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00:17Thank you very much.
00:30Well, good afternoon. Welcome to the Countdown Studio. 15th of May. And that means that today is National Numeracy Day.
00:40It's fantastic. Only the second one launched last year and designed to sharpen people's skills and build their confidence in
00:48numbers. But what do I know about it? Because we have here the ambassador for National Numeracy Day. Come on,
00:54tell us all about it.
00:55Yeah, but I've been working with the charity National Numeracy for a number of years since pretty much the time
00:59they formed. And they've noticed there's a problem. So in the UK, one in two British adults have the numeracy
01:06levels that you'd expect of an 11 year old.
01:08So they're trying to change that. So they're promoting maths positivity. They're trying to banish maths anxiety. And if you
01:13can go online and you can take a free check to see a kind of MOT of your numeracy skills.
01:18And they find out where you need to improve and then they'll help you do that with all the free
01:22resources. And Dr. Phil might be interested to know. They did some work with the NHS, actually, and they found
01:27that 77% of the NHS staff who volunteered to take the test didn't actually have the numeracy levels that
01:34you might need to do their job.
01:36So it's quite a big problem. And it can affect mental health and your money and your outcomes and more
01:41likely to go to prison or have a better job or keep up with your mortgage payments.
01:45So it's quite a complex issue, but they're doing a lot of great stuff to promote numeracy.
01:50And the online address, can you remember that?
01:52If you just Google National Numeracy, it'll direct...
01:54Be straight on.
01:55I'll be all over social media and the news and wherever I can get today.
01:59Excellent.
01:59So you'll see me. You won't be able to miss it.
02:01Well done. Well done. Well done.
02:03Now, we'll need some numeracy skills today, Aaron.
02:08That's Aaron Clemenson from Liverpool, originally from Kent, data scientist.
02:13Welcome back.
02:14Who beat just a great, great player yesterday in Sandra Pilsen.
02:19But here you are. Well done. How are you feeling about it?
02:22Excited, Nick.
02:23Excited. That's the right way.
02:24And you came through with a winning score of 92.
02:27Well done. You're joined by Nicky Owen today.
02:29Nicky, a piano and violin teacher from Longriston in East Yorkshire.
02:33Started out her adult life as a biomedical scientist and then decided,
02:39I don't want to do this anymore.
02:40Tell us a little bit about that.
02:41What changed your mind?
02:42You went to your great love, I guess, did you?
02:45Yes, music has always been my great love and I've done it from a very young age.
02:49And I enjoyed being a biomedical scientist for 10 years and then thought, fancy a change.
02:54Fancy a change.
02:55And you're now teaching what sort of age group?
02:58I teach any age from round about five to adulthood, retired people.
03:03What a wonderful, rewarding life.
03:06Enjoying it?
03:06Yes, love it.
03:07Excellent.
03:08Well, enjoy today because it's fun here.
03:10Both of you.
03:10Big round of applause now for Aaron and Nicky.
03:16And Susie's over the corner.
03:18Susie, welcome back, Susie.
03:20And next to her, someone who has numerous cures for all your ailments.
03:24It's Dr. Phil.
03:26Dr. Phil Hammonds.
03:28Welcome back, Phil.
03:30I was thinking what Rachel said.
03:33We used to diagnose dementia by asking patients to do what we call serial sevens.
03:37You start at 100 and you keep subtracting seven out loud and keep going until your brain explodes.
03:42And then we discovered most medical students can't do it.
03:44It's really...
03:45We don't have the mental arithmetic now.
03:47If you're brought up playing darts or cribbage, your mental arithmetic's really good.
03:50But people don't have mental maths now.
03:52It's really interesting.
03:53Interesting.
03:54All right.
03:55Aaron, take us away.
03:56It's a letters game.
03:57Good afternoon, Rachel.
03:58Afternoon, Aaron.
03:59May I start with a consonant, please?
04:01Start today with D.
04:04Consonant.
04:06L.
04:08Consonant.
04:08N.
04:11Consonant.
04:13S.
04:15Vowel.
04:17A.
04:19Vowel.
04:21U.
04:23Vowel.
04:25E.
04:29Consonant.
04:31W.
04:34And a final vowel, please.
04:36And a final I.
04:39Stand by.
04:40We'll see you next time.
04:42We'll see you next time.
04:43We'll see you next time.
04:48We'll see you next time.
04:49We'll see you next time.
04:50We'll see you next time.
04:52We'll see you next time.
04:54We'll see you next time.
04:56We'll see you next time.
04:57We'll see you next time.
04:58We'll see you next time.
04:58We'll see you next time.
04:58We'll see you next time.
04:58We'll see you next time.
05:00We'll see you next time.
05:00We'll see you next time.
05:00We'll see you next time.
05:01We'll see you next time.
05:01We'll see you next time.
05:01We'll see you next time.
05:02We'll see you next time.
05:09We'll see you next time.
05:11aaron six nikki seven and a seven aaron saline nikki i'm snail snails along the road um oh
05:25so it sounds completely plausible to me it's not there as a verb nikki i'm really surprised by that
05:30i'm sorry um yeah snails pace but not to snail along really sorry about that bad luck what can
05:38we have dr phil uh we can have sundial yeah for seven and there's a word i've never heard of
05:43in
05:43wales what does in wales mean in wales yes if you're a sailor you might know this one it's a
05:47structural piece on the inside of a boat an internal gunwale oh the internal gunwales of a
05:52boat of course it is thank you six points to aaron now nikki your letters game afternoon rachel
05:57afternoon nikki um could i start with consonant please thank you start with d and a vowel
06:03o and a consonant g and a consonant r and a vowel e and consonant m and a vowel u
06:25and a consonant
06:28consonant p and a final consonant please a final s stand by
06:39so
06:52so
07:09I'm a risky seven and seven a firm seven from Aaron Nicky and dumpers
07:16yeah Aaron progues and dumpers are in Nicky I'm pleased to say there's pirogues but not
07:24progues I'm afraid sorry Aaron I'd like what can we have there dr. Phil Susie morgues is there
07:30yes and so is supremo a supremo in the morgue both for seven can't beat seven now thank you
07:37seven for Nicky and Aaron on six Aaron your numbers game may I have four large and two small
07:44please indeed thank you and for large and too little on national numeracy day and these two
07:49little ones are six and four and a large for 75 25 150 and the target 876 876
08:33no no no okay over to you Aaron so 50 multiplied by 75 50 multiplied by 75 is three thousand
08:43seven
08:43hundred and fifty divide by 25 divided by 25 is 150 subtract four minus four and we're about to
08:53one four six and then multiply by six and one four six times six well done well done well 16
09:07plays uh
09:07seven Aaron in the lead as we turn to our first tea time teaser which is gasp frown and the
09:13clue
09:13you'll gasp and frown when you realize it wasn't caviar you were eating at all you'll gasp and frown
09:21when you realize it wasn't caviar you were eating at all
09:39welcome back I left you with the clue you'll gasp and frown when you realize it wasn't caviar you were
09:45eating at all oh no it was frog spawn no wonder you were gasping and frowning frog spawn can you
09:53imagine
09:5316 16 plays seven Aaron in the lead Nicky your letters game I'm going to start with a consonant
09:59please thank you Nicky Z and a vowel a and consonant n and another consonant R and a vowel O
10:16consonant L
10:22vowel a vowel B consonant B and another consonant please and the last one T stand by
10:39so
10:51so
10:52so
11:07Nicky?
11:08Seven.
11:09Seven and?
11:09Seven.
11:10And a seven from Aaron.
11:12Yes, Nicky?
11:13Bloater.
11:14Two bloaters?
11:15Bloater as well.
11:17Any more bloaters over there?
11:18No, we have a notable baronet.
11:20Both notable and baronet are there for seven,
11:22but we can't beat that.
11:23No.
11:2423 to 14.
11:26Now, Aaron, your letters again.
11:28May I have a consonant, please?
11:29Thank you, Aaron.
11:30R.
11:32Consonant.
11:34M.
11:36Consonant.
11:38C.
11:40Consonant.
11:41R.
11:43Vowel.
11:45I.
11:48Vowel.
11:50O.
11:53Vowel.
11:54E.
11:58Another vowel.
12:01U.
12:03And final consonants, please.
12:05A final N.
12:07Stand by.
12:07Rpelov.
12:10Relon.
12:11I.
12:11I.
12:19I.
12:22I.
12:25I.
12:28I.
12:29I.
12:38Aaron.
12:39I have a seven, but not written down.
12:42Nicky.
12:42A seven.
12:43Aaron.
12:44Courier.
12:45And?
12:47Marner.
12:48There we go.
12:50Yes.
12:51Any more sevens, Phil?
12:52Yes, we have cornea, which could be the front of your eye,
12:55but it's not if it's spelled this way.
12:57This is something that's more corny.
12:58It's cornea.
12:59Cornea.
12:59It's a seven as well, but we can't beat seven.
13:01No.
13:02Cornea, is that nothing?
13:03Nothing more.
13:0530 to 21.
13:06Nicky, here's your maths test.
13:08Your numbers game.
13:10Could I have one large and five small, please?
13:12You can, indeed.
13:13More traditional choice.
13:14Thank you, Nicky.
13:15One from the top five, a little.
13:16And for this round, they are 10, 1, 7, 2, 8.
13:23And a large one, 50.
13:24And this target, 767.
13:277, 6, 7.
13:29One.
13:32One.
13:32One.
13:34One.
13:35Two.
13:36Three.
13:39Three.
14:00Nicky and seven six seven
14:02Aaron seven six seven off we go and I did eight times two is sixteen eight two
14:08is a sixteen take away one fifteen times fifty seven hundred and fifty plus ten
14:14plus seven very nice seven six seven Aaron yep same the same way
14:2641 page 40 Aaron on 40 as we talk to dr. Phil what have you well first obviously
14:33I'd like to congratulate Aaron on his shirt I feel I've been out shirted
14:38I don't know if that's a word but it should be put it in the countdown
14:40dictionary so well done we'll have to swap tailors later and I've written a book
14:45called staying alive how to get the best from the NHS and sometimes patients
14:48just don't take any of your advice whatsoever and I remember I had a
14:51lovely old patient who just you know those patients who come in and say I
14:54know you tell me I should stop the whiskey but I can't stop the whiskey doctor it's
14:58the only pleasure I've got in life besides it gives me something to do while I'm
15:01smoking and they always smoked 140 cigarettes a day and like their uncle
15:06Alf he lived to 462 and I had a patient like this he had diabetes he had heart
15:11disease and he ate and ate and ate and he drank like a fish and he smoked and I
15:15once had a chat with him and I said why do you do this he says I don't want to
15:18live forever you see he quoted George Bernard Shaw he said your health should
15:22be used up it's there for using up I don't want to end up on my tod and he did
15:26this and I remember once towards the end he'd been drinking heavily I think he
15:29probably had a bit of cirrhosis and liver failure as they get and he came to
15:32me with stomach pain and I examined him and he I could smell the alcohol and I
15:37examined him and I said well I can't really feel anything it must be the
15:40booze and he said don't worry doctor I'll come back when you're sober great
15:46sense of humor he died 58 59 oh now who's to say that life has any more purpose or
15:53meaning than anyone else's life you know health is there for individuals to make
15:56choices but we shouldn't judge people for making choices that are
15:59different to ours I think that's really important thank you
16:0859 still pretty young but as long as he was happy 40 page 31 Nikki on 31 Aaron your
16:15letters game may I start with a consonant please thank you Aaron J consonant T
16:24consonant L consonant R vowel a vowel O vowel I
16:51and the final vowel please a final E stand by
17:11thank you
17:11thank you
17:12thank you
17:29Aaron.
17:30I'll risk a seven.
17:32Yes, Nicky.
17:34I'll stick with a six.
17:36And you're a six.
17:37Jailor.
17:38Now, Aaron.
17:39Oralite.
17:42Oralite.
17:42Oh, Oralite.
17:45Opalite is there.
17:47Orality is there, but not Oralite, I'm afraid, Aaron.
17:50Sorry.
17:51And in the corner, areola is there for six,
17:55which is the area around the nipple.
17:56It's dark when you've had children.
17:58Thank you for a woman.
18:01And joltier seems to be there.
18:02Is that a word?
18:03Joltier for seven?
18:04Yes.
18:05A road might be jolty or joltier than the next.
18:09Joltier.
18:09Joltier is there.
18:10Now, 40 pays 37, only three points in it.
18:13Come on, Nicky.
18:14Let us go.
18:15Can I have a consonant, please?
18:18Thank you, Nicky.
18:19N.
18:20And another.
18:22G.
18:23And a vowel.
18:25U.
18:27And another vowel.
18:28I.
18:30And a consonant.
18:32T.
18:33And another consonant.
18:35C.
18:36And a vowel.
18:38E.
18:40And another vowel.
18:43O.
18:44And a consonant, please.
18:46And lastly, T.
18:48Stand by.
18:49T.
18:50T.
18:50T.
19:43Let's see.
19:44The little two are one and two.
19:47And the big ones, 25, 100, 50 and 75.
19:53And the target, 283.
19:56283.
19:57And the big ones, 25, 100, 50 and 75.
20:27Aaron.
20:28283.
20:29Thank you, Nicky.
20:31279.
20:32Aaron.
20:33So 50 add 2.
20:3550 add 2, 52.
20:38Multiply by 100.
20:39Multiply by 100 is 5,200.
20:44Divide by 25.
20:46Divide by 25 is 208.
20:49And add 75.
20:50Yeah, well done.
20:52283.
20:53Oh, well done.
20:58Well done.
20:59Now, time for our second key time teaser.
21:01And the teaser is strike ham.
21:03And the clue.
21:04Are these people obsessed with number ones and number twos?
21:08Are these people obsessed with number ones and number twos?
21:26Welcome back.
21:27I left with a clue.
21:28Are these people obsessed with number ones and number twos?
21:33Maybe.
21:34They're hit makers.
21:36Hit makers.
21:37So, Nicky, your letters came.
21:40Could I start with a consonant, please?
21:42Thank you, Nicky.
21:43And another.
21:46R.
21:47And a vowel.
21:50A.
21:51And a consonant.
21:54G.
21:55And a vowel.
21:57I.
21:59And another vowel.
22:01E.
22:02And a consonant.
22:04F.
22:07And another consonant.
22:10S.
22:12And a final vowel, please.
22:17A final I.
22:19Stand by.
22:19And a vowel.
22:33And a vowel.
22:37And a vowel.
22:38And a vowel.
22:38And a vowel.
22:38And a vowel.
22:38And a vowel.
22:39And a vowel.
22:39And a vowel.
22:40And a vowel.
22:51Nicky and seven a seven and a seven two sevens Nicky fairies Aaron gravies
22:58yes but good any more sevens there we got an eight oh yeah we've got gasifier
23:05which is something that converts substances into gas a gas the human
23:09bells would be a good example of a gasifier but hopefully not in here and
23:16Tuesday anything else no that was our best thank you very much 64 please 51
23:20Aaron on 64 Aaron your letters game may I start with a consonant please thank
23:25you Aaron ah consonant C consonant P consonant T vowel a vowel you
23:46vowel a consonant M and a final vowel please a file a standby
24:04you
24:05ORCHESTRA PLAYS
24:357 AND?
24:36And a 7.
24:37Thank you, Aaron.
24:38Capture.
24:38Nicky?
24:39And same word.
24:41There we go.
24:42Any advance?
24:43Yes, you can capture a crumpet in your rectum.
24:46They're all in there.
24:47Capture, crumpet and rectum.
24:49Isn't that a lovely sentence?
24:50I've spent many a day in the emergency department
24:52retrieving crumpets.
24:54And other obstacles.
24:57Anything else, Susie?
24:58Not after that, no.
25:00So, passing on, as they say,
25:0271 to 58.
25:04Aaron on 71.
25:05Susie, we're back with you
25:06for your wonderful origins of words.
25:09Susie.
25:10Thank you, Nick.
25:11Well, I was talking about
25:12on one's tod yesterday,
25:14and I asked Rachel whether she knew about it
25:16because I wanted to assess whether people still use it.
25:18And she said, oh, yes, on one's jack,
25:20which is another expression that we use
25:22for being on one's own.
25:24And on my tod,
25:26it does go back a very long way,
25:27as I explained yesterday,
25:28but this one actually goes back even further,
25:31to a Covent Garden market porter
25:33called Jack Jones.
25:35And according to this story,
25:37he came into some money,
25:39then thought he was sort of above everyone else
25:41because he had suddenly acquired this wealth.
25:44And so he kind of left his job,
25:46and he would sit at the bar in his local pub
25:48just drinking scotch all day.
25:51And because he'd left his job
25:52and because he wasn't very popular,
25:53because he had become a little bit haughty and arrogant,
25:56no one really joined him,
25:57which is why on one's jack,
25:59Jones became on one's own.
26:00So amazing that we still talk about it.
26:02And it all goes back to this one individual in the story.
26:05But I really wanted to talk about Gordon Bennett
26:07because I haven't for a while.
26:08Well, and the story of Gordon Bennett
26:11has probably been retold many times,
26:12but just a reminder,
26:13he was the son of a newspaper mogul,
26:15and he himself took over from his father,
26:18the New York Herald, in 1836.
26:21He became famous because he conducted an interview
26:24with the murderer, I think, of a prostitute.
26:27So that was how his sort of name suddenly came to light.
26:30And he managed to keep the newspaper circulation
26:32figures quite high.
26:34But, like Todd Sloan, who I talked about yesterday,
26:36his flamboyant lifestyle was what really, really
26:39propelled his name, I guess, into the language
26:42and his drunken escapade.
26:45So he was the ultimate playboy, really.
26:47He liked cars and boats and planes.
26:49He spent thousands sponsoring races involving all of those.
26:52And he named them all the Gordon Bennett Cup,
26:55just to keep his name up there.
26:57And the one drunken episode, apparently,
26:59really lingered in the imagination
27:01and maybe why we associate Gordon Bennett
27:04with a kind of exclamation of shock.
27:06Because he was engaged to a socialite
27:08and went to his future in-law's house,
27:11mistook a fireplace, so the story goes,
27:13for a toilet and urinated into it
27:16in front of all the guests.
27:18Hence, as you can imagine, total shock
27:20and the engagement was broken off,
27:21unsurprisingly, I guess.
27:23The one hit with this story, to be a real part of the people,
27:26is that Gordon Bennett entered the language,
27:29if you like, as an exclamation,
27:30quite a long time after.
27:32So his fame will have had to survive quite a long time
27:35to keep it there.
27:36Probably because Gordon Bennett is like,
27:39gore, blimey, and various other exclamations
27:42that we have, euphemisms for swearing, I guess.
27:45So it may be that link that made sure
27:47that Gordon Bennett's name still survives in English today.
27:50That's very interesting.
27:52It's excellent.
27:5871 to 58.
28:00Aaron on 71.
28:01Nicky, your letters again.
28:02Could I have a consonant, please?
28:04Thank you, Nicky.
28:05T.
28:07And another.
28:09X.
28:10And a vowel.
28:12I.
28:13And another vowel.
28:15O.
28:15And a consonant.
28:19S.
28:21And another consonant.
28:23N.
28:24And a vowel.
28:26E.
28:28And a consonant.
28:30S.
28:33And another vowel, please.
28:36Lastly, A.
28:38Stand by.
28:40Let's go.
28:40Hold on.
28:53The jeu.
28:58The jeu.
29:03See you when we're re- Espíritous.
29:04See you when we're at the southwesternbankreath.
29:04See you when we're ready.
29:07See you when we're at breakfast.
29:11Nikki? I've only got a five. A five? That's okay. How about Aaron? Six. And a six. And you're five,
29:19Nikki?
29:19Well, it should have been a six, because I should have put an S on the end, but I went
29:22blank, and I've just got a stud.
29:24Thank you. All right. And Aaron? Exists. Exists? Yes. Very good. Can we beat it, I wonder?
29:31What's the corner, sir? Just six is for us. Saints, sir, are there, are there. And axions, hypotheticals, subatomic particles.
29:42And nosiest is there. Nosiest is there, isn't it? Nosiest. Nosiest. Nosiest is there, the seven.
29:47Thank you. 77 to 58. Aaron, final letters game for you. May I start with A, consonants, please?
29:54Thank you, Aaron. K. Consonant. S. Consonant.
30:01W. Consonant. T. Vowel. E. Vowel. O. Vowel. I. Consonant. D. And final consonant, please.
30:27Final V. Stand by.
30:32Final V. Stand by.
30:34Final V. Stand by.
30:35We're back.
30:36Final V. Stand by.
30:57Final V. Stand by.
31:01Aaron six Vicky and a six Aaron visted Nicky and videos mmm Susie no visted
31:12and unfortunately vistas is in a sort of view but no vested I'm afraid Aaron
31:16sorry dr. Phil can't beat six widest is in there and stoked I think is in there
31:22six that's it yeah thank you 64 to 77 and it's the final numbers game Nicky and
31:31one large and five small please 13 points behind not gonna gamble no not
31:38against Aaron the mathematician well we'll see still could do it the five
31:42little ones for the final time are nine six one three and four and the large on
31:48100 and the target 940 940
32:24Nicky and nine four zero Aaron nine four zero Nicky and six plus three plus one six
32:32plus three plus one ten and times boys 40 yeah nine times a hundred is nine hundred
32:41three it is and add it on well done 940 and Aaron so 100 add four one hundred and
32:47four multiply by nine nine hundred and thirty-six and then three add one is four
32:54lovely 940 again well done there we go
33:01so if you're going to the final round 87 to 74 and it is the final round that's
33:07conundrum time fingers on buses let's roll today's countdown conundrum
33:22Aaron intervene intervene let's see whether you're right intervene there it is
33:36well done
33:36well done Aaron 97 good score yesterday 92 clambering up well done I'll come back to you
33:43in a second oh Nicky well played but you're up against the old maths my word
33:47he's a wizard on that so thank you very much for coming this is a goodie bag take
33:52back to long wrist and back to the keyboard and back to the violin thank you very much
33:57for coming thank you I hope you've enjoyed it yes excellent stuff so Aaron see you
34:01tomorrow see you tomorrow well played well played see you both tomorrow yes
34:05indeed excellent stuff and Rachel too good we've had a bit of a math themed show
34:10today because it's national numeracy day our champion is a math grad yeah and my
34:14dress was actually designed by a math grad called Rachel and it's all made out of
34:18recycled bottles recycled plastic so there's a lot of things you can do with
34:23maths and numeracy amazing yeah they're very clever see you tomorrow see you
34:27tomorrow join us then same time same place you be sure of it a very good
34:31afternoon you can contact the program by email at countdown at channel 4.com by
34:37twitter at c4 countdown or write to us at countdown leaves ls3 1js you can also find
34:44our web page at channel 4.com forward slash countdown
34:47thank you
35:03thank you
35:10so