Des Admits To nerves

[Debs]

Des Lynam confesses to being "a little bit nervous" in his first episode of Countdown.

The housewives' favourite says the Channel 4 show will pay respect to his predecessor Richard Whiteley.

Lynam, 63, tells the audience: "I hope I'm not too much of a shock to you. I've got a very difficult act to follow with dear Richard of course, much loved by you all, but I shall be doing my best.

"I'm a little bit nervous," he added. "I hope to get to know the rules in due course - after about 300 programmes I'll crack it I'm sure.

Lynam, who will reportedly be paid around £600,000-a-year to front the teatime show, says it has been a "difficult time for Countdowners".

But the former Match of the Day presenter adds: "We'll pay respect to Richard from time to time, I'm sure, as we go along, many times. I was a great fan of him and he was a lovely man.

Carol, 44, introduces the episode with a "welcome back to Countdown".

She tells viewers: "It's been a very long summer and we've missed you Countdowners and we know that you've missed us because you've told us in your tens of thousands.

"This is the first and only time I'll be saying 'hello and welcome' to you at the beginning of Countdown because we have a boy in the house...you might have seen him before, his name is Mr Des Lynam.

Much-loved Whiteley, the show's anchorman since its inception in 1982, died in June after emergency surgery for a faulty heart valve at the age of 61

[Jade]

aww bless Des, but Richards shoes will be very hard to fill.

[Chloe O'brien]

good luck to des i'm sure he will be a brilliant host for countdown

[dddMac1]

he is bound to feel nervous about taking over from Richard.good luck to him

[Debs]

i saw some of countdown yesterday and he just dosent seem right, i dont think theys ould have bought it back it was richards show, des just isnt the same

[Siobhan]

I didn't see it but I know it won't be the same.. Richard owned that show and the banter between himself and carol was fantastic... will miss him lots

[dddMac1]

i watched it for the first time yesterday and it's not the same without Richard

[Mr Humphries]

From The Sun: By DEREK ROBINS - November 04, 2006

PAUL MERTON has turned his back on replacing Des Lynam on Countdown.

The Have I Got News For You? star, 49, said he had no interest in the job, which Des has quit just a year after taking over from the late Richard Whiteley.

Comic Paul said that the long-running Channel 4 quiz is about words and numbers and not comedy. He added: “If you record five shows a day then you run out of funny stuff anyway.”

He joked that makers of the show should use archive clips of Whiteley who hosted the show for 23 years until his death in June 2005.

C4 director of TV Kevin Lygo said that no final decision had been made about a new presenter to front the show in 2007.

Michael Aspel and Terry Wogan have ruled themselves out but Des O’Connor, Gyles Brandreth and Alan Titchmarsh are still believed to be in the running.

[Pinkbanana]

From The Sun: By DEREK ROBINS - November 04, 2006


C4 director of TV Kevin Lygo said that no final decision had been made about a new presenter to front the show in 2007.

Michael Aspel and Terry Wogan have ruled themselves out but Des O’Connor, Gyles Brandreth and Alan Titchmarsh are still believed to be in the running.

Oh I would have liked Paul Merton to take over the reigns, but I guess that really wasnt ever going to happen!

I reckon Gyles Brandreth will get the job as he has been a guess a lot in dictionary corner (not that I get to see the prog much, being at work and all that, but every time I have caught it, that man has been sat there with a demented grin on his face, poor Susie Dent!).

I would prefer the lovely Alan Titchmarsh to get the job and Im sure he would be a popular choice from house wives to the blue rinse brigade.

[EE Rocks]

I guess he is okay, but it's not the same without Richard.