- 5 months ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:30Hello, everybody. Welcome to Countdown on Friday the 13th.
00:35For one OctoChamp, it will be a cursed day.
00:38For the other, a dream birth in the semi-final of Series 90.
00:43Rachel Riley, how are you today?
00:45Very, very well.
00:46We're so excited about this.
00:48We have an all-female quarterfinal, and we point that out for a very good reason.
00:52We talked a year ago on air about it's just a numbers game.
00:55Women and men are equally as good at Countdown,
00:58but we weren't getting that many female applications.
01:01Our two quarterfinalists today, Rachel, are here because of us appealing on air.
01:05Yeah.
01:05There you go.
01:06I've been here 16 years, and I've still not had a female champion.
01:09No.
01:09Come on, it's about time.
01:11Well, we need to remedy that.
01:13That's our big aim.
01:14So listen, right now, this is your call.arms.
01:18The email, countdown at channel4.com.
01:22Countdown at channel4.com.
01:24And that's all you do, you say, hey, I'm in, and then we'll take it from there.
01:27Happy days.
01:28Yeah.
01:29The shouters went out.
01:30The shouters went out.
01:31But, hey, we may not have to wait long, because Fiona and Helen are very, very good.
01:36And that's the thing, for anyone who wasn't watching yesterday, Susie,
01:40we'll talk about first seed, second seed, third seed, all the way down.
01:43We have the seventh in today.
01:45There's a cigarette paper between them.
01:48There is.
01:49And I know you and Rachel have been talking about winners here,
01:53and I genuinely can't decide.
01:55I think it can go either way, and it's going to be brilliant.
01:58We've disagreed, but Rory Bremner, are you ready?
02:00I just love being the token man.
02:03What am I?
02:04OK, let's introduce the driver, one of my favourite nicknames from this series, Fiona Wood.
02:10You looked like you were going to be the big dog, the one to beat,
02:13and then, of course, Mr Kirby happened right at the death.
02:17So how do you come here?
02:19How are you feeling?
02:20I've just been practising, watching every day,
02:23and trying not to overthink things either.
02:27Yeah.
02:27That's very easy to do.
02:29Very easy to do.
02:30Well, you're up against the giverness.
02:32The chase have the governess.
02:33We've got the giverness.
02:34And Helen's back, who did bring us some wigging sweets.
02:38Thank you so much.
02:39And I believe your mum is as proud as anybody.
02:42Yeah, she is, yeah.
02:43Yeah, mum, husband, yeah, and little Phoebe as well.
02:46She won't know what's going on yet, but, yeah,
02:48she can watch it back in a few years.
02:50Well, that's all the motivation you need.
02:51And anyway, if Fiona beats you,
02:53you can ring some of your mates in the police locally.
02:55They can have her pulled over and away home.
02:57Happy days.
02:57Either way, it's a win.
02:58Helen and Fiona, let's do it!
03:03Right, the driver, tee off.
03:05Afternoon, Rachel.
03:06Afternoon again.
03:07She's like, are you Fiona or the driver?
03:08Have a consonant, please.
03:11We'll start the second quarterfinal with...
03:13G and another.
03:18S and a vowel.
03:21I and another.
03:23E and another.
03:25A and a consonant.
03:28T and another consonant.
03:32G and another consonant.
03:37T and a final consonant.
03:43Final N.
03:45OK, at home and in the studio, let's play Countdown.
04:06That's it. Fiona.
04:19I'll try a nine. Helen. Yeah, a nine.
04:22Well, I can see the nerves are really getting to them.
04:25Fiona. Gestating.
04:27Gestating. Helen. Same word, gestating.
04:29Pass it over.
04:31Yeah. What a start.
04:33APPLAUSE
04:34Are there any others?
04:38No. No, I didn't think so.
04:39Just so impressed by that.
04:41Right. I'm sure there's a lot of people sitting at home with sevens,
04:43maybe even the audience, so pleased and knocked in the cocked hat.
04:48So let's get on with it.
04:49Helen, the only way's down, I think. Off we go.
04:52Hi, Rachel. Hi, Helen.
04:54Can I have a constant, please?
04:55You can indeed.
04:56Start with X.
04:58And another.
05:00M.
05:01And a third.
05:02T.
05:05And a vowel.
05:07E.
05:08And another.
05:09O.
05:11And a consonant.
05:13S.
05:15And a consonant.
05:17R.
05:19Another vowel.
05:21U.
05:23And a final consonant, please.
05:25Final.
05:26M.
05:26And 30 seconds.
05:28And 30 seconds.
05:28MUSIC PLAYS
05:30Time's up.
05:34pulsing tutto.
05:35END
05:36END
05:42END
05:44END
05:46END
05:47END
05:48END
05:49END
05:56END
05:59END
06:00Time's up. Helen. A seven. And Fiona. Seven. Yeah. Helen. Busters. Fiona. Summers. So seven each. We're locked at 25 points. Was that as good a gain as we can have?
06:12Just repeating every time. Two sevens, both the same. All right, let's do it then. Numbers, please, Fiona. I'll have four large and two small, please.
06:22You mean business straight in there. Four large and two little. Let's put you two to the test. Little ones. Eight and one. And the big four, we know. 50, 75, 125. And the first target, 152.
06:38One, five, two. Numbers up.
06:52One, five, two. The target, Fiona. No, one, five, one. Missed it by one. And Helen.
07:17One, five, two. Off you go. So 100 plus 50. 150. And then 75 divided by 25 is three. Yes. Minus the one. Add it on. Yep. Lots of pressure on this one. Well done. One, five, two.
07:33That's exactly what it is. So the first difference between them on the numbers round. So far to go. Let's get this tea time teaser. It's ripe cuts. Ripe cuts.
07:43If you can hear this, your ears are fine, but your bones may not be.
07:47If you can hear this, your ears are fine, but your bones may not be.
07:51Welcome back, everybody. If you can hear this, your ears are fine, but your bones may not be.
08:12Well, we're biting our nails here in this quarterfinal, but I'm guessing crepitus must be connected to clicking of the fingers, which, oh, it drives me insane.
08:19Yes. Clicking of back fingers, everything. It's a grating sound produced by friction between bone and cartilage or the fractured parts of the bone.
08:28But, yeah, but I was also told it was that kind of clicking that you're talking about, which I won't do.
08:34All right. Thank you. OK. Helen, our seventh seed on 35 points.
08:38Fiona, our number two seed, 10 points behind on 25. And the giverness, you're choosing.
08:44Consonant, please, Rachel. Thank you, Helen.
08:46And a final vowel, please.
09:14Final I.
09:16Thank you, Rich.
09:18BELL RINGS
09:19BELL RINGS
09:24Time's up. Talk to me, Helen.
09:50A seven.
09:51And Fiona.
09:52Eight.
09:53Chance to pull those points back, Helen.
09:56Touches.
09:57What's the eight?
09:58Loochest.
09:59Loochest.
10:00Yes, the shadiest, the most loosh.
10:03Absolutely fine. Well done.
10:04Wow. There you go.
10:06All she wrote.
10:07Yep.
10:08That was us two. Yes, loocious.
10:09That's a great word.
10:10Just record that on your phone. Just play it every time. I'll do the job.
10:13More letters, please. Fiona, just two points in it.
10:16Consonant, please.
10:17Thank you, Fiona.
10:18F.
10:20And another.
10:22J.
10:23And another.
10:25N.
10:26And a vowel, please.
10:28E.
10:30And another.
10:31I.
10:33And another.
10:34E.
10:35And a consonant.
10:38H.
10:40Another consonant.
10:43N.
10:44And a final consonant, please.
10:46Final.
10:47D.
10:48In half a minute.
10:49One.
11:02Mixed.
11:02MUSIC PLAYS
11:20Fiona. Six.
11:22Helen. Whiskey six.
11:24Fiona. Find. Find and Helen.
11:27I've got Find.
11:29Pass it on over. Yeah.
11:31Find as in a finned tuna or shark or whatever.
11:34Yes, there is an adjective, absolutely.
11:36But there is a verb as well.
11:38To fin is to swim underwater by means of flippers.
11:41Excellent. Did your deep dive find anything else?
11:44I was very shallow.
11:45And unfortunately, for the second time this round,
11:48it's ladies three, men nil.
11:50I was paddling at best.
11:52Right, two points in it.
11:55Numbers for the second time today.
11:58And Helen, it's your choice.
12:00I'll go for one large five small, please.
12:03Cautious.
12:04Cautious tactic so far.
12:06One large five little.
12:07Let's see how that plays out.
12:09Small numbers.
12:10Seven.
12:11Seven.
12:12Nine.
12:13Six.
12:14And ten.
12:15And a large one, 50.
12:16Could still be tricky.
12:17Let's see.
12:18251.
12:19251.
12:20Numbers up.
12:22ramen.
12:23Three times the beaches.
12:24The Hiçbles up.
12:25electrodynamic.
12:26Each 151.
12:27One large one.
12:28And a large one.
12:29Eight.
12:30Two large one.
12:31And a large one.
12:32Tone big three.
12:34Two large one.
12:35Do
12:402-5-1. Helen McGivern?
12:542-5-1.
12:542-5-1. Fiona Wood?
12:562-5-1.
12:57Look at this. Go ahead, Helen.
12:59So, 9 plus 6...
13:01..is 15.
13:0215.
13:03Minus 10.
13:055.
13:06Times 50.
13:07250.
13:08And then 7 over 7 is 1 and add it on.
13:10Yeah. A few ways for this one. That's one of them.
13:12Fiona?
13:136 times 50 is 300.
13:15300.
13:16And 7 7s are 49 and take it away.
13:19Well done.
13:20Very good.
13:23So many ways into that one.
13:25You just needed to find it for the 10 points.
13:27Look at that.
13:28100 points before we even had our chance
13:31to have our daily chat with Rory Bremner
13:33and it's 51-49.
13:35Yeah, it's absolute dreamland here.
13:37Rory, let's talk about the fact that
13:39in the job that you do
13:40everybody goes
13:42doing an impression.
13:43Or
13:44is there a level where people stop asking?
13:47When you meet, like,
13:48A-list celebrities,
13:50for example,
13:50do they say,
13:51can you do me?
13:52Tell me a little bit about that.
13:54Well, who's the top A-list?
13:55I suppose we'd be Prince Charles,
13:56now the king.
13:57Oh, yeah.
13:58But luckily he's got a very good sense of humour
13:59and I was introduced to him years ago
14:01through Stephen Fry
14:02and he's great friends with Stephen Fry.
14:04So we used to joke about doing
14:06Prince Charles' impressions as he was then.
14:08In fact, there was one time
14:09when Stephen Fry,
14:11they were chatting at something
14:12and they both live in Norfolk
14:13and so Stephen said,
14:14Well, I mean,
14:14Your Highness,
14:15I mean,
14:16if you'd ever like to stay
14:17or just drop in for a cup of tea,
14:19I mean,
14:19we're in Norfolk,
14:20go on the way to Sandingham.
14:21And so one day,
14:22in fact,
14:22Prince Charles,
14:23as he was then,
14:24rings up.
14:25Stephen Fry says,
14:26Stephen,
14:26I know you mentioned
14:28drop in for tea
14:29and I happened to be up next week,
14:31I wonder if I could drop in.
14:33And Stephen goes,
14:33Oh, bog off, Rory.
14:36And there's this kind of awkward silence.
14:38He goes,
14:38Oh, my God,
14:39it's easy.
14:40So,
14:40and of course,
14:41it was the real one.
14:42Love that.
14:42Thank you so much.
14:46Well,
14:46as you said,
14:4716 years you've been here,
14:48we could be looking at a queen of countdown,
14:50couldn't we,
14:51at the end of series 90.
14:52Fiona and Helen,
14:53what a standard.
14:5551-49.
14:56Back to it.
14:57Fiona,
14:57two points,
14:58the deficit you're choosing.
14:59A consonant,
15:00please.
15:01Thank you,
15:01Fiona.
15:02Q.
15:03And another.
15:05P.
15:06And another.
15:08T.
15:09And another.
15:11P.
15:12And a vowel.
15:13I.
15:15And another.
15:16O.
15:18And another one.
15:20A.
15:21And a consonant.
15:23G.
15:25And a final consonant,
15:26please.
15:27Final M.
15:27And here we go again.
15:28And here we go again.
15:31MUSIC CONTINUES
16:01Fiona? I'll try a six.
16:03And Helen? Only a five.
16:05The five is?
16:06Patio.
16:07OK, patio, no worries.
16:10But Fiona, what are you going to try here?
16:11Optima.
16:12Optima.
16:14Optima is...
16:16Yes, it's there as the plural of optimum,
16:20the now meaning the most favourable situation you can get,
16:22which you have just got. Well done.
16:24I don't even want to say it.
16:26Shall we just move on?
16:28Yes.
16:28I mean, even two letters more than we got here,
16:31so it wasn't just five to six, it was five to seven, so well done.
16:34Yeah.
16:35All right, let's go again then.
16:37Helen, you've lost your lead, but you would have taken this.
16:40I bet you're walking into the studio four points down,
16:42heading towards that second break, so off we go.
16:45Consonant, please.
16:46Thank you, Helen.
16:47R.
16:48R.
16:49And another.
16:50K.
16:52And a vowel.
16:54E.
16:55And another.
16:57A.
16:58And a consonant.
17:00S.
17:02And another.
17:04B.
17:06And a vowel.
17:07I.
17:08I.
17:10And a consonant.
17:13L.
17:15And a final vowel, please.
17:17Final.
17:18A.
17:19Start the clock.
17:20R.
17:32And a consonant.
17:39R.
17:39Time's up. Helen.
17:53I think I've got a seven.
17:54And Fiona.
17:56Seven.
17:56What do you think you have?
17:57Risable.
17:59What do you know you have?
18:01Bealers.
18:02Bealers and risable, risable.
18:05So, you're spelling risable with an A.
18:08Yeah.
18:09Yeah, so risable, as in laughable, derisory, is with two I's.
18:14But risable, it's not there, I'm afraid.
18:19So, I have to disallow that one.
18:20I'm sorry.
18:21And baler is absolutely fine.
18:23Yeah, that's in the dictionary.
18:24So, bailers connected to bail bonds, to farming, to cricket, pray tell.
18:30Actually, all of those.
18:31You can get hay baler and it can be spelt that way.
18:35And, in fact, almost all the example sentences are relating to that sense.
18:38Rory Bremner.
18:40So, well, yours was seven, but I see you're seven, but it's raisable.
18:44Oh, look at that.
18:46You're an eight.
18:47It's raisable.
18:47R-A-I-S-A-B-L-E.
18:50Well done.
18:51Now, 11 points in it.
18:52We move to the numbers.
18:54Fiona Wood on number two seeds.
18:55You're choosing.
18:56I'll have one large and five small, please.
18:58One large.
18:58You've moved away from the four large.
19:00You want things nice and safe.
19:01Let's see how safe.
19:02Third numbers round today.
19:04Five, two, ten, eight, seven, and the large on 100.
19:10And the target, 514.
19:13514.
19:13Okay, numbers up.
19:445-1-4, Fiona Wood?
19:48Yes, 5-1-4.
19:49And Helen McGivern?
19:505-1-4.
19:50Yeah!
19:51Child's play for you. Off you go, Fiona.
19:535 times 100 is 500.
19:56Yep.
19:56And 2 times 7 is 14.
19:58About as straightforward as it comes.
20:00How do you go, Helen?
20:01Slightly different. 100 times 5, 500.
20:04Yep.
20:058 times... Sorry, 8 divided by 2 is 4.
20:08Plus 10, I don't know. Lovely.
20:09APPLAUSE
20:12And ten points. It's six rounds to go.
20:15They've already chalked up 72 and 61.
20:17As we get this tea-time teaser.
20:19Rag never.
20:21Rag never.
20:23He's not grading your English exam,
20:25just marking your words.
20:26He's not grading your English exam,
20:29just marking your words.
20:31MUSIC
20:33Hello again. He's not grading your English exam,
20:48just marking your words.
20:50Well, it's the person we employ for only two days a year here on Countdown.
20:55And he's working next Friday,
20:56engraving a new name under the Richard Wightley Memorial Trophy engraver.
21:01Engraver.
21:02All right. Both of your names could still be on it.
21:05Just 11 points in it.
21:06Helen, a little bit of catching up and nothing more.
21:09And it's your letters.
21:10Consonant, please.
21:11Thank you, Helen.
21:12And a final L.
21:39And good luck.
21:41MUSIC PLAYS
21:43MUSIC PLAYS
21:44Helen.
21:47Just a sec.
21:48Just a sec.
21:50Fiona.
21:51Seven.
21:52Yes, a chance here, Helen, the sixth.
21:54MUSIC PLAYS
21:56Helen.
21:58Just a sec.
22:00Fiona.
22:01Seven.
22:02Yes, a chance here, Helen, the sixth.
22:03Colder.
22:16A little bit of a wobble there, Fiona.
22:18Comrade.
22:19Comrade.
22:20Yeah, that's there.
22:21All there for seven.
22:22Well done.
22:23Excellent, well done.
22:24Big, big seven points from our number two seed.
22:27Rory Bremner.
22:28Maybe the tension is creeping in because there were two eights there.
22:31Oh.
22:32There was Romanced.
22:33Yes.
22:34There was there.
22:35And also colander.
22:37So two eights went to beg and as it was Fiona took the seven points and you're choosing these letters.
22:43I'll have a consonant, please.
22:45Thank you, Fiona.
22:47N.
22:48And another.
22:50S.
22:51And another.
22:53G.
22:54And another.
22:56Y.
22:58And a vowel, please.
23:00A.
23:01And another.
23:02E.
23:04And another.
23:06I.
23:08And a consonant.
23:10N.
23:12And a final consonant, please.
23:14Lastly, another G.
23:16And let's play.
23:17There.
23:18There.
23:19There.
23:20There.
23:21And a consonant.
23:22I said.
23:23The lake is a violations.
23:24Into the Herrsi.
23:26The sl HDMI.
23:27It's a veteran.
23:28The land its fijns.
23:29It's a terrible task.
23:31Minions.
23:31Than a consonant.
23:32And aえ 인터�urn.
23:33It could also be fikramish.
23:34Of course, a vara shanty.
23:37Tr �ers.
23:37His letter along the melody.
23:38It could be lifted.
23:39It could be a foyer.
23:40It could also be moved out or a contrary.
23:41It could also be done with a cot colony.
23:42Grace.
23:43Yes.
23:44Well done.
23:44It could be a great gift match.
23:46I'm done a few Muy Hot nachos.
23:47That's time. Fiona?
23:50Just six.
23:51Helen?
23:52And six.
23:53OK, Fiona?
23:54Easing.
23:55Yes, and Helen?
23:57I've got easing as well.
23:58OK.
24:00There are a couple of risky sevens, there really is,
24:03but how do you take them when you're under this type of pressure?
24:07But Rory and Susie?
24:09No easing.
24:10In case you were thinking about that, that's not there.
24:12But there was a word that wasn't much of a risk.
24:15I didn't see the signs, you didn't see the signs,
24:18Rachel saw the signs.
24:19Look at this, signage.
24:20Very nice.
24:21Yeah, it's brilliant.
24:24Brilliant.
24:25Well, the writing not on the wall for Helen McGivern yet,
24:28but the gap is about 18 shades of yesterday, actually,
24:32with four rounds left.
24:34But still, it's game on as we get our origins of words,
24:38our last of this very special week.
24:40Yes, and signage is actually going to be quite relevant to this one.
24:44We have an email from Leslie Rowlands in Hackney, in London,
24:49and the question is,
24:51please could you tell me where the phrase the umpteenth time comes from?
24:54So, umpteenth.
24:56And it's actually one of my favourite stories, really,
24:59in recent terms, anyway,
25:02because umpteenth is based on the word umpti,
25:06which in military slang,
25:08and I say recent, I'm talking recent in the terms of English,
25:11which has obviously been around for over a millennium.
25:14This came about sort of 1914, First World War around,
25:18and it was slang for Morse code,
25:21which in full was called iddy umpti,
25:23and umpti represented the dash,
25:25and then iddy was a dot.
25:27And just a reminder,
25:29so Morse code was letters represented by combinations of light,
25:32and also long and short sounds and light signals,
25:36essentially, that were used for as code,
25:40named after Samuel Morse.
25:42So it's been around for a while before then,
25:44but iddy umpti came about, as I say, First World War.
25:47One slang dictionary suggested it came about
25:49when Morse code was being taught to Indian troops in India,
25:53and it came back over here.
25:56There were examples before then, actually,
25:58of umpti being used in different ways.
26:01So it was a nonsense syllable in poetry.
26:03You'll find umpti-tumpti-tiddledee.
26:05It sounds a bit like Humpty-Numpty, doesn't it?
26:07And in various ways,
26:09but we think it did go back to that Morse code.
26:12And it was also used for an army signaller as well.
26:15They were called an umpti.
26:16Anyway, because the dash could be used
26:19to represent anything indefinite or indeterminate,
26:21it came to be used in front of a number that wasn't specified.
26:26And so umpti came to mean any number,
26:29and eventually it came to mean an awful lot.
26:31And the teen bit, obviously, was just added on,
26:33like 13, 14, et cetera.
26:35But, yeah, it's beginnings in Morse code.
26:37Thank you, Susie.
26:40All right, let's get down to...
26:42We love our Origins Awards,
26:44but for Fiona and Helen,
26:45that must have felt like a lifetime,
26:47with this game still on the line.
26:48Helen, it's kind of do or die.
26:51Let's see if you can do.
26:52I love a consonant, please.
26:53Thank you, Helen.
26:54D.
26:55And another.
26:57S.
26:58And another.
27:00P.
27:01And a vowel.
27:03A.
27:04And another.
27:05U.
27:07And another.
27:08I.
27:10And a consonant.
27:12S.
27:13Another consonant.
27:15R.
27:16And a vowel, please.
27:18Lastly,
27:19A.
27:21C.
27:24C.
27:40C.
27:41All right, Helen.
27:54Only a five.
27:55And for Fiona?
27:56Six.
27:57And a six.
27:58Helen?
27:59Pairs.
28:00Pairs.
28:00And what did you spot, Fiona?
28:02Rapids.
28:03Rapids.
28:04Very nice.
28:04Yeah, very good.
28:06Big six.
28:06Big six, that almost out of sight, but not quite yet.
28:10And we know what happened yesterday.
28:11Got close again.
28:13Rory?
28:14Sardius.
28:14S-A-R-D-I-U-S.
28:17Which means?
28:17Yes.
28:18It is a red precious stone that was mentioned in the Bible.
28:21Probably ruby.
28:22Nice.
28:22A lovely seven.
28:24Sardius.
28:25Nice.
28:26OK.
28:27Last letters round.
28:28This could get you over the line.
28:31I'll put you under a bit of pressure again.
28:32Fiona, let's do it.
28:33A consonant, please.
28:35Thank you, Fiona.
28:36V.
28:38And another.
28:38F.
28:41And another.
28:43R.
28:44And a vowel, please.
28:46U.
28:47And another.
28:49O.
28:50And another.
28:52A.
28:54And a consonant.
28:56W.
28:58Another consonant.
29:01B.
29:01And a final vowel, please.
29:06And a final.
29:07E.
29:08Last letters.
29:09Rush.
29:10Allantero,
29:15hosted by
29:27O.
29:28And a consonant.
29:28And another.
29:29Wish it well.
29:29Could not just give a clue.
29:30To a translator.
29:30patched agree.
29:31You can tell a consonant eerste.
29:31verseate.
29:32Oh,
29:32Pal.
29:32Don't get to the other.
29:33Let's do that.
29:34What about this?
29:35All praises.
29:36Do this.
29:36And a consonant.
29:37OK, Fiona. Six not written down.
29:42And Helen? A six.
29:43And it's six, not even nothing to risk.
29:45This will seal the deal. What did you not write down, Fiona?
29:48Favour. Favour, and we won't need to look that up.
29:51We can do you no favours here. Helen?
29:53I've got favour as well. And favour as well.
29:56Well done. And we have our second semi-finalist.
29:58APPLAUSE
30:00What a great encounter, though. Two rounds to go.
30:03Can you beat the six, Rory Bremner and Susie Dent?
30:07No. Final numbers round.
30:10Helen McGivern, still smiling, not surprising at all.
30:14Let's get those numbers.
30:16Let's go mad. I'll have three large and three small, please.
30:19Going mad. Last time from the given S.
30:23Three large, three little. Final time of the week.
30:25Four, nine, eight and a large three.
30:29One hundred, fifty and twenty-five.
30:32Let's have a test.
30:33Seven hundred and seventy-five.
30:35Or not. Seven, seven, five.
30:36Last numbers.
30:37Three large, ten, five.
30:40Three large, ten.
30:42Six, nine, eight, five.
30:43Answeringноз it.
30:45I'll have three large teeth inaudible and rugby.
30:48Touchdown.
30:49Nine, eight and eight, nine and a half.
30:49One, nine and eight.
30:51Pointless,adore, squeeze on the other side.
30:52And stay.
30:52One, nine and nine and nine.
30:53Eight, four,nea, check out.
30:54I'm watching this season again.
30:56Two sicheren comien cinese,
30:57five, mana,emeister,ome costume,
30:59two,se impacting solamente immediately.
31:00That's what I do.
31:01One, nine, seven, y- ensemble.
31:01All, nine, seven, seven, six, 7, seven
31:02and nine months.
31:03All right, let's do it. Protocol, 775, Helen.
31:12Yeah, 775.
31:13Yeah, Fiona?
31:13Yeah, 775.
31:14Nice, let's get those points on the board.
31:17Eight times 100.
31:18800.
31:19Minus 25.
31:20You know, Jimmy Carr, let's be pressed the button again when it's this easy.
31:23Never.
31:24Fiona?
31:25Yes, exactly the same.
31:27Excellent, well done.
31:28APPLAUSE
31:29And look at that, 107 players, 83.
31:34What a standard it has been.
31:36Still 10 points to hand out.
31:38You can always find a little bit of jeopardy here because, Fiona,
31:40this would actually be your highest score.
31:42You would beat anything you managed on your way to being an octo-champ.
31:451-1-3 is your high score.
31:48This would be 1-1-7.
31:50Helen, get that finger on the buzzer, you know by now.
31:54Let's reveal our second quarterfinal countdown conundrum.
31:59At the death, Helen?
32:28Tenderful.
32:30Tenderful, is it?
32:32It's not Fiona.
32:33Come on, you can do it.
32:35Not even a guess.
32:36Not even a guess.
32:38All right.
32:39I thought you might have been right with that shot in the dark.
32:42That tenderful kind of made a bit of sense.
32:45Oh, Susie.
32:47Well, under felt.
32:49For a carpet.
32:50For a carpet.
32:51Possibly.
32:52Brilliant.
32:57Yes, brilliant.
32:58Well done to you.
32:59Well done to you.
32:59Well, listen, let's talk to Helen McGivern first.
33:02You've smiled the whole way through every game.
33:05Absolutely brilliant.
33:06Helen, thank you so much for applying and being here.
33:08Not at all.
33:09I really enjoyed it, yeah.
33:10And Fiona, that first numbers round, fairly straightforward and you missed it and I thought, uh-oh, the driver has taken a pitching wedge.
33:19So, a bit of nerves at the start and then look what you did when you settled in.
33:22Yeah, I really shot myself in the foot there with the first numbers game.
33:25You're back next Thursday for a second semi-final as our second seed.
33:30Congratulations, Fiona.
33:33Rory, no stranger in the dictionary corner.
33:35You've got to be as good a week as you've had there.
33:37Absolutely.
33:38We've got somebody advancing, so they'll be picking up next year.
33:41Yeah.
33:41Had two quarterfinals.
33:43Had a Christmas sweater.
33:44I mean, everything.
33:45All we need now is a pantomime dame.
33:47And you'll get one next week.
33:48We will indeed.
33:49And you're not talking about these two.
33:51So, there you go.
33:52Susie, see you Monday?
33:53Yes, look forward to it.
33:54Rachel, we see you on Monday.
33:56Yeah, they're not talking about our producer dame either.
33:58The big ins is in.
33:59Yes, Christopher is here.
34:00It's now a Christmas tradition for us.
34:02And he'll be joined for our third quarterfinal on Monday by an underdog and a gentleman.
34:07We'll give them their proper names when we see you.
34:09Same time, same place, Monday.
34:10You can count on us.
34:12You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:17You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.