible candidates (not sure where their information comes from!) including our friend Stephen Fry.

My order of preference is definitely the same as the order quoted in the article.

Clive Anderson, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Paxman and even Noel Edmonds are now being tipped as likely replacements by insiders.

I really wouldn't want Noel Edmonds; I can't stand his style in DOND. Jeremy Paxman probably a little too serious. Clive Anderson would, imo, be ideal.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Interesting that Kate picked the Sun article over any other. I picked the daily mail which is similar.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... years.html

Mentions 4 possible candidates (not sure where their information comes from!) including our friend Stephen Fry.

...It was the first newspaper to run the story. I think it says more about you that you read the Daily Mail.

Channel 4 will probably try an 'alternative' approach and get the Leeds based comic Leigh Francis to present the show in the guise of his hilarious Keith Lemon character. Or maybe share the presenting duties amongst celebrities (as they did with Have i Got News For You). All things considered Tom O'Connor would make a brilliant host. He's very witty and has a warm good natured manner which isn't overbearing. Perfect for Countdown.

My top 5:
1. Tom O'Connor
2. Terry Wogan
3. Gyles Brandreth
4. Stephen Fry
5. Leigh Francis

PS - If they ask Angela Rippon to host it then i'm never watching it again.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Interesting that Kate picked the Sun article over any other. I picked the daily mail which is similar.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... years.html

Mentions 4 possible candidates (not sure where their information comes from!) including our friend Stephen Fry.

The Article wrote:Can we please have someone who doesn't 'chew' all his words and has a larger vocabulary that "Okey doke" next time please?
I would probably start watching it again then.

- Lizzy, West London, 23/7/2008 18:17

Knew someone wouldn't be able to resist it.

On a tangent, has anyone seen Des Lynam on Sport Mastermind? He looks like he's aged 10 years in 5 minutes and is a desperately unconvincing host - and I'll bet that's filmed in London, a lot less than 250 miles from home

Given that the show's surviving happily with a new host every two years or so, it doesn't seem to matter to me whether the Des' successor is old or young, just that they have a good relationship with all in the studio and can create a rapport with the audience at home. I'll bet the Countdown offices are being inundated with agents' calls and emails.

I'll bet the Countdown offices are being inundated with agents' calls and emails.

....like you wouldn't believe!!!

Lara Searle wrote:

Ross Allatt wrote:I'll bet the Countdown offices are being inundated with agents' calls and emails.

....like you wouldn't believe!!!

Get back to work then

Firstly I think it's a real shame Des O'Connor is leaving Countdown - I was just getting used to his style and have found his recent shows to be rather entertaining.

As for the replacement, I agree with the previous comments about Clive Anderson, I think he would make a decent host and I was going to put his name forward but I was beaten to it! Stephen Fry, would be excellent in my opinion, but there is surely no way he could do both Countdown and the insanely popular QI, which I can't see him giving up for a while yet.

But Nigel Rees, Noel Edmonds and Gyles Brandreth? Good god no. Terry Wogan, hmm, I'd have to see him host it before I could make any judgments. But if Noel Edmonds gets his hands anywhere near that button I think Countdown is well and truly doomed.

Not sure my comment warranted a "mad" face...

I thought Vernon Kay would be a good replacement . But lets face it, he would never go for this job. This show is too clever for Boltonians

jasoncullen wrote:I thought Vernon Kay would be a good replacement . But lets face it, he would never go for this job. This show is too clever for Boltonians

He is quite funny on Family Fortunes.

Two more people I can think of that would make good hosts are Brian Blessed and Danny Wallace.

KateHorton wrote:

Kirk Bevins wrote:Interesting that Kate picked the Sun article over any other. I picked the daily mail which is similar.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... years.html

Mentions 4 possible candidates (not sure where their information comes from!) including our friend Stephen Fry.

...It was the first newspaper to run the story. I think it says more about you that you read the Daily Mail.

Haha touche. However, I don't read any newspapers (is that worse?). I just browsed a couple of newspaper titles online and searched for Countdown. Voila.

Are we not all forgetting the new Des rule? We've had Lynam and Des O, the only other famous Des I can think of is Tutu...

Michael Wallace wrote:Are we not all forgetting the new Des rule? We've had Lynam and Des O, the only other famous Des I can think of is Tutu...

They could get Richard "Dirty" Desmond, proprietor of the Daily Star and numerous cable porn channels?

Hang on, does this mean Des O's replacement will do the CoC? They should get Des Lynam back just for that so he can rekindle his romance with Richard Brittain - surely the greatest 21st Century words-and-numbers-based-gameshow love story never told.

So the newest proposals after an evening with pals:

Gary Lineker (although we don't think he's old enough)
Les Dennis (too bouncy)

which left us with

Guy Smiley

Right? Right??

Well, i finished with a Desmond (2:2) in my degree, does that make me more qualified?

Please please please ....

Christopher Biggins

.... would be PERFECT!

Got to be Drew Carey - then every weekday can be "Carey Countdown"!

I was surprised to hear this too, and I am very glad that I got my e-mail read by Des at the beginning of this series.

And Dan, this is what I think the US Price is Right's opening spiel would have been if things hadn't been official:

"And now, here is the star of The Price is Right, DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES O'CONNORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

Seriously, my pick to replace Des would be a man who has had his own gardening and daytime talk show in the UK as well as someone who I'll bet was made fun of a lot when he was younger, Alan Titchmarsh! Why? Because he knows when to perk it up and tone it down when he's hosting any type of TV show. Heck, he might even go crazy if he doesn't believe when a contestant solves a crucial conundrum! His fluctuation of letting different things flow when dealing with certain things is perfect! He also is going to hold his own on Countdown, just as the two Desses have when they replaced Richard.

I wasn't going to do this, but I am going to post a few of my song lyrics in honor of Des in this trying time. Here they are:

Oh, Des!
Des O'Connor, we love you so
Yes, we love Des
We love you so, we love you so
We love Countdown
We go to town

That was the middle verse of my song, "We Love Countdown," which Charlie Reams and Jon O'Neill will perform in the next podcast.

Sad news. Des, I wish you well in whatever you do, and good luck in the near future!

Jason Larsen wrote: I wasn't going to do this, but I am going to post a few of my song lyrics in honor of Des in this trying time. Here they are:

Oh, Des!
Des O'Connor, we love you so
Yes, we love Des
We love you so, we love you so
We love Countdown
We go to town

That was the middle verse of my song, "We Love Countdown," which Charlie Reams and Jon O'Neill will perform in the next podcast.

That's something i cannot wait to hear.

If only they could get either Richard Hammond, James May or Jeremy Clarkson to be the new host .

MediaGuardian.co.uk this morning says that Rory Bremner has emerged as the favourite to take over, with other names in the frame including Aled Jones, Gyles Brandreth, and Michael Aspel. It also says there's a question mark over Carol's future, as Channel 4 is trying to cut costs.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/ju ... television

Would it save on costs at all if you were to dispense with the half of the enormous clock that never gets used?

MediaGuardian wrote:Vorderman has been with the show since it started and turns over the letters on the programme, as well as seemingly effortlessly adding up the numbers at the conclusion of each round.

(bold is mine)

Has this person ever watched the show? It makes Carol sound like a glorified scoreboard

Michael Wallace wrote:

MediaGuardian wrote:Vorderman has been with the show since it started and turns over the letters on the programme, as well as seemingly effortlessly adding up the numbers at the conclusion of each round.

(bold is mine)

Has this person ever watched the show? It makes Carol sound like a glorified scoreboard

Haha yes I thought that! And they call themselves a decent newspaper!? You wouldn't get that in the Daily Mail

Damian, my new Countdown song is to a tune you will absolutely recognize, (Hint: You probably heard this tune a lot when you took days off from work due to illness. When it ended at the beginning of a certain UK TV show, a certain UK legend would say, "Let's meet the stars of our show, whoever you are!")

Rory Bremner? I'll have to google his name and find out who he is! I don't recognize that name!

I just looked up Rory Bremner on Wikipedia, and I have to say, he would be a really good host!

Honestly, a lot of game show hosts today are comedians, so that doesn't surprise me that Rory is the frontrunner!

Come to think of it, figuratively he's the Drew Carey of Countdown!

Adam Porter wrote:Gyles Brandreth

I think he should be considered. He was good in DC and he jumpers were very colourful too .

Jason Larsen wrote:Damian, my new Countdown song is to a tune you will absolutely recognize, (Hint: You probably heard this tune a lot when you took days off from work due to illness.

I've no idea what you're talking about. I've not been ill.

Damian, in 1995, Bruce Forsyth hosted a show called Bruce's _________ _________ _________. Does that help you?

Jason Larsen wrote:Damian, in 1995, Bruce Forsyth hosted a show called Bruce's _________ _________ _________. Does that help you?

I know about the show Jason, it was made in the very same studio as Countdown. It's the illness thing that's lost me.

Is the answer Bruce's Miracle Magic Syrup?

(and i wasnt meaning a medicine)

Jason Larsen wrote:I was surprised to hear this too, and I am very glad that I got my e-mail read by Des at the beginning of this series.
Seriously, my pick to replace Des would be a man who has had his own gardening and daytime talk show in the UK as well as someone who I'll bet was made fun of a lot when he was younger, Alan Titchmarsh! Why? Because he knows when to perk it up and tone it down when he's hosting any type of TV show. Heck, he might even go crazy if he doesn't believe when a contestant solves a crucial conundrum! His fluctuation of letting different things flow when dealing with certain things is perfect! He also is going to hold his own on Countdown, just as the two Desses have when they replaced Richard.

Beat me to it, I was going to suggest him as well - and he has the advantage of being from oop North so the commute might not be an issue (although I don't know if he still lives there).

Just dropped on PA:

Presenter Carol Vorderman has decided to step down from television game show
Countdown, her manager said tonight.
end

251817 JUL 08

Dropped on PA? Which public announcement was this?

PA is the Press Association.

Slightly more detail now:

CONUNDRUM FOR COUNTDOWN AS VORDERMAN QUITS
By Matt Williams, PA
Carol Vorderman is to step down from her role in the long-running Channel 4
gameshow Countdown, her manager said tonight.
The presenter, who has been with the programme for 26 years, was said to be
"extremely sad".
Her decision follows the announcement on Wednesday that Des O'Connor, the
76-year-old current host of Countdown, is also to quit the show.
mfl

251828 JUL 08