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Channel 4 has handed a new two-year contract to its long-running gameshow Countdown.
The news was announced today to tie in with celebrations for the programme's 5,000th episode, which airs this afternoon.
Countdown's new deal will see hosts Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley continuing to front the programme, while Susie Dent is expected to remain in the Dictionary Corner.
Channel 4's head of daytime Helen Warner told The Mirror: "It is an amazing achievement for Countdown to be celebrating 5,000 shows.
"Jeff, Rachel and Susie Dent have breathed new life into the show and it is the perfect time to announce Channel 4 is committing to another two years. We look forward to celebrating the next 5,000."
Responding to the announcement, Stelling commented: "The recommission is fantastic news. I love being on the show, it's my dream job."
Meanwhile, Riley added: "I am thrilled."
Stelling and Riley joined Countdown in November 2008 as replacements for Des O'Connor and Carol Vorderman.
parkerman
26-03-2010, 11:16
I'm glad to hear it!
As a regular Countdown viewer and fan I agree that Rachel Riley and Geoff Stelling have "breathed new life" into the show. After a bit of a shaky start I think Geoff Stelling is now much better than Des Lynam and Des O'Connor. No-one can replace Richard "Twice Nightly" Whiteley of course. As for Rachel Riley. Let's just say seeing her makes an old man very happy! Not only that but she's good with the numbers too. Susie Dent is great as well. She has come out a lot more in the last year or so and seems to be less reserved.
I don't know what I'd do with my afternoons if they axed Countdown.
I might even apply to go on it. You never know...
Go on, parkerman, apply to go on :D
Chloe O'brien
28-03-2010, 00:01
Yeah come on Parkerman apply just for us.
Filming on a recent edition of Countdown reportedly had to be stopped after a contestant discovered a swear word.
When presented with the letters D, T, C, E, I, A, S, H and F, 18-year-old contestant Jack Hurst declared that he had found an eight-letter word.
To the amusement of the audience, Cambridge University student Hurst then revealed that word to be "s**tface".
According to The Sun, Dictionary Corner adjudicator Susie Dent confirmed that the word was a legitimate term for a "rude or obnoxious person", but Channel 4 bosses stepped in and restarted the round, deeming the word to be "not appropriate".
A source said: "The bizarre thing was he had a spare D - spelling a concept most students are more than familiar with."
Hurst recently broke the record for the total number of points accumulated over eight matches.
It is not the first time that the weekday teatime quiz, hosted by Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley, has produced an interesting array of letters.
:rotfl::rotfl:
CrazyLea
04-11-2010, 15:03
Haha that's funny. :lol:.
On a separate note, I love countdown :D.
Countdown presenter Jeff Stelling has revealed he is quitting the show little more than two years since he joined.
The 55-year-old yesterday announced he was leaving the long-running Channel 4 series to concentrate on his football role at Sky Sports.
As well as presenting Sky’s Soccer Saturday he is also covering the broadcaster’s Champions League coverage next season.
He said in a telephone interview with Oasis FM in Tenerife: ‘I’ll give you a little world exclusive, because I’m doing the Champions League for Sky next season, I’ve actually resigned from Countdown and I’ll be finishing at the end of December.
‘You’ve got to really have your priorities and my priority is football, I love it and Soccer Saturday so I’ve committed myself very much to that next season.’
His departure will plunge the teatime programme into a new presenter crisis as viewing figures have fallen under a succession of short-lived hosts.
By the time Stelling, who joined in January 2009, goes he will have done about three years on the show.
In its heyday under the late Richard Whiteley and Carol Vorderman, it commanded three to four million viewers a day. Last week the show got around 600,000 viewers each day.
Stelling, who has juggled both roles since he was offered the Countdown job in 2008 said he would never leave Soccer Saturday telling presenter Ross Browning ‘When I can’t get into the studio it’s because I’ll be in my wheelchair. It’s the love of my life, wife and kids excepted.’
He added he would miss Countdown’s Rachel Riley, Miss Vorderman’s replacement: ‘That’ll be really really sad. She’s a great girl by the way even though she’s a Manchester United fan.
'We’ve had some great times and I’ll miss her. But I just felt I had to really try on focus on the things that I love which are football and Soccer Saturday.’
Originally tipped for the job when the legendary Whiteley died, he was passed over in favour of Des Lynam who was seen as a higher-profile name.
Whiteley, who had been in the presenter’s chair since the show began in 1982 died suddenly in June 2005.
But Lynam quit in 2006 after 18 months blaming the long journey to Leeds for filming.
He was followed by Des O’Connor, 79, who quit after another year saying he missed performing live.
Miss Vorderman’s exit, following a row over pay, was watched by 1.8m viewers.
By March 2009, figures had slumped to 650,000, the lowest in the show’s 27-year history. Since then figures have dropped further.
A Channel 4 spokesman said: ‘Jeff will continue to present Countdown until the end of the year.
‘He's had a brilliant 3 years on the show and we're sad to see him go.
‘We're already talking to a number of people to find a replacement.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1390466/Jeff-Stelling-quits-Countdown-just-years.html#ixzz1NKxxDTin
I like him, he did a good job, sorry to see him go
parkerman
25-05-2011, 08:28
Yes, I think Jeff is an excellent presenter, second only to the great Richard Whiteley. I hope they are not thinking of axeing Countdown. What would I do without my afternoons lusting after Rachel...er...I mean stimulating my brain with word and number puzzles?
parkerman
25-05-2011, 09:49
Talking of Countdown, have you seen this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfa3MHLLSWI&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfa3MHLLSWI&feature=related?
STARS are clamouring to replace Jeff Stelling on Countdown after we revealed yesterday that he was quitting.
Bosses of the C4 quiz have been "inundated" with requests from agents, an insider said.
Favourites include comic Alexander Armstrong, who just missed out last time, Rory Bremner, Terry Wogan and Richard Madeley.
Jo Brand and Anne Robinson are also tipped. Other contenders include Stephen Fry and David Mitchell.
Bookie William Hill said "shrewd" money was on a female.
Jeff, 55, leaves at the end of the year. He said he would miss working with maths whiz Rachel Riley, saying: "That'll be really sad. She's a great girl."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3600918/Count-us-in-for-Jeff-Stelling-quiz-job.html#ixzz1NRH92ORw
If they want a female host, then please let it be Jo Brand, not Anne Robinson :nono:
COUNTDOWN fans are putting their money on Terry Wogan being the new host.
Bookies who have seen a surge of bets on Sir Terry, 72, returning to TV to front the quiz show, yesterday cut his odds from 33-1 to 14-1.
But William Hill still has Gyles Brandreth and Aled Jones as joint favourites for the spot, with odds of 6-1.
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Spokesman Rupert Adams said: “The viewing figures are tumbling and Wogan could be just the man for the job.”
Last week, Countdown presenter Jeff Stelling, 55, said he was leaving at the end of 2011 after two years.
Channel 4 bosses said they have already begun talking to potential candidates.
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/tv/2011/05/31/bets-flood-in-for-terry-wogan-to-be-new-countdown-host-115875-23168338/#ixzz1NswTnsHG
Go Camping for 95p! Vouchers collectable in the Daily and Sunday Mirror until 11th August . Click here for more information
tammyy2j
31-05-2011, 12:09
Jo Brand and Anne Robinson
I really cant see them in the role
Carol Vorderman has ruled out returning to host Countdown.
The presenter co-hosted the Channel 4 game show from its 1982 premiere, but quit in 2008 after being told to take a 90 percent pay cut or leave.
Following current presenter Jeff Stelling's departure, Vorderman has said that she will not be filling the vacant position.
"It's not my business any more," she told The People. "I am just a viewer now like everybody else. I would not want to go back to it.
"I was very lucky and worked consistently for nearly 30 years. But I now have a great life in Bristol with my two kids, a business and a bit of TV work and I just love my life.
"I have got the balance right for the first time in my life. I play more now, much more than I used to. I am just so happy. When you have done 30 years of telly, that's enough."
She was recently named 'Rear of the Year', beating off strong competition from Pippa Middleton.
Jeff Stelling may perform a U-turn on his decision to stand down as Countdown host.
A production insider has claimed that the Sky Sports presenter wants to discuss staying on the Channel 4 gameshow.
"I would be very surprised if Jeff didn't stay on now," the source told The Mirror. "He made the decision to quit because he feared his hectic workload would make it impossible to focus on Countdown.
"But it has become clear that Jeff should be able to manage the schedule alongside his other work."
Stelling, who has hosted the programme since January 2009, announced his decision to leave in May, saying that he wanted to devote more time to his responsibilities at Sky.
The 55-year-old is due to leave the show at the end of 2011 and Rory Bremner, Aled Jones and 'Dictionary Corner' regular Gyles Brandreth had all been tipped as replacements for him.
A spokesperson for broadcaster Channel 4 confirmed that discussions about next year's presenting team were "ongoing".
parkerman
27-07-2011, 06:21
I hope he stays. He is an excellent presenter - second only to the great Richard Whiteley...
Lord Sugar's Apprentice sidekick Nick Hewer has signed up to present the new series of Countdown.
He will take over from Jeff Stelling and join regulars Rachel Riley and Susie Dent when the new series of the maths and words quiz begins next year.
Nick said: "I'm flattered to have been asked to present such an iconic programme and will work hard to justify sitting in the same seat as such great talents as Jeff Stelling, Des O'Connor and, of course, the great Richard Whiteley.
"It's particularly fitting that I should be doing this now as my spelling has started to slip quite badly. I used to be able spell chrysanthemum."
Nick will become the fifth presenter of what is Channel 4's longest-running show when he takes over.
Jeff announced earlier this year that he was to leave after less than three years in the hotseat to concentrate on his presenting role at Sky Sports.
The longest-serving host was Richard Whiteley, who launched the show at the birth of the channel in November 1982 and continued until his sudden death in 2005.
Channel 4 chief creative officer Jay Hunt said: "Nick will be a fantastically charismatic host for Countdown. He is sharp and funny and has a real twinkle in his eye."
PA
Bit more info:
The Apprentice star Nick Hewer has been announced as the new host of Countdown.
Channel 4 confirmed that Lord Alan Sugar's aide will take over from Jeff Stelling when filming of the long-running gameshow recommences at the end of the year.
Hewer's first episode as Countdown host will air on January 9, 2012.
"I'm flattered to have been asked to present such an iconic programme and will work hard to justify sitting in the same seat as such great talents as Jeff Stelling, Des O'Connor and of course the great Richard Whiteley," Hewer commented.
"It's particularly fitting that I should be doing this now as my spelling has started to slip quite badly. I used to be able to spell chrysanthemum."
Channel 4 chief creative officer Jay Hunt said of the announcement: "Nick will be a fantastically charismatic host for Countdown. He is sharp and funny and has a real twinkle in his eye."
Head of daytime Helen Warner predicted that Hewer would bring "dry wit, fierce intelligence and unique charm" to the show, while executive producer Peter Gwyn added: "I'm absolutely delighted that Nick has agreed to take the Countdown chair, and I can't wait to see him bring his unique style and humour to this iconic format.
"With Nick at the helm and our 30th birthday next year, we've got some very exciting times ahead for Countdown viewers."
Maths expert Rachel Riley and Dictionary Corner chair Susie Dent are both returning to the show.
Stelling quit as Countdown presenter back in May after two years in the role.
Giles Brandreth and Rory Bremner were among the stars tipped to succeed him.
Anne Robinson is replacing Nick Hewer as the new host of Countdown.
It was announced in December 2020 that Nick would be leaving the series after 10 years, and ever since fans have been left guessing as to who could replace him.
Steph McGovern confirmed the exciting news on her Channel 4 chat show, Packed Lunch after teasing her name to viewers with a Countdown conundrum.
Anne will join Rachel Riley and wordsmith Susie Dent as the programme?s sixth host and the first female to fill the hot seat.
Speaking to Steph about her new role, Anne began: ?Thank you for keeping the secret. I am hopeless at keeping secrets.
?I am very excited, I want to rename it to, Three Clever Girls do Countdown.?
?Well, that?s exactly what it?s going to be isn?t it,? Steph chipped in. ?Are you looking forward to it??
?The thing is that, Susie and Rachel are very clever, very young, very pretty and much thinner than me,? Anne continued.
?Yeah, but you?re amazing too and you look fabulous,? Steph replied. ?You?ll fit right in.?
?My son-in-law who directs commercials has been trying to put some lighting into my study here but I think he?s failed because you look much better lit than I am,? Anne joked.
Steph went on to ask Anne whether she was a ?fan of a conundrum?, to which she replied: ?I love anagrams, I do the Times crossword every day. I?m not very good at adding up or subtracting.
?I?ll tell you what?s great about this show is that it?s very clever contestants who have to work at speed, I think that?s what?s impressive about it.?
After Nick revealed he would be leaving Countdown, fans called for Colin Murray to replace him after he made his debut as host.
In December, the Radio Five Live DJ stepped in for Nick after he was forced to remain in quarantine due to being considered ?vulnerable?.
Anne, who is best known for presenting The Weakest Link, appeared in the Countdown?s popular Dictionary Corner for a week in 1987.
She added: ?I was so in awe of the great Richard Whiteley.
?I think I only said Good Afternoon and Goodbye. Who thought I?d have the chance to follow in his giant footsteps??
parkerman
16-02-2021, 11:57
Hmmm.., thanks, Perdy. I might start watching it again. Countdown used to be one of my favourite quizzes, but I stopped watching it shortly after Nick Hewer took over. I thought he was hopeless as a host. So, I might give it another go. Mind you, I'm not that keen on Rachel Riley either.....
Hmmm.., thanks, Perdy. I might start watching it again. Countdown used to be one of my favourite quizzes, but I stopped watching it shortly after Nick Hewer took over. I thought he was hopeless as a host. So, I might give it another go. Mind you, I'm not that keen on Rachel Riley either.....
Same here, will see what kind of job Anne is going to do :)
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