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00:30Hello, everybody. Welcome to Countdown this Thursday afternoon as we spy another 15 rounds of letters and numbers.
00:38And look who's came in from the cold again. It's Rachel Riley. How are you today?
00:43I'm very well, thank you.
00:44I know you'll get that reference because I know you're a fan of the late, great John le Carré, who was born on this day in 1931.
00:53Well, I'm a former intelligence officer himself, but probably, you know, one of the absolutely true kings of the spy novel.
01:00You know, I'm late to the party, but he's next on my list because I've not done any fiction yet.
01:04But I'm absolutely obsessed with all of Ben McIntyre's books.
01:07I've listened to them all on audio book and they're all kind of Cold War or Nazi era spies.
01:12And whenever spies get interviewed and they say, what's it really like?
01:15Is there any fictionalised version that's true to reality? They always say John le Carré.
01:19He was MI5 and MI6, I think.
01:21A lot of the stories are based on real stuff that happened that's been fictionalised and, you know, they're allowed to sneak out the door.
01:29Yeah. Ian McEwan, Tom Clancy, but also Lauren Wilkinson.
01:32There's some great books out there that you can read.
01:34Yeah, fascinating kind of genre. I love it.
01:37The obvious one. And they're different from the films as well, often.
01:40So I love them as the Ian Fleming, James Bond books.
01:42Yeah, or again, former spy or the same era.
01:45Well, listen, let's head over to Dictionary Corner because we can forget 007.
01:48It's all about OED, the Oxford English Dictionary.
01:52Yes, Susie Dent alongside, well, I suppose the odd job to your Bond.
01:56It's the snooker legend that is John Virgo.
02:01It's been great to have you here, John.
02:03And we've been privileged to see the rise of Fran Orford.
02:06Three wins, two centuries in the bag.
02:09And we're all at roughly the same age, champion, challenger and myself.
02:13And we were talking before we came on air.
02:15We love our indie music, so tell me about that.
02:17Myself and my husband, Rob, go to a lot of live gigs.
02:20So we've seen, like, the Kaiser Chiefs, Cortina's one of my favourite local bands,
02:24Elbow, loads of some great bands, Muse, Keane, loads of them.
02:30Yeah, so we love going.
02:31Barry Wood is your challenger.
02:33And again, we're all the same era, mate, so what about your choices?
02:36Similar to Fran, I think, Colin, maybe to add to that list.
02:40I've been lucky enough to see James and Pulp this year.
02:43And absolutely fantastic.
02:44It's a great era for music.
02:46It is different, though, now we're all in a sort of mid-ish 40s.
02:49I do sort of have to plan better.
02:52I don't think I could do a three-day festival, Barry, any more.
02:55You and me both.
02:56Know what I mean?
02:57Well, let's do it together.
02:58I don't know about a happy Mondays, but a happy Thursday for one of you.
03:01Good luck, Fran and Barry.
03:06Right, what's the story, Fran?
03:08Hi, Rachel.
03:08Hi, Fran.
03:09Can I have a consonant, please?
03:11Start today with R.
03:13And another.
03:15M.
03:17And a third.
03:19R.
03:20And another, please.
03:22Q.
03:23A vowel, please.
03:25O.
03:26Another vowel.
03:28I.
03:29Another vowel.
03:30E.
03:34Another vowel.
03:36U.
03:38And a final...
03:40Consonant, please.
03:44Final G.
03:45At home and in the studio, let's play Countdown.
03:48We are pouvoir altruism.
04:02Nunez.
04:04We're pouvoir altruism.
04:06And another receiver.
04:06And another.
04:08We'll can do it together.
04:12You want the unlimited benefit?
04:14Time's up, Fran.
04:20Five.
04:21Yeah, typical first round, Barry.
04:23Six.
04:23A six, what's the five, Fran?
04:25Grime.
04:26Grime it is, and Barry?
04:28Morg.
04:29Morg!
04:30Yes, well spotted.
04:31Well, that is a miserable start to the show.
04:34Grime and Morg.
04:36What about you, John, can you add to that?
04:38No, that was it.
04:39Morg.
04:40Well done, Barry.
04:42Yeah, that's very good.
04:43We have a nice choir for five, not the choir that Fran sings in, but Q-U-I-R-E, which
04:48is paper folded in medieval manuscripts, particularly.
04:51And she loves the old words, and I'm surprised she didn't go with that.
04:54Thank you, Susie.
04:55Barry, you're choosing these letters.
04:58Hello, Rachel.
04:58Hi, Barry.
04:59A consonant, please.
05:01H.
05:03And another one.
05:05C.
05:06A vowel, please.
05:08A.
05:10A consonant.
05:10D.
05:13A vowel.
05:15O.
05:17A consonant.
05:19B.
05:21A vowel.
05:23E.
05:26A consonant.
05:27M.
05:29And another consonant, please.
05:32And a final F.
05:3430 seconds.
05:35A Hai.
05:36Tofu.
05:38jemandem.
05:39This dude,
05:39which is going to be,
05:40a genissance.
05:40With a rainbow.
05:41A bow.
05:41Instead, you need to be able to use it as soon as soon as possible.
05:43A pocket.
05:44If you get ready.
05:46Be do believe.
05:48That's nice.
06:03Tofu.
06:03How many, Barry?
06:08A risk of seven.
06:09And Fran?
06:09Seven.
06:10Yeah, what are you risking, Barry?
06:12Chomped.
06:14Chomped with the O.
06:16And Fran?
06:16Poached.
06:18Chomped will be absolutely fine, surely, Suze?
06:21Absolutely, it's just a synonym for champ.
06:23Yeah.
06:23Yeah, chomped at the bit.
06:24Nice.
06:25Seven points each.
06:26Anything else, Mr Virgo?
06:28Well, there was a mophead.
06:30That's a good seven as well.
06:31That's a good seven, isn't it?
06:33Yeah, thick, unruly set of hair.
06:36And there's also Pochard, which is a rough sketch, hastily drawn sketch.
06:40All right, lovely.
06:40First numbers round of the day, Fran.
06:43Can we have two large, please?
06:44You can, indeed.
06:45Two large, four not large, and the small ones to start are six, three, two and eight,
06:54and the large two, 50 and 25, and the target to reach, 212.
07:002-1-2, numbers up.
07:032-1-2, Fran.
07:332-1-2.
07:34Yeah, and Barry?
07:352-1-2.
07:36Yes, nice and easy start to the numbers today.
07:38Off you go, Fran.
07:3925 times eight.
07:41200.
07:426 times two is 12.
07:44That's all there is to it.
07:45Lovely.
07:46Nice.
07:47Do you go the same way, Barry?
07:48Same way.
07:50Yeah, great.
07:50Look at that.
07:51Well done.
07:54OK, first Tea Time teaser this Thursday afternoon.
07:57Speeds In.
07:59Speeds In.
08:00Distribute small change in a Norfolk town.
08:03Distribute small change in a Norfolk town.
08:05Welcome back.
08:21Distribute small change in a Norfolk town.
08:24Took Susie and I at most of the break to work this one out, but we got it.
08:28Dis is the Norfolk town.
08:29Pence, of course, is the money.
08:31Dispense was the answer.
08:32All bets are off here.
08:3423 for a challenger, Barry.
08:3617 for a champion, Fran.
08:38And Barry, you're choosing.
08:40A consonant, please, Rachel.
08:42Thank you, Barry.
08:43R.
08:45Another one.
08:47S.
08:48And another one.
08:50T.
08:51A vowel, please.
08:53A.
08:54Another vowel.
08:55O.
08:57A consonant.
08:59L.
08:59A vowel.
09:02E.
09:04A consonant.
09:06W.
09:08And another consonant, please.
09:11Lastly, D.
09:13Thanks, Rich.
09:13For longer, I'll be right back.
09:38That's time, Barry. Speak to me.
09:46Seven.
09:47A seven for you and Fran.
09:48Seven.
09:49There you go. Battle of the heavyweights today.
09:50Barry, what's the word?
09:52Wastrel.
09:53Well, he's taking you on at your own game with Wastrel, Fran.
09:59Oh, it was roasted.
10:01Roasted and Wastrel.
10:02A wee bit of deja vu, Susie.
10:04It certainly was, yes.
10:06John, how did you get on?
10:07We have an eight.
10:09Leotards.
10:10Yeah.
10:11But, Susie, you know, has a nine.
10:14Always.
10:14Not always.
10:16But, yes, lead worts are in there.
10:19And they are evergreen flowering shrubs.
10:21You'll find them in warm regions or in a greenhouse in this country.
10:24Nice.
10:25APPLAUSE
10:26Right, six points.
10:28Still the gap.
10:30And, Fran, you're choosing.
10:31A consonant, please.
10:32Thank you, Fran.
10:34R.
10:35And another.
10:35T.
10:38And a third.
10:40D.
10:42Vowel, please.
10:44A.
10:45Another vowel.
10:46U.
10:48Another vowel.
10:49I.
10:51And a fourth.
10:53E.
10:54A consonant.
10:56S.
10:57A final vowel, please.
10:59A final I.
11:02Start the clock.
11:02A consonant.
11:03A consonant.
11:04A consonant.
11:04A consonant.
11:05A consonant.
11:05A consonant.
11:05A consonant.
11:06A consonant.
11:06A consonant.
11:07A consonant.
11:07A consonant.
11:07A consonant.
11:08A consonant.
11:08A consonant.
11:08A consonant.
11:08A consonant.
11:09A consonant.
11:09A consonant.
11:09A consonant.
11:09A consonant.
11:09A consonant.
11:10A consonant.
11:10A consonant.
11:10A consonant.
11:11A consonant.
11:11A consonant.
11:11A consonant.
11:12A consonant.
11:12A consonant.
11:12A consonant.
11:13A consonant.
11:13A consonant.
11:13A consonant.
11:14A consonant.
11:14A consonant.
11:15A consonant.
11:16A consonant.
11:16A consonant.
11:17A consonant.
11:17A consonant.
11:18A consonant.
11:18A consonant.
11:19A consonant.
11:20A consonant.
11:21How do you get on, Fran?
11:35Seven, I think.
11:36OK, and Barry?
11:37Seven.
11:38Seven. He knows. What do you think?
11:40Studier.
11:41A studier? It's got to be OK, Barry.
11:45Dairies.
11:46And Dairies is definitely OK.
11:47I think studier, we just don't say it.
11:49But somebody who studies should be a studier.
11:53Yes, a student, I think, is what we would say more often than not.
11:57But studier is in the dictionary.
11:59Someone dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
12:01Nice.
12:01Yeah.
12:02Nice. Well done. Well done there.
12:04John Virgo, are you keeping up there?
12:06Yeah, just about.
12:08We came up with the seven.
12:09Diarist.
12:10Yes, diarist.
12:11Yes.
12:12Nice, is there.
12:13Tyrades.
12:13Tyrades also.
12:14Another nice one in there as well.
12:16Lovely.
12:16Second numbers round.
12:17Barry, you're choosing.
12:18Off you go, my friend.
12:19I can have one from the top, please, Rachel.
12:22You can.
12:22Any other five?
12:23No gambles just yet.
12:26The plain old-fashioned one large and the five smalls are one.
12:29One.
12:31Seven.
12:32Eight.
12:33And five and the large one, 100.
12:36And the target, 383.
12:39Three, eight, three.
12:40Numbers up.
12:41You can do it.
13:103-8-3 the target, Barry?
13:143-8-4.
13:15One away, Fran?
13:163-8-8.
13:183-8-8.
13:19So that puts you 5 away, Barry, for seven points.
13:225 take away, 1 is 4.
13:245 take 1, 4.
13:26Times 100 is 400.
13:29Yep.
13:308 plus 7 plus the other one is 16.
13:34And subtract to give 3-8-4.
13:353-8-4, one away, yep.
13:37That'll do it.
13:383-8-3, Rachel Riley, how are you getting on?
13:40You'll have to leave it with me.
13:42It was a strange old one.
13:43It was a strange old one, wasn't it?
13:45I'll leave it with you.
13:463-8-3.
13:48OK.
13:49Good start, Barry.
13:51Happy days.
13:51Look, you've got a 13-point lead against a really good champion.
13:54Long way to go and time to break and have a chat with John Virgo.
13:59It's funny when we talk about snooker, the names that come out straight away.
14:02Ray Rairdon's name is right at the top of the list, on and off the table.
14:06And his wisdom has been passed down to the greats of today as well.
14:10Should we talk a bit about Ray?
14:12Ray Rairdon.
14:12Well, he was 90 this year, you know.
14:14Yeah.
14:1590 he was.
14:16And he always come out with great lines, Ray.
14:19Whether it be true, whether it be false or not, I don't know.
14:21And he told the story he was playing golf this day and this guy saw him and went,
14:26oh, you're Ray Rairdon, six-times champion of the world.
14:30He said, tell me something I've always wanted to ask.
14:33What do you think is the main difference between golf and snooker?
14:38To which Ray replied, well, he said, I've been playing snooker 50 years.
14:43Never lost a ball.
14:44And that was Ray.
14:47That's a classic Ray Rairdon, yeah.
14:49There are very big similarities, though, in terms of temperament.
14:53Golf, snooker, and I put darts on the list.
14:56Because at times, even if you just play for fun, it can seem so easy.
15:01And at other times, it feels like the most impossible sport in the world.
15:04Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:05Isn't it a bizarre old sport?
15:07Well, I think that was the great thing about Stephen Hendry, and I think that was his success.
15:12I've never known anyone with a temperament quite like Stephen.
15:16You know, even though we may say Ronnie O's always the most natural and everything else.
15:21But, you know, if you had your last pound on somebody, you'd probably have it on Stephen Hendry.
15:27Because, as I say, his temperament was second to none.
15:30Just unbelievable.
15:32And if you did have a last pound, you wouldn't give it to Jimmy White to look after.
15:35You should add that in as well.
15:37Love you, Jimmy, if you're watching.
15:39Thank you very much, John.
15:43PJ Marching, Jimmy White and Dixon Recorder.
15:45Maybe we'll make the call and do it one day.
15:48Get him on!
15:49I'm not sure we'd survive.
15:51No.
15:52Let's change the subject.
15:53Did you get 383?
15:54I did.
15:56If you say 100 plus 8, 108, times that by 7 for 756, 1 plus 1 is 2.
16:05Divide it for 378 and you have a 5 left over to add on.
16:094383.
16:10Brilliant.
16:14Fran, a little bit of work to do.
16:16Let's get down to it.
16:17A consonant, please, Rachel.
16:19Thank you, Fran.
16:19N.
16:20And another.
16:22B.
16:24And a third.
16:25L.
16:27A vowel, please.
16:29O.
16:30Another vowel.
16:31A.
16:32And another.
16:34E.
16:36Consonant, please.
16:38P.
16:40Consonant.
16:42M.
16:43Er, final consonant.
16:46Final D.
16:48Half a minute.
16:49Half a minute.
16:49Half a minute.
16:49Half a minute.
16:49Half a minute.
16:49Half a minute.
16:50Half a minute.
16:50Half a minute.
16:51Half a minute.
16:52Half a minute.
16:53Half a minute.
16:54Half a minute.
16:55Half a minute.
16:56Half a minute.
16:57Half a minute.
16:58Half a minute.
16:59Half a minute.
17:00Half a minute.
17:01Half a minute.
17:02Half a minute.
17:03Half a minute.
17:04Half a minute.
17:06Half a minute.
17:07Half a minute.
17:08Half a minute.
17:09Half a minute.
17:10Half a minute.
17:12Half a minute.
17:13Half a minute.
17:14Half a minute.
17:15Half a minute.
17:16Half a minute.
17:17Half a minute.
17:17Half a minute.
17:17FRAN?
17:20Ooh, risky seven.
17:22She's already feeling the pressure, Barry. What have you got?
17:25Six. See, you're not risking anything.
17:27You've got a lead. What's the six?
17:29Lund. Throw that caution to the wind, Fran.
17:32Plumbed, with an O. P-L-O-M-B-E-D.
17:35Ah, like lead, in some sense.
17:38Yeah, I don't think it is. No, unfortunately not there.
17:42Erm, plumb, without the D at the end, which is from surgery.
17:46Erm, but, no, not there, sorry.
17:49You said that with close to zero conviction.
17:52LAUGHTER
17:55John Virgo, how did you do with those letters?
17:57Well, we were struggling. We had sixes, blonde, doable,
18:01and then a seven came out. Abdomen.
18:04Abdomen. Yes.
18:06Very good indeed. Stomach that.
18:08HE LAUGHS
18:09You beat me to it.
18:11At 50-31, Barry's safety first.
18:14Got him an extra six points in your choosing these letters.
18:17A consonant, please.
18:19Thank you, Barry.
18:20N.
18:21And another one, please.
18:23T.
18:24And a vowel.
18:26A.
18:27Another vowel.
18:29E.
18:30A consonant.
18:31R.
18:32A consonant.
18:33G.
18:34Another consonant.
18:35S.
18:36A vowel.
18:38O.
18:39And another vowel.
18:40And lastly, A.
18:42Here we go.
18:52The words of Thin Satiouf Brought get out of there.
18:57When no order is that you're Esca Pritcher,
18:59the words are that you need to be heard.
19:01It does not seem to prove you because you're aﹿ
19:03only in communication.
19:06The rabies have cleared up.
19:07I will know that it is blood-hamphet Iagem.
19:08They don't seem to have additional messages.
19:09It is игры in school or what happens.
19:11The students have been turned on awayaghetti.
19:12No activity or anything, it is void byه.
19:13After all these things, it is going warm.
19:15How did you get on, Barry?
19:24Seven.
19:25And how did you get on, Fran?
19:26Seven.
19:26Very good.
19:27No risks here at all.
19:28Barry?
19:29Strange.
19:30And Fran?
19:31Treason.
19:33Treason.
19:33Very good.
19:34Nice.
19:34Yep, I know.
19:36Seven, seven, sevens.
19:38Anything, John?
19:39Eight.
19:40Ragstone.
19:42A ragstone?
19:43A ragstone.
19:44I've heard of a...
19:45A rhinestone?
19:46Not a ragstone.
19:47What have we got?
19:48It's hard, kind of sedimentary rock that can be broken up into slabs,
19:52presumably used for paving balls, that kind of thing.
19:55OK, numbers round now.
19:56Third time around the block on this.
19:58So, Fran, it's on you.
20:00Time to gamble, I think.
20:01Six more.
20:02Yes.
20:02Four.
20:03Always time to gamble.
20:05Let's get these points on the board.
20:08Six little ones, the possible challenge.
20:10We have nine, seven, three,
20:12ten, three and two.
20:16And the target you need to reach, very small, one, seven, six.
20:20One, seven, six.
20:21Numbers up.
20:21Come on up.
20:23Let's get started now.
20:24Let's do it.
20:26Thank you very much.
20:27Thanks, Tom.
20:28Bye-bye.
20:31Thanks, Tom.
20:31Bye-bye.
20:32Have a nice day.
20:32See you next time.
20:33Bye-bye.
20:34Bye-bye.
20:35Have a nice day.
20:36Bye-bye.
20:39Bye-bye.
20:41Bye-bye.
20:42Bye-bye.
20:44Bye-bye.
20:47Bye-bye.
20:47Bye-bye.
20:49Bye-bye.
20:49Bye-bye.
20:50And that is time.
20:54One, seven, six, Fran.
20:55One, seven, eight.
20:57Ooh! Two away, Barry.
20:58One, seven, three.
21:00Oh, my goodness! Three away!
21:02Seven points, Fran.
21:03Nine plus seven is 16.
21:05Yeah.
21:06Times ten.
21:07Times ten, 116.
21:09And then the three times a three times a two
21:12gives you 18 and add it on.
21:14Yeah.
21:16Two above. Some points.
21:18My goodness me.
21:18Right, one, seven, six, no worries, Rach.
21:21Well, you remember when the outside ones add to the inside one?
21:23Yeah.
21:24It's a little by?
21:25Seven.
21:26Eleven!
21:26Yes, yes, eleven.
21:28Do you know what?
21:29I did get it.
21:30I just don't know what you mean by that.
21:32Nine plus two is 11.
21:34Ten plus three plus three is 16.
21:38And 16 times 11, one, seven, six.
21:39Well done.
21:41That's the mathematician's way of doing that.
21:44I did the two multiplied by the nine by the ten
21:46and then you had the seven and the three.
21:48There you go.
21:48Ten points each.
21:50Right.
21:51Second Tea Town teaser of the day for you.
21:53And I'm going to spell this out for our VIP viewers,
21:56as I like to call them, our visually impaired viewers.
21:59It's Scent Die.
22:00So the scent is S-C-E-N-T
22:03and the die is D-Y-E.
22:06Scent Die.
22:07He practically demanded that I look at a sore eye.
22:10He practically demanded that I look at a sore eye.
22:13Well, Tabaki practically demanded that I look at a sore eye
22:32and I insist, Susie, that you tell me the meaning of insisted with a Y.
22:36Yeah, clever clue, but you don't want this.
22:38To insist is to become enclosed in a cyst.
22:41I don't want that anywhere near you, Rye.
22:42Thank you very much.
22:4357-45.
22:45Fran Claude back seven points just before the break
22:49on a fairly inconsistent numbers round.
22:51Six rounds to go, Barry.
22:53Back to the letters.
22:54Constance, please.
22:56Thank you, Barry.
22:57W.
22:58And another one.
23:00N.
23:01And another one.
23:04X.
23:06And another one.
23:08R.
23:09A vowel.
23:11E.
23:12Another vowel.
23:13I.
23:14Consonant.
23:16S.
23:18A vowel.
23:20A.
23:22And a consonant, please.
23:24Lastly, N.
23:25And let us play.
23:26All right.
23:53All right.
23:55That is time, Barry.
23:59Seven.
24:00And Fran.
24:01Just a six.
24:02The six is?
24:03Answer.
24:03What have you spotted, Barry?
24:05Winners.
24:06Winners.
24:06Well done.
24:07Yeah, that's brilliant.
24:08Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
24:10Winners.
24:11Very good.
24:12Seven.
24:13John?
24:13That's the best we could do.
24:14Very good indeed.
24:15Well done, Barry.
24:16Nice one.
24:1619 points, the gap.
24:18It's back to 19.
24:20So, Fran, let's try and climb that mountain again.
24:23Consonant, please, Rachel.
24:25Thank you, Fran.
24:26K.
24:27And another.
24:29P.
24:30And another.
24:32N.
24:34A vowel.
24:35O.
24:36Another vowel.
24:38E.
24:39And another.
24:41I.
24:43A consonant.
24:45D.
24:46Another.
24:49T.
24:51And the final vowel.
24:53A final E.
24:57Kind of.
24:58Okay.
24:58And this.
24:58They're all too.
24:59I'm going to talk to them today.
24:59They're all too.
25:04They're all too much left.
25:05And finally, they're all…
25:07Fran?
25:29Seven.
25:30Barry?
25:31Seven.
25:32What have we got, Fran?
25:33Pointed.
25:34He is.
25:34Barry?
25:35Also pointed.
25:36Yes, thought so, Barry.
25:37Let's just have a quick look.
25:39Wonderful.
25:40Yeah, they weren't going to miss Pointed from those letters,
25:42but did they miss anything else, John?
25:44Well, not really.
25:45I think seven was the best, apart from Epidote.
25:49Epidote.
25:50Another seven.
25:51Epidote, Susie.
25:52Yes.
25:53It is a lustrous yellow-green crystalline mineral.
25:56Nice one.
25:57We'll stick with Pointed.
25:5952 for Fran, 71 for Barry.
26:02So the gap's 18.
26:04Four rounds left in today's programme.
26:06As Susie gives us her origins of words.
26:09Well, I was talking the other day about words that we borrowed from Hollywood,
26:13but we often take idioms from TV programmes,
26:17and not just catchphrases.
26:18I mean, most of us will know about those,
26:20but also tropes,
26:22kind of metaphorical uses of things that refer directly
26:25to what happened in a particular TV show.
26:28So, do you remember Happy Days?
26:30Oh, yes.
26:30Yes, Happy Days, brilliant, with the Fonz.
26:32Maybe a bit too early for Ray.
26:34Oh, you remember the Fonz.
26:35Hey!
26:36He always said, Henry Winkler,
26:38that he said, hey,
26:39because he couldn't remember his lines.
26:41This is pretty effective.
26:43But there is one now quite famous phrase
26:46that came from that
26:47to do with what happens to other TV programmes,
26:49which you will recognise,
26:50and that's jumping the shark.
26:52And, essentially,
26:55the Fonz, in one episode,
26:57jumped over a real shark
27:00while rocking his leather jacket and water skis,
27:02and everyone just thought,
27:03come on, even for the Fonz,
27:04this is just ridiculous.
27:06And, for many viewers,
27:07it kind of signalled the end, really,
27:09of what had been a really critically acclaimed show,
27:12because it was one step too far.
27:13So, jumping the shark is now used in that sense
27:16of a TV programme
27:17that just pushes disbelief just a little bit too far.
27:21Now, the antidote to that,
27:22not the antidote, but the opposite, really,
27:24is growing the beard.
27:25Have you heard of that, this?
27:26I haven't heard of it.
27:27Jumping the shark, but not growing the beard.
27:28OK, when a programme grows the beard,
27:31it does the opposite.
27:31It gets dramatically better.
27:34Ah.
27:34Known amongst TV buffs.
27:36And this comes from a Star Trek,
27:38the next generation series, apparently,
27:41in which Commander William Riker
27:42is clean-shaven throughout the first series,
27:44but in it all season.
27:45In the second,
27:47when the series gets very much better,
27:50he grows a beard.
27:51So, to grow a beard is to actually go,
27:53you know, up into the stratosphere
27:55in terms of quality.
27:56Wonderful.
27:56APPLAUSE
27:57More rounds to go.
28:02Barry, you're choosing these letters.
28:05A consonant, please.
28:06Thank you, Barry.
28:07L.
28:08Another one, please.
28:10S.
28:11And a third.
28:13G.
28:14A vowel, please.
28:16U.
28:17Vowel.
28:18O.
28:19Vowel.
28:20A.
28:22Consonant.
28:23R.
28:25A consonant.
28:26P.
28:27And a vowel.
28:29And finally, E.
28:31Good luck.
28:32Vowel.
28:33Vowel.
28:34Vowel.
28:34Vowel.
28:35Vowel.
28:35Vowel.
28:36Vowel.
28:36Vowel.
28:37Vowel.
28:37Vowel.
28:38Vowel.
28:38Vowel.
28:39Vowel.
28:39Vowel.
28:40Vowel.
28:40Vowel.
28:41Vowel.
28:41Vowel.
28:42Vowel.
28:42Vowel.
28:43Vowel.
28:43Vowel.
28:44Vowel.
28:45Vowel.
28:45Vowel.
28:46Vowel.
28:46Vowel.
28:47Vowel.
28:47Vowel.
28:48Vowel.
28:49Vowel.
28:50Vowel.
28:51Vowel.
28:52Vowel.
28:53Vowel.
28:54Vowel.
28:55Vowel.
29:02Barry?
29:04Seven.
29:06And Fran?
29:06What's the six?
29:07The sixes?
29:08Pearls.
29:09Is the seven in, Barry?
29:11Porridge?
29:12Porridge.
29:13How are you spelling that?
29:15P-O-U-R-A-G-E.
29:17It's a knife edge.
29:18Not there.
29:19I'm afraid.
29:20I'm sorry.
29:22Hey, Fran, every time I think it's curtains,
29:25hey, you pull something out of the bag.
29:29Still going.
29:30John Virgo, how did you get on in that round?
29:32Well, we came up with an eight.
29:35Pergolas.
29:36Pergolas for it.
29:38Three rounds left and Fran's still fighting.
29:41Off you go.
29:42A consonant, please, Rachel.
29:43Thank you, Fran.
29:44T.
29:45And another.
29:47M.
29:48And another.
29:50Y.
29:51And a vowel.
29:53O.
29:54And another.
29:55I.
29:56And another.
29:58E.
29:59Consonant.
30:00T.
30:02T.
30:04Another consonant.
30:06M.
30:09A final consonant.
30:12And a final G.
30:14Last letters.
30:15Inцpus,
30:17Lads.
30:31In holτό.
30:34T.
30:34T.
30:36T.
30:37T.
30:37T.
30:38T.
30:39T.
30:39OK, Fran.
30:47Seven.
30:49Barry.
30:49It's a six.
30:50Yeah, the six.
30:52Toting.
30:53Toting.
30:54And Fran?
30:55Emoting.
30:56It's there.
30:57Well done.
31:01This is getting emotional now, isn't it?
31:03Right.
31:04What did you have, John?
31:05Emoting.
31:05Emoting.
31:06Very good.
31:06Yeah.
31:07Seven.
31:07Top score.
31:08Yeah.
31:09Top score.
31:10Back to six points in it.
31:11You know what that means, but let's not jump the gun.
31:13One final numbers round, Barry.
31:15One from the top, please, Rachel.
31:17OK, you're banking on the crucial conundrum.
31:20Right.
31:20You wanted an easy one five minutes ago, but not so much now.
31:24I don't know.
31:24Let's see.
31:25Final numbers.
31:26Two.
31:27Two.
31:29Five.
31:30Eight.
31:31Four.
31:3275.
31:33Final target of the day.
31:35647.
31:36647.
31:37Last numbers.
31:38individuals.
31:42Whoa.
31:42Mm.
32:01Mm.
32:03Mm.
32:03Mm.
32:04Whoa.
32:04Yeah.
32:05Yeah.
32:05Yeah.
32:06Yeah.
32:066-4-7, the target, Barry.
32:126-4-8.
32:13One away, Fran.
32:156-4-6.
32:17One the other way.
32:19High drama, Barry, you go first.
32:2175 plus 5 is 80.
32:2480.
32:26Times 8 is 6-4-2.
32:28Yep.
32:29Plus the 4, plus the 2, plus the 2.
32:336-4-8, one above.
32:35And one the other way, please, Fran.
32:37The same without adding the extra 2.
32:39Yep, that'll do.
32:41I was within 1-2.
32:426-4-7.
32:44Yes, it was there.
32:45If you say 4 plus 5 is 9, 75 minus 2, 73.
32:51Times those two together for 657, and take away the 8 and the second 2.
32:57Yes.
33:02Well, here we are.
33:03We really bonded at the start of today's show.
33:06We're all roughly the same age.
33:07We all love our guitar music from days gone by and today.
33:11But to my two elbow fans, we welcomed you with open arms,
33:15but one day like this, we have to say goodbye to one of you.
33:19Let's reveal today's crucial countdown conundrum.
33:28Barry.
33:29Watchable?
33:29Is it watchable?
33:32It is watchable!
33:36Barry, I don't think you quite know what you've just done.
33:39Fran is one heck of a champion, and you've managed to beat her today.
33:43Lovely stuff.
33:44You should be so proud.
33:45We'll see you tomorrow, yeah?
33:46Thank you very much.
33:46Good stuff.
33:47Fran, you have been an absolute joy this week.
33:50Such crack on and off as well.
33:52Three wins teapot.
33:53Are you happy?
33:54More than happy.
33:54It's been a brilliant week.
33:56I really enjoyed it.
33:57Thank you, yeah.
33:58John's made it a great atmosphere, mate.
33:59We'll see you tomorrow.
34:00Oh, absolutely.
34:01Good stuff.
34:02And you, Suze.
34:03Of course, yeah.
34:03See you later.
34:03Hey, what show?
34:04And at the top of the show, you said there was no 007 in Dictionary Corner,
34:08but I was expecting John to be 147.
34:10Ah, very good.
34:11Oh, I want to see that.
34:12Let's reinvent James Bond with a snooker player.
34:14You've got Acuda Kill, The Ma'am of the Golden Q, and Thunderball already writes itself.
34:20And for a villain, you've got Jaws of the pocket.
34:23Oh, look at that!
34:25Let's quit while we're ahead.
34:26That's great.
34:27We're getting that commissioned.
34:28Countdown is what we'll be doing tomorrow.
34:30We can't wait to see you here.
34:32You can count on us.
34:34You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:39You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
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