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Broadcast on Friday 27th June 2025.
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00:30Hello, everybody. This is Countdown on Friday, June the 27th, 2025.
00:37Now, 15,557 days ago, for the very first time on British television,
00:44Richard Whiteley introduced a nation to Countdown,
00:47and here we sit today, another series, another final.
00:52It's Series 91.
00:54Now we play, of course, for the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy,
00:58but why is it a question to start the show that all these years later
01:02it feels just as special now as it did then?
01:06Let's introduce the team.
01:08Here for the majority of those days, of course,
01:11is our dawn of the dictionary, Susie Dent,
01:14alongside a man who remembers that very first Countdown.
01:18Well, we've talked about it.
01:19The broadcasting legend that is Whispering Bob Harrison,
01:24standing up for years upon years upon years for Countdown.
01:29Of course, it's our doyenne of the digits, our Rachel Riley.
01:34Wow.
01:35Thank you to everybody who's tuned in this series in increasing numbers.
01:38It's so, so important.
01:40We never take it for granted.
01:41And I'm really excited about today.
01:43What's your thoughts, Rachel, on our finals so far?
01:46I mean, my most memorable moment was a segmented tapeworm.
01:51A segmented tapeworm of Tim's seat here.
01:54I mean, that was the word of the finals, I think, for me so far.
01:57Rhys, of course, is not just handling the individual pressure,
02:02but a little bit of expectation because, you know,
02:04in the last series, Series 90, we had Fiona Wood,
02:07the brilliant Fiona, first female champion since 1998.
02:11Rhys bidding to become the first Welsh champion since 1997.
02:16And there's whispers of that, and we're all talking about that.
02:20But your temperament's brilliant, so forget about all that.
02:23I just want to give a shout-out to someone we haven't mentioned yet,
02:25which is your boss.
02:26Because playing your boss at Countdown
02:30is what really spurred you to apply to be in the show, right?
02:32We were playing, like, during our breaks quite a while back,
02:35and that's probably when I started thinking,
02:38oh, hang on, maybe I could actually get quite good at this.
02:40Well, Tim James is here as the number three seed,
02:44and it was magnificent yesterday.
02:46You were sensational.
02:48So many people to shout-out to.
02:49I mean, we talked about the fact that your brother had been on here.
02:53That's a long-distant memory.
02:55Bragging rights multiplied by 100 now.
02:57But I want to give a wee shout-out to your Nana,
02:59because we were talking about the great history of this show,
03:01and like so many people, it begins in the lap, doesn't it?
03:04Yeah.
03:04And so we'll give your Nana a big shout-out, right?
03:06Yeah, yeah, my Nana, no longer with us now,
03:08but she was the one that got me and my brother into it.
03:12I remember, like, competitiveness,
03:14like, trying to get those tea-time teasers first,
03:16and it was all those years ago in my Nana's front room, yeah.
03:20Best of luck to both of you, Rhys and Tim.
03:22Let's play for the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy.
03:29Rhys, by way of being number one seed,
03:31you'll be in the Champions Chair and picking first.
03:33Hi, Rhys.
03:35Hi, Rhys.
03:36Can I start with a vowel, please?
03:37You can indeed start this final with A.
03:40And a vowel.
03:42E.
03:43Vowel.
03:44I.
03:45Consonant.
03:46D.
03:47Consonant.
03:48L.
03:49Consonant.
03:50N.
03:51Consonant.
03:52M.
03:53Consonant.
03:54S.
03:55And a final vowel, please.
03:57Decent first election and a final O.
03:59What a start at home and in the studio.
04:02Let's play Countdown.
04:17THEY CONFER
04:33Rhys? Eight.
04:35Tim? Eight.
04:37What's the word, Rhys? Salmonid.
04:39And Tim? Domains.
04:41Let's just check them.
04:43Yeah, Salmonid, a fish of the salmon family.
04:45Domains are French vineyards, et cetera.
04:49And I think the eight was probably as far as you could get.
04:54We have another eight, too.
04:55Semolina. Semolina? Semolina.
04:58Yeah, it's something I never want to taste again, mind you know.
05:02I do want more letters, though, Tim. Consonant, please, Rachel.
05:05Thank you, Tim. G.
05:08And another one.
05:10L. And a third.
05:14N. Vowel, please.
05:18A. And another one.
05:20A. And a third.
05:23E. Consonant.
05:27T. Vowel.
05:30A. Another one.
05:34And a final vowel, please.
05:37And a final I.
05:39Seconds out.
05:40Also, you are number one.
05:42expectations of the
06:02Tim.
06:12Seven.
06:13Rhys? Seven.
06:15OK, what have you got there, Tim?
06:17Genital.
06:18And for you, Rhys?
06:19Elating.
06:20Oh.
06:21Two sevens, yes.
06:23Everything's happy in dictionary corner.
06:25The same or better.
06:26Yeah, additionally, we've got gelatin.
06:29Yeah.
06:29Still seven.
06:30So you can spell it without the extra E at the end.
06:32Ah, there you go.
06:33Thanks for clearing that up.
06:34Excellent.
06:35Well, so far, dictionary corner cannot beat Rhys and Tim.
06:39That might be the case the whole way through the Series 91 final.
06:42Will the numbers separate them, though?
06:45As we said, so often the case, Rhys, you're picking.
06:48Can I have six more, please?
06:49You can indeed.
06:50Don't need to ask any more.
06:51Six little ones, your favourite.
06:53First numbers of this final.
06:55Three.
06:56Five.
06:57Four.
06:59One.
07:00Two.
07:01And eight.
07:03And the target.
07:05581.
07:05Five, eight, one.
07:06Numbers up.
07:07Three.
07:07Two.
07:14One.
07:14Two.
07:14One.
07:28Two.
07:29Two.
07:345-8-1, Rhys-Jones.
07:39I just went completely blank.
07:41Yeah, Tim James.
07:42I might have 5-8-4.
07:44Doesn't sound hugely confident, but it would be a big, big moment.
07:48Let's hear 3 away, 5-8-4.
07:504 plus 1 is 5.
07:524 plus 1 is 5.
07:54Times 5.
07:56Times 5, 25.
07:58Times 3.
07:59Times 3, 75.
08:01Take away 2.
08:0273.
08:03And times 8.
08:04And times 8, 5-8-4.
08:07Oh, well done.
08:09I'll give you a round of applause for that, yes.
08:135-8-1 now.
08:14Well, if you say 2 plus 8 is 10,
08:18times that by 3 for 30,
08:20take away 1 for 29,
08:22times that by 4 for 116,
08:25you can times that by 5 for 580,
08:29but this was impossible.
08:30One away is the best you could have done.
08:31Brilliant.
08:31So that is our first big moment of this Series 91 final.
08:38Let's get this tea time teaser out of the way
08:40and get back to it.
08:41Tin house, tin house.
08:43Be much better than the rest at polishing shoes.
08:45Be much better than the rest at polishing shoes.
08:48Welcome back.
09:05Yes, your tea time teaser was out.
09:07Shine, which Tim is doing just ever so slightly at the moment
09:10against Rhys in her final.
09:12Just seven points.
09:13The difference, Tim, you're picking the letters.
09:15Consonant, please, Rachel.
09:16Thank you, Tim.
09:17Thank you, Tim.
09:18R.
09:19And another one.
09:21H.
09:23And a third.
09:24G.
09:26And a vowel.
09:28E.
09:29And another one.
09:31O.
09:32And a third.
09:34U.
09:34And another one.
09:39A.
09:41And a consonant.
09:43T.
09:45And a final consonant, please.
09:48And a final R.
09:50And half a minute.
09:51Song with a lyric.
10:17T.
10:18Tim?
10:23I'll risk an eight.
10:25Rhys? Seven.
10:26Seven is? Outrage.
10:28Tim, is it the right risk at the right time?
10:31I put an R on the end, outrage.
10:33No, I just checked that and no R at the end.
10:37You can't be an outrage, I'm sorry.
10:3922 points apiece now, all even.
10:41Dictionary Corner, was there something worth risking?
10:44There was. There's an eight in there.
10:47And it's troffer.
10:49A troffer?
10:50Yeah, this is the one I thought Tim was going to go for.
10:52Yeah, somebody who eats heartily or greedily.
10:54Like the snout in the trough, yes.
10:57Which, Rhys, you were metaphorically there.
10:59Seven points, snuffled up, and you're picking these letters.
11:03Can I have a vowel, please?
11:05Thank you, Rhys. E.
11:07Vowel? O.
11:09Vowel? E.
11:11Consonant?
11:13J.
11:14Consonant?
11:16D.
11:17Consonant?
11:18N.
11:19Consonant?
11:20S.
11:21Consonant?
11:23T.
11:24And a final consonant, please.
11:26And a final W.
11:28Here we go.
11:29And a final consonant, please.
11:42MUSIC PLAYS
11:59Reece, how many?
12:01Seven. And Tim?
12:02Seven as well. OK, matching each other, Reece.
12:05Jonzed. Jonzed.
12:07And for you, Tim? Denotes.
12:09And denotes. Yep. Jonzed.
12:11Both in the dictionary. To Jones for something is to be addicted to it.
12:15Actually, it comes from Jones Alley in Manhattan in the 60s
12:18that was associated with drugs.
12:20Yes. What about you?
12:22Yep. Denotes for seven. So, yes.
12:25Just keep it up there. We love it.
12:2729 points apiece. Back to those numbers.
12:31Let's see if that shakes it up yet again.
12:33Tim, we know that Reece likes six small, but what are you going to do?
12:36I'm going to go one large.
12:38OK. Interesting gameplay.
12:40I wonder if you will live to regret that or if you will look like a genius.
12:43Five little ones are seven, two, four, three and nine.
12:50And the large one, 100.
12:52And the target, 931.
12:549-3-1. Numbers up.
12:55We're going to go one large.
13:11We're going to go to the next level.
13:11We'll see you next time.
13:139-3-1, Tim.
13:28Yeah, 9-3-1. Yes, and Rhys? 9-3-1.
13:31Child's play for both here. Off you go, Tim.
13:33100 plus 4. 104.
13:36Times 9. 936.
13:39And then 7 minus 2 for the 5 to take away.
13:41Yeah, plenty of ways for this one. That's one of them.
13:44Rhys, is that the same way or the next way?
13:45I did the other way. 100 plus 3.
13:48103. Times 9.
13:51927. Plus 4.
13:53Yeah, and plenty more besides. Well done.
13:55Good stuff for them.
13:58An easy 10-point seats, 39 points apiece,
14:01as we get our last story of the week and of the series, of course,
14:04with Whisper and Bob Harris.
14:06We know it's going to be musical.
14:07We know you're going to take us somewhere.
14:09There's always a journey, isn't there?
14:10It's never like someone popped round my house.
14:13So where are we going?
14:14To the O2 Arena in London
14:17for the Country to Country Festival.
14:21Last year, I co-hosted with a wonderful American artist
14:25called Alana Springsteen.
14:28And the concert's finished.
14:30We're now... It's 10.30, quarter to 11.
14:32And a wonderful current American artist called Jackson Dean
14:39put his head round the corner and said to me,
14:41I hear that you want to get a tattoo.
14:44I said, how did you... He said, your daughter told me.
14:47I said, well, yeah, I do.
14:49He said, well, why don't we go down to the tattoo parlour?
14:53There was a backstage tattoo parlour.
14:55So we went in, and Jackson's got a lot of tattoos.
14:59He said, what would you like?
15:00And I said, well, I want the word, if I'm going to have one,
15:04the word skylight,
15:06which has a sort of symbolic meaning for me,
15:08because years ago,
15:10I did an interview with Mike Oldfield
15:12at his studio at his house.
15:15It was at the bottom of the garden, a bit like mine.
15:17And we went in there.
15:19It was a horrible day.
15:20And he had the skylight open.
15:23And I was worried that the rain was going to get in
15:26and damage the equipment or whatever.
15:28So I said to him,
15:29do you think we should close the skylight
15:32before we start the interview?
15:34He said, I couldn't possibly do that.
15:36And I said, why not?
15:37He said, well, because that's where the ideas come in.
15:40Ah.
15:41And I thought, this is such a nice idea.
15:43It's the whole universe flowing through things.
15:45However...
15:47Oh, here we go.
15:48It started quite well
15:49and then went completely off the rails.
15:51So it actually looks as if I've been stapled.
15:55But this is very symbolic to me
15:57of that whole thing of letting the universe in,
15:59letting the ideas in.
16:01So this year, I got another tattoo.
16:04And this one says C2C.
16:06Nice.
16:06This is my...
16:07By the time I'm not 100, I'll have a sleeve.
16:13OK.
16:13Oh, my goodness.
16:14Let's get back on track.
16:1639 points each.
16:18Our final of series, 91.
16:20Reece against Tim.
16:22Quite easy, really,
16:24because we've just got equally goodwill to both.
16:26Let's get back to it, Reece.
16:27You're picking.
16:28Can I have a vowel, please?
16:29Thank you, Reece.
16:31O.
16:32Vowel.
16:33E.
16:34Vowel.
16:35U.
16:36Consonant.
16:38R.
16:39Consonant.
16:41C.
16:41B.
16:42Consonant.
16:43B.
16:44Consonant.
16:45N.
16:46Vowel.
16:49A.
16:50And a consonant, please.
16:51And lastly, T.
16:54Start the clock.
16:55T.
16:56T.
16:57T.
16:58T.
16:59T.
17:00T.
17:01T.
17:02T.
17:03T.
17:04T.
17:05T.
17:06T.
17:07T.
17:08T.
17:09T.
17:10T.
17:11T.
17:12T.
17:13T.
17:14T.
17:15T.
17:16T.
17:17T.
17:18T.
17:19T.
17:20Rhys?
17:26Eight.
17:27And for you, Tim?
17:29Eight as well.
17:29Very good. Rhys?
17:31Courant.
17:32And for you, Tim?
17:33Same word. Courant.
17:36Yep. Sensational. Susie?
17:38Absolutely brilliant. 16th century court dance,
17:40short advances and retreats.
17:42I think you'll find them in Bridgeton, probably.
17:45And you'll be leading us all a merry dance
17:46if you tell us you've got anything else.
17:48Is that it?
17:49No, that's it.
17:50Yeah.
17:5047 points each.
17:53So let's do it. More letters.
17:54Consonant, please, Rachel.
17:56Thank you, Tim.
17:56F.
17:58And another one.
17:59D.
18:01And a third.
18:03V.
18:04And a vowel.
18:06E.
18:07And another one.
18:08A.
18:09And another one.
18:11U.
18:13Another one, please.
18:15A.
18:17Consonant.
18:18P.
18:19And I'll have a final consonant, please.
18:23A final G.
18:25Kite down.
18:26A one.
18:27A.
18:40A half.
18:44A half.
18:46A darling's.
18:49Alaughs
18:50A out.
18:51A half.
18:51A half.
18:53A half.
18:54Tim.
18:57A six.
18:59Rhys.
19:00I'll stick...
19:01No, I'll risk a six.
19:02Tim.
19:03Vagued.
19:05Looks like the same word.
19:06That is my risky six, yeah.
19:07There you go.
19:08So either we've just added risk to you or taken the risk away from Rhys.
19:12Either way, you're both in the same boat, so let's sail on over to Dixery Corner.
19:16Vagued would be fine, but not vagued, I'm afraid.
19:20What about you there, Bob?
19:21Fives, that's it, really.
19:22Fudge.
19:23Fudge.
19:24Guava.
19:25Yeah.
19:25Agape, yeah, that kind of thing.
19:27Yes, guava fudge does not sound tasty at all, right.
19:31Nice, 47 points each.
19:33We are still locked together as we move back to those numbers,
19:37so I think we know what's coming, Rhys.
19:39Six more, please.
19:40Six more, you're not going with any one large.
19:42Pedal to the metal with the tricky ones.
19:44Let's see what we have here.
19:46Your numbers are six, eight, four, two, ten, and ten, all the evens,
19:52and the target, 614.
19:55Six, one, four.
19:57Numbers up.
19:57freak to the metal with the metal.
19:58Ciao.
19:58One.
19:59Bye.
19:59Time for me.
20:00Two.
20:01Two.
20:01One.
20:02Two.
20:02Two.
20:03Three.
20:10Three.
20:11Two.
20:12One.
20:13Two.
20:13Three.
20:15Two.
20:16Two.
20:16Two.
20:17Two.
20:18Inactivity is the word I'd use for both Rhys and Tim
20:30for about 27 seconds. Rhys?
20:32614. Yeah, Tim. 614. Off you go, Rhys.
20:3510 times 10 is 100. 100. Times 6.
20:38600. Plus 8, plus 4, plus 2.
20:40And of the others, not the trickiest of six smalls.
20:44Tim. Exactly the same way.
20:46Look at this. Yes.
20:48APPLAUSE
20:48Toss a coin, draw lots, do whatever you have to do
20:55to decide who's going to win Series 9.
20:57You want to count down, but believe me, right now,
21:00we are just guessing.
21:02The last part of the series, up next, after this, war debts.
21:06War debts is your tea-time teaser.
21:08This plant used to put up with all your lies.
21:11This plant used to put up with all your lies.
21:14Hello again.
21:31Bed Straw is your final tea-time teaser of Series 91.
21:35And get ready for maybe the most stupid question of the entire series.
21:38Susie, pray tell, is Bed Straw different than Regulation Straw?
21:43Yes, and I told you I'd be learning something today.
21:46Bed Straw, a herbaceous plant, formerly used for stuffing mattresses.
21:49Yes, come on, it is. Great, great stuff.
21:52All right, six rounds to go.
21:54Tim, you're choosing these letters.
21:56Consonant, please, Rachel.
21:57Thank you, Tim.
21:59N.
21:59Another one.
22:01B.
22:02And a third.
22:04M.
22:06And a vowel.
22:08I.
22:09And another one.
22:11A.
22:12And a third.
22:13O.
22:15And a fourth.
22:17I.
22:19And a consonant.
22:21R.
22:21Can I go for a vinyl vowel, please?
22:26Final E.
22:27Good luck.
22:28MUSIC PLAYS
22:30TEMPES
22:39TEMPES
22:41TEMPES
22:42TEMPES
22:43TEMPES
22:55TEMPES
22:56TEMPES
22:57TEMPES
22:58TEMPES
22:59TEMPES
22:59TEMPES
22:59TEMPES
22:59TEMPES
23:00TEMPES
23:00TEMPES
23:01TEMPES
23:01TEMPES
23:01TEMPES
23:01TEMPES
23:02TEMPES
23:02Off you go, TEMPES
23:03Bromine.
23:05It's passing over.
23:07Bromine.
23:0864 points each.
23:10Dictionary corner.
23:11Mini bar.
23:11It's probably what we all need right now.
23:15Just for seven.
23:16Let's do it again.
23:1764 points each.
23:18More letters.
23:19Reece.
23:20Can I have a vowel, please?
23:21Thank you, Reece.
23:22E.
23:23Vowel.
23:25U.
23:25Vowel.
23:26O.
23:27Consonant.
23:29D.
23:30Consonant.
23:31T.
23:32Consonant.
23:33L.
23:34Consonant.
23:36R.
23:37Consonant.
23:38N.
23:39And a final vowel, please.
23:40And a final A.
23:43Countdown.
23:45Description by CastingWords
24:15Rhys. Nine. Tim.
24:17I'll have to go for a nine, then. Bullthrit and Dine?
24:20Yeah. Rhys, a maximum in the final.
24:23Outlander. Tim.
24:26That's the word I've got. Oh! Yep.
24:29Susie. It's in the dictionary. A foreigner or stranger.
24:33Well done.
24:34APPLAUSE
24:3682 points each. Four rounds to go after Origins Awards.
24:41Well, an appropriate one today, I think, from Jenny Pape,
24:45who was emailed to ask about down to the wire,
24:48which is wondering where this phrase comes from.
24:50I cannot, she writes, think of any occasion
24:52where the wire is the end point.
24:55Well, there are lots and lots of expressions in English
24:57which do have very literal beginnings, and I talk about them a lot.
25:01We talk about the deadline, which was a line around a prison,
25:04beyond which prisoners could not go.
25:05We talk about being up to scratch,
25:07and a scratch was a starting line for competitors
25:10in many sporting matches.
25:12And the wire, similarly, was an actual physical barrier.
25:15So it's a standard feature of sports commentary,
25:18and for a reason, because that's where it began.
25:20In the 1800s, horse racing in the US involved a wire
25:25that was above the starting line to avoid false starts.
25:29It enabled them to sort of see precisely
25:31if a horse's neck went beyond it,
25:34as well as the finishing line,
25:35where the officials could determine the winner.
25:37And so, a closely-fought race where the horses were neck and neck,
25:43which, of course, is another expression from racing,
25:45was said to go down to or under the wire.
25:48And then, when cameras started to be used,
25:50that wire became a notional one.
25:52But to this day, if something is down to the wire,
25:55it is a nail-biting finish.
25:56Wonderful.
25:57APPLAUSE
25:59Good luck to Tim and Rhys.
26:00Four rounds to go, two letters rounds left.
26:03And, Tim, you're picking the first one.
26:05A consonant, please, Rachel.
26:07Thank you, Tim.
26:08V.
26:09And another one.
26:11H.
26:12And a third.
26:14S.
26:15And a vowel.
26:16Retro.
26:17E.
26:18And another one.
26:20G.
26:22And a final vowel, please.
26:36Final I.
26:3830 seconds.
26:3930 seconds.
26:4030 seconds.
27:08E.
27:10Tim.
27:11Seven.
27:12Rhys.
27:13Seven.
27:1410.
27:14Egotise.
27:16Rhys.
27:17Egotise.
27:1889 points each.
27:19Dictionary Corner.
27:21That's brilliant.
27:22To make something all about you, it's your ego-tise.
27:24Egotise.
27:25Yes.
27:25Eight for six.
27:26And we're still waiting on one of these two to ego-tise this final.
27:30Equally about you both, 89 points each.
27:33Last letters round, Rhys Jones.
27:35Can I have a vowel, please?
27:36Thank you, Rhys.
27:37E.
27:38And a vowel.
27:39U.
27:40Vowel.
27:41I.
27:42Consonant.
27:43W.
27:44Consonant.
27:45R.
27:46Consonant.
27:47F.
27:48Consonant.
27:49L.
27:50Consonant.
27:52D.
27:53And a final vowel, please.
27:55And the last one, A.
27:58Last letters.
27:59R.
28:09A.
28:11A.
28:13A.
28:13For the name is the first one.
28:14MUSIC PLAYS
28:30Rhys. Seven.
28:32Tim. I'm going to risk an eight. Rhys.
28:35Failure.
28:36What a seven to get, if that's the successful word.
28:40Tim. Warfield.
28:43Oh, no. Not there.
28:47Oh, absolutely see why he went for it.
28:49But not in, I'm afraid.
28:5196.89.
28:53And here we go, because Tim, of course,
28:56who's now just a shade behind, is in charge of the last numbers.
29:00When you're playing Rhys Jones, that is so, so important.
29:04Tim, four large, please.
29:07Here we go. Four large.
29:10This is your moment.
29:11It's the last numbers game.
29:14Final one.
29:15Three, two.
29:16You know what's coming.
29:17One hundred, seventy-five, twenty-five and fifty.
29:21The championship could rest on this.
29:23Nine hundred and fifty-two.
29:25Nine-fifty-two last numbers.
29:28Ten least has never 팔�ered.
29:46Two, nine hundred and fifty-three.
29:50Four, nine hundred and ninety-three.
29:569-5-2. Does it end here? Tim?
30:019-50. Two away. It could end here.
30:04Rhys? 9-5-2.
30:05If it's 9-5-2, you will be crowned Series 91 champion,
30:10our first Welsh champion since 1997.
30:1475 over 25 is 3. Yes, that's it.
30:17Times 3. Oh, Tim's realised 9.
30:21Times 100. 900! Plus 50, plus 2.
30:24You've done it for Wales. 9-5-2.
30:27Yay!
30:32And there's that smile that we've fallen in love with
30:35all throughout the last six months.
30:38Well done to you. Thank you.
30:40Great stuff. It felt we were destined
30:43for that crucial countdown conundrum,
30:45but that moment was just so, so special.
30:49Let's just dot those I's, cross those T's.
30:51Recent, Tim, let's get the fingers on the buzzers.
30:55And with both of your heads spinning,
30:56sorry to do this to you,
30:58let's reveal the final countdown conundrum.
31:01We'll see you next time.
31:01We'll see you next time.
31:02Bye-bye.
31:05Bye-bye.
31:06Bye-bye.
31:07Bye-bye.
31:07Bye-bye.
31:07Oh, what a way to end this series.
31:33I don't care about Reece and Tim anymore.
31:35Susie's the only person with her hand up.
31:38Er, scripture.
31:39Let's have a look. Preach, Susie Dent.
31:42Yes!
31:43APPLAUSE
31:46Oh, my goodness me.
31:47Well, listen, let's turn all of our attention to Tim James,
31:50who I think has been the absolute heart and soul of these finals.
31:54He's had his big tapeworm of a nine that saw you here,
31:59and you took the risks.
32:00Even that four large, I thought, was a little bit
32:03Evel Knievel at the end.
32:05You've been sensational, so thank you very much for everything.
32:07Thank you very much, round me.
32:08Huge round of applause.
32:09Tim James!
32:10APPLAUSE
32:11It's that one moment of every series where we confirm
32:17that Susie Dent has legs.
32:19We move to the front of the studio for the trophy presentation.
32:24But, Bob, how did you find your first finals week?
32:27Because it's like nothing else.
32:29It was fantastic.
32:30It really was.
32:31And it was just right at the end, wasn't it, that you went ahead?
32:35Just right at the end.
32:37But it was exciting and I really loved it.
32:40Susie, this is genuinely true.
32:42We had such a dearth of female applications.
32:45It was about two in ten at best.
32:48It's now 50-50.
32:49We put that call out and Fiona Wood became Series 90 champion.
32:53But do you remember the other call that we put out?
32:56I do, and this is the result.
32:58We needed more Welsh contestants.
33:00And that, I think, Rhys, is why you applied.
33:02It was, in the end, yeah.
33:04Which is fantastic.
33:05Do you remember when it was that we asked?
33:08Ah, St David's Day 2024.
33:11I specifically remember that, yeah, yeah.
33:13That kind of makes sense, doesn't it?
33:15So, listen, if we can just magic winners like this,
33:18the question is, we're next, Rhys?
33:20Why Geordie's?
33:21We don't care a lot of Geordie's.
33:23Call for them, Colin, they'll come.
33:25Get in the studio, brilliant, we'll do that.
33:26Well, for today, there are going to be pubs across Wales
33:29singing Bread of Heaven in your honour.
33:31Rhys is the word, the word is champion.
33:33So, this is your Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy.
33:35Congratulations, you've been brilliant.
33:35Thank you very much.
33:36Yes, well done to you.
33:37APPLAUSE
33:38Well, listen, the last thing we have to say at the end of every series
33:46is the most important thing.
33:47Without you, we're nothing.
33:49People are tuning in in more increasing numbers,
33:50and we're so humbled by that.
33:52So, it's a really simple end to every series,
33:54with a reminder that we start again on Monday with Series 92.
33:58We don't stop.
33:59But a very simple thank you for watching.
34:01Actually, seeing as Rhys is our first Welsh champion since 1997,
34:06let's try this on for size.
34:08Do you come, will you?
34:09Good?
34:10Just about.
34:11Excellent. Well done.
34:12APPLAUSE
34:14You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:18You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:49Bye.
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