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00:31Good afternoon. Welcome to the Countdown Studio.
00:34Now, 7th of December.
00:36Christmas is certainly drawing nearer and nearer.
00:39There are many Christmas traditions around the world.
00:41And this very day, down in Colombia, is called the Day of the Little Candles.
00:46And the deal is that lots of little candles, which on their own mean nothing at all,
00:53but when they're perched on every balcony, windowsill, pavement, every little space,
00:58these whole towns are lit up with the little candles.
01:01It's rather charming, I think. Lovely idea.
01:04But it got me to thinking about, Rachel, about Christmas decorations in this country,
01:09which I think have been spawned from what happens in America,
01:14where, of course, they have the most grotesque illuminated...
01:18I like them.
01:20I know. We've had this argument before.
01:22I remember being in Naples in Florida, looking with amazement at a house
01:27that had an elephant on the roof.
01:29Now, I've no idea what that was all about,
01:31but apparently it's all part of the Christmas thing.
01:33It's nice. It's Christmas. It's festive. It's nostalgic.
01:36It brings joy. Kids like it. You're the only one.
01:39Well, we have one candle in a window.
01:42Cool.
01:43And all the grandkids come and have fun around, and you give them lots of coal.
01:47No. Well, they don't come.
01:49That's why. If you had an elephant on your roof, they'd be excited to come out.
01:53All right. All right. I'm going to have to reassess this, obviously.
01:57I don't know. I'm not sure, Rachel.
01:59I'll have a quiet word with you.
02:02Now, then, we've got Phil Abad is back,
02:05GP Prex manager from Shoreham and Bysea.
02:07Terrific score. 112 yesterday. Fantastic. Well done.
02:11You've got a good second win.
02:13You're joined by Chris Weldon, a retired civil servant from Great Bircham in Norfolk.
02:18What branch of the civil service were you with?
02:22I was in the Home Office Immigration Service and then in the Diplomatic Service.
02:27And I worked in British embassies in Dubai, Moscow, Bogota, Lagos, Warsaw, Beijing.
02:37Good sport.
02:38What was Moscow like in the British Embassy?
02:41Well, obviously, it was very hot in the summer, but it was a mind-blowingly cold in the winter.
02:48Minus 37 was the lowest I encountered.
02:50Was it really? Did you enjoy it?
02:52Oh, yes. Yeah.
02:53Moscow was good?
02:54Yes. I married one of my interpreters.
02:59Clever you.
03:00Yeah.
03:01Brilliant. A Russian young lady.
03:03A Russian lady, yes.
03:04Brilliant. OK. You brought her back here?
03:05Yes, she's in Norfolk.
03:07In Norfolk. Moscow to Norfolk. Perfect.
03:09All right. Now then, a big round of applause for Phil and Chris Weldon.
03:17Lovely stuff.
03:18Over in the corner, of course, Susie is back with us, as is the wonderful Richard Nadeley.
03:25Because you're behind with your book again.
03:27Yes, as always, as I was saying a few days ago here, as a journalist, really, I can only work
03:33to deadlines.
03:33And like most journalists, they have to be close range before you actually start writing, you know, whatever it is,
03:39a newspaper article or a book.
03:40So, yeah, I've promised to deliver it in February.
03:43So, I've got to get started.
03:45Nose to the grindstone tomorrow.
03:47Nose to the grindstone, yes, sir. Shall do.
03:49All right. And now, Phil, let us go.
03:52Hi, Rachel.
03:53Hi, Phil.
03:53Can I have a consonant, please?
03:55Thank you. Start with T.
03:58Vowel, please.
04:00O.
04:03Consonant, please.
04:04G.
04:08Consonant, please.
04:09T.
04:11Another consonant, please.
04:14D.
04:16Vowel.
04:17I.
04:20Consonant.
04:22B.
04:26Consonant, please.
04:27H.
04:29And a vowel.
04:31And lastly, E.
04:34And here's the countdown clock.
04:36And here's the countdown clock.
05:06Yes, Phil?
05:07Six.
05:08A six.
05:09Chris?
05:10Seven.
05:11Phil?
05:13Tithed.
05:14Tithed, yes.
05:15Bigoted.
05:17Very good.
05:18Yep.
05:19Good one to seven.
05:21And Richard?
05:22In the nick of time, I got a six.
05:24Hogtie.
05:25Ooh.
05:26As in hogtider.
05:27Yeah.
05:28You can hogtie somebody, can't you?
05:29Oh, it's hyphenated.
05:30It's hyphenated.
05:31That's really bad luck.
05:32Oh, never mind.
05:32Easy.
05:33That's a surprise.
05:35Susie, what have you got?
05:36Bigoted as well, here, for seven.
05:40Now, Chris, you've sprung an early lead.
05:43That's your letters, Ken.
05:44Good afternoon, Rachel.
05:46Afternoon, Chris.
05:46Could I start with a consonant, please?
05:49Start with L.
05:50And another consonant?
05:53T.
05:53And a vowel?
05:55E.
05:57And another consonant?
05:59Q.
06:00Oh.
06:01And a consonant?
06:03P.
06:06And a vowel?
06:09I.
06:10A consonant?
06:13H.
06:14A vowel?
06:17A.
06:17And another vowel, please.
06:21And lastly, O.
06:23Stand by.
06:42And another vowel, please.
06:42And another vowel, please.
06:42And another vowel, please.
06:42And another vowel, please.
06:42And another vowel, please.
06:42And another vowel, please.
06:42And another vowel, please.
06:44And another vowel, please.
06:47And another vowel, please.
06:53And another vowel, please.
06:55Yes, Chris.
06:56Six.
06:57A six and a six.
07:00Yes, Chris.
07:01Opiate.
07:02An opiate and polite.
07:06Very good.
07:07Sixes and sevens.
07:09Anybody?
07:10There's hoplite there.
07:13H-O-P-L-I-T-E.
07:14And that was a heavily armed foot soldier in ancient Greece.
07:17Very good.
07:1813 plays six.
07:19Chris on 13.
07:20Now then, Phil, your numbers game.
07:22Can I have one large, please, Rachel, and five small?
07:25You can indeed.
07:26Thank you, Phil.
07:26One from the top row.
07:28Five not from the top row.
07:29And the first one of the day is six, eight, two, one, four, and 75.
07:37And the target, 602.
07:40Six-O-T-O.
08:12Now then, Phil.
08:13Six-O-T-O.
08:14Yes, Chris.
08:15Six-hundred and two.
08:17Thank you, Phil.
08:18Phil, 75 times eight.
08:20Six-hundred.
08:21Plus the two.
08:21Nothing to argue about there, yeah.
08:23And, Chris.
08:23Exactly the same.
08:24There we are.
08:26All right.
08:30So, Chris, Phil and the need 23 points to fill 16 as we turn to our first tea time teaser,
08:36which is Graham Dip and the clue.
08:39Graham went for a dip to give a part of his body some exercise.
08:43Graham went for a dip to give a part of his body some exercise.
09:05Welcome back.
09:06I left with a clue.
09:07Graham went for a dip to give a part of his body some exercise.
09:11Which part of his body would that have been, I wonder?
09:14Perhaps it was his diaphragm.
09:16Diaphragm.
09:17So, 23, please.
09:1916.
09:20Chris on 23.
09:21Chris.
09:22Let's just get me.
09:23Let's start with a consonant, please, Rachel.
09:25Thank you, Chris.
09:26G.
09:27And another one.
09:30F.
09:31And a vowel.
09:33E.
09:34A consonant.
09:37M.
09:38Another consonant, please.
09:41X.
09:42A vowel.
09:44I.
09:45A consonant.
09:48N.
09:50A vowel.
09:52O.
09:54And a final vowel, please.
09:57And the last one.
09:58I.
09:59Stand by.
10:00A vowel.
10:14A vowel.
10:17A vowel.
10:18A vowel.
10:18A vowel.
10:18A vowel.
10:29A vowel.
10:31Yes, Chris?
10:32Six.
10:33Phil?
10:34Six.
10:34Six.
10:35Now then, Chris?
10:36Mixing.
10:38And Phil?
10:39Fixing.
10:42Now, in the corner, Richard and Susie?
10:45Can't believe I didn't get either of them, but I got absolutely nothing on that one.
10:48It's just completely brain-faded.
10:49All right.
10:50And Susie, how did you manage?
10:51Yeah, sixes.
10:52Mixing, fixing, so just sixes.
10:56So, just seven points in it now.
10:5829 to Phil's 22, and it's Phil's letters game now.
11:03Please, can I have a consonant, Rachel?
11:05Thank you, Phil.
11:05G.
11:07And a vowel?
11:09E.
11:11And a consonant?
11:13D.
11:15And another, please?
11:17N.
11:19And another consonant, please?
11:21V.
11:23And a vowel?
11:25A.
11:25And another vowel?
11:29O.
11:31And a consonant?
11:34R.
11:36And a final vowel, please.
11:40And a final U.
11:42Standby.
11:43G.
11:44No.
11:46And a consonantою.
12:14Now, Phil.
12:16Um, eight.
12:18An eight, Chris?
12:19Seven.
12:20You're seven.
12:22A ground.
12:23Yes.
12:24Phil, and I thought there was two E's, so I got that wrong.
12:28Sorry.
12:29Wow.
12:30All right.
12:31That's a strong lead there for Chris there.
12:3336 to 22.
12:35What else have we got over in the corner?
12:37Susie?
12:38Um, there was another seven.
12:39A guerdon, G-U-E-R-D-O-N, which is an old term for a reward or recompense.
12:45Um, but there is an eight there, Nick.
12:47Ungraved.
12:48And to ungrave, in a literary sense, is to disinter a body.
12:53All right.
12:54It's up to you.
12:5636 pays 22.
12:58Chris, numbers go.
12:59Um, can I have one large and five small, please, Rachel?
13:03You can, indeed.
13:04Thank you, Chris.
13:04One from the top five little.
13:06And this time around, they are five, six, another six, two, another two, and 100.
13:15And the target, 730.
13:18730.
13:181080.
13:20730.
13:22730.
13:23830.
13:24830.
13:26830.
13:26930.
13:271020.
13:271020.
13:331120.
13:331020.
13:50Yes, Chris?
13:517, 3, 4.
13:55And Phil?
13:567, 3, 4.
13:58Right. Chris?
14:01100 times 5 plus 2.
14:04100 times 5 plus 2.
14:07Yep, 700.
14:08Six sixes of 36 and add?
14:127, 3, 6.
14:13And subtract the 2.
14:15Yep, 4 away. 7, 3, 4.
14:17And Phil?
14:18Same way.
14:20Same way.
14:21We're going to have to turn now for the correct answer, or as near as possible, to Rachel.
14:27Rachel, 7, 30?
14:28Oh, yes, it was possible if you say 2 plus 6 is 8, times the other 6 is 48.
14:36Take away the other two and add 100 for 1, 4, 6, and times it by 5.
14:42Terrific.
14:44Perfect.
14:46Actually spot on, of course.
14:49Now, Richard, we turn to Richard.
14:51Richard, I mean, you've been a public figure, public face, for many, many, many years.
14:57How do you handle this sort of public adulation, inevitably?
15:04It's not bad.
15:05It's, as you have discovered, and you too will have discovered, if you happen to be on a show that's
15:10on daily, as I was with Judy on this morning and then on the Channel 4 show and stuff like
15:14that, and sitting in on Good Morning Britain at the moment.
15:17I mean, it's just exposure.
15:18It's just that your face is seen regularly.
15:20It doesn't mean anything when people recognise you or really have an opinion about you.
15:25It's just like the retoning ping of a sonar echo.
15:27But where it can get a little bit tricky is when people recognise you, but they misplace you.
15:34They think you're somebody else.
15:36And if it's like their teacher when they're at school or, you know, maybe a neighbour, they get very confused
15:41and you have to sort of gently put them right.
15:43But sometimes they mistake you for another well-known person, and that's where it gets tricky.
15:46Now, actually, something along these lines happened a few months ago, and it was still warm and sunny.
15:49And I was sitting outside at a pavement cafe in North London, and this complete stranger, this woman, came out
15:55behind me, looked at me with sort of delight, clapped me on the shoulder and said,
15:57Nigel, how are you?
15:59And how's that wonderful daughter of yours doing in Courcheval?
16:02Now, this happens a lot.
16:03People mistake me for Nigel Havers and the other way around, and we joke about it when we see each
16:07other.
16:08So I was about to draw Beth to tell her, but she went on, and she said, because it was
16:10a very interesting conversation we had, and she started to get into some personal detail.
16:13And I said, stop, stop, stop, please don't say any more.
16:16I think you think that I'm Nigel Havers.
16:17I said, my name's Richard Maidley.
16:20I do a bit of television.
16:21And she looked at me, and this is what she said.
16:23People can be unintentionally rude.
16:24She didn't mean to be, but she said, oh, God, of course.
16:27I said, I'm so sorry.
16:28She said, you've got a much fatter face.
16:30And then, as if that wasn't quite enough, she said, and he's so much more handsome.
16:35I mean, what can you do except agree?
16:37I mean, you can't argue, can you?
16:38I say, well, no one's face is that fat.
16:40So you just have to agree and write it off.
16:42But actually, I find those things funny.
16:44I find them entertaining, and, you know, they give you a story to tell.
16:46That's brilliant.
16:48Brilliant story.
16:53Excellent.
16:53Now, 43 to 29.
16:57And now it's a letters game for Phil.
17:00Yes, Phil.
17:01Can I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
17:03Thank you, Phil.
17:04L.
17:05And a vowel, please.
17:07I.
17:09Consonant.
17:11J.
17:12Another, please.
17:15S.
17:16And another.
17:18R.
17:21And another, please.
17:23V.
17:24And a vowel.
17:27O.
17:28And a vowel.
17:32U.
17:35And another vowel, please.
17:37And lastly, E.
17:40Stand by.
17:40And another.
18:12Yes, Phil.
18:12A five.
18:14A five, Chris?
18:15Six.
18:17Phil.
18:18Vols.
18:19Now then, Chris.
18:21Jules.
18:22J-O-U-L-E-S.
18:24Yes, unit of energy.
18:25Very good.
18:27Now, Richard.
18:29I got a five.
18:30I got louse.
18:31But then in the nick of time, that led on to lousier, which is a seven.
18:35Very good.
18:36Very good.
18:37OK, 49 plays 29.
18:39And Chris, let us go.
18:41Consonant, please, Rachel.
18:42Thank you, Chris.
18:43P.
18:44Another consonant.
18:46L.
18:48And a vowel, please.
18:50A.
18:52Consonant.
18:54S.
18:56Consonant.
18:57M.
19:00Vowel.
19:02O.
19:03Consonant.
19:06N.
19:07Vowel.
19:09Vowel.
19:11And a final vowel, please.
19:14And a final I.
19:17Countdown.
19:18Vowel.
19:19Vowel.
19:21Vowel.
19:23Vowel.
19:33Vowel.
19:34Vowel.
19:35Vowel.
19:35Vowel.
19:37Vowel.
19:39Vowel.
19:40Vowel.
19:42Vowel.
19:42Vowel.
19:43Vowel.
19:43Vowel.
19:43Vowel.
19:43Vowel.
19:44Vowel.
19:45Vowel.
19:46Vowel.
19:46Vowel.
19:47Vowel.
19:48Yes, Chris? Six. A six, Phil, and a six. Chris? Salmon. Salmon and? Planes. And planes. Yes, that's what you
20:01find.
20:02Now. Plasma. That was six. Yes. That's easy, because it was virtually written. It's pretty much there. Susie?
20:11Well, actually, for an eight, you have nice pianolas. The pianola. Yeah.
20:19Thank you. Very good. 55 plays 35. Chris on 55. And, Phil, numbers game for you.
20:26I can have one large, please, and five small. Sticking to your favourite one from the top. Thank you, Phil.
20:31And for this round, the little ones are ten. Six. Two. Seven. And another six. And the large one, 75.
20:40And this target, 137. 137.
21:15Yes, Phil.
21:16137. 137, Chris? 137.
21:20So, Phil. 75 times two.
21:24150. Minus six, minus seven.
21:27Straightforward.
21:28Very good. And?
21:29Same.
21:30Same way.
21:31All right.
21:35Still the same difference. 65 playing 45.
21:38Chris in the lead as we go into our second Tea Time Teaser, which is Tidy Pairs.
21:43And the clue.
21:44Both pairs were very tidy, but one was much bigger than the other.
21:48Both pairs were very tidy, but one was much bigger than the other.
22:09Welcome back.
22:10I lived with the clue.
22:12Both pairs were very tidy, but one was much bigger than the other.
22:17In fact, there was a question of disparity.
22:22Disparity.
22:23So, Phil on 45.
22:25Chris on 65.
22:27Please note.
22:29Phil.
22:30And it's Chris's letters game now.
22:32Yes, Chris.
22:33Consonant, please, Rachel.
22:35Thank you, Chris.
22:35R.
22:36And another one.
22:39W.
22:40And a vowel, please.
22:42U.
22:44Consonant.
22:46S.
22:47Consonant.
22:49T.
22:50Vowel.
22:52E.
22:55Consonant.
22:56R.
22:58Vowel.
23:00O.
23:02And a final vowel, please.
23:04And a final E.
23:06Stand by.
23:08Make sure.
23:39yes Chris seven a seven Phil and a six and your six steward now then Chris
23:47restore and restore any more sevens sixes the six I think ruster yeah yes did you say oh actually
23:59no that's not in there and also did you say steward yes that's not in either I'm afraid
24:04sorry what can we have Susie a one eight there Nick reroute reroute very good now 72 to 45 Phil
24:17your
24:18letters again good luck can I have a consonant please Rachel thank you M and a vowel E and a
24:27consonant L and another please T and another L and a vowel A and a consonant S and a vowel
24:43I
24:45and a consonant please and lastly N stand by
24:54so
24:57so
25:22yes Phil a six six and Chris seven
25:29Phil metals yes Chris laments laments yeah no problem with that mmm anything else ailments for
25:40eight ailments for eight 79 to 45 my words Susie come let's give them a rest your origins of words
25:50this year on the long list of Oxford's word of the year was one word that's a very rare example
25:56of a new coinage that achieved huge currency everywhere without anyone having a clue what it
26:02meant and um it goes back to the 30th of May when late at night on social media
26:09president Trump made one of the most famous typos of all time he did what he often does at odd
26:14hours
26:15uh he sent a tweet this one was a bit puzzling it said despite the constant negative press
26:20cofefe c-o-v-f-e-f-e-f-e uh and everyone thought okay five minutes later he'll delete
26:29it he'll realize
26:29but he didn't and it stayed there for a very long time um ensue complete chaos as people were desperately
26:36trying to wonder what what it meant um but they have a bit of fun with it as well of
26:41course
26:41some people made political statements so one cola company said we have no plans to add cofefe to our
26:47cola if you want the taste of incompetence there are other sodas available um and then there was
26:55also a train company that said due to cofefe on the line our trains will be running a bit late
26:59today
27:00and so it went on everyone having a bit of fun with it and nobody knows what it means uh
27:06his um
27:07chief of staff said that it actually did mean something and the president knew exactly what it
27:10was but who knows um and other people say that it played to the greatest strength of the internet
27:15which was giving meaning to the meaningless but whatever cofefe means if it gets in the dictionary
27:21i will be fascinated to know what its definition is
27:30yeah i wish he'd stop it 79 plays 45 chris in the lead and it's chris's letters game
27:39an ultimate letters game chris i could have a consonant please rachel thank you chris
27:44another consonant c vowel please e consonant s consonant b vowel e consonant n vowel a and a final vowel
28:11please
28:11and a final u stand by
28:20so
28:31so
28:33so
28:48Yes, Chris?
28:49Er, seven.
28:51A seven, Phil, and a five.
28:53And that five? Beans.
28:56Beans, Chris?
28:58Because.
29:00Because.
29:00Very good. Yeah, very nice.
29:03Now, can we match that, I wonder?
29:05Got because, yeah.
29:06Susie?
29:08There is an Irish redneck, you might know this.
29:11Cobine, C-A-U-B-E-N-S, double E-N-S.
29:15An Irish beret, typically dark green in colour.
29:19I didn't know that.
29:21Cobine.
29:23OK.
29:2586, strong score there, Chris, to Phil's 45.
29:28And Phil, of course, two-time winner here.
29:32Phil?
29:33Last letters game.
29:34A consonant, please, Rachel.
29:36Thank you, Phil.
29:37R.
29:39And a vowel.
29:40I.
29:42And a consonant, please.
29:44D.
29:45And another consonant.
29:48R.
29:50And a vowel.
29:51E.
29:53And a consonant.
29:56M.
29:58And another consonant, please.
30:00W.
30:02And a vowel.
30:04A.
30:07And a final vowel, please.
30:10And a final I.
30:13Stand by.
30:15And a vowel.
30:33And a vowel.
30:34And a vowel.
30:34And a vowel.
30:34And a vowel.
30:34and a vowel.
30:36And a vowel.
30:45Phil?
30:46Seven.
30:47A seven.
30:48And Chris?
30:49Seven as well.
30:50Phil?
30:51Married.
30:52And Chris?
30:54Admirer.
30:55An admirer.
30:57Yes.
30:58Very good.
30:58Any more sevens?
30:59We got married.
31:00Yep.
31:01Even though we both already are.
31:02Right.
31:03And?
31:04Mardia.
31:05And Mardia.
31:06Popped up again.
31:08Mardia and married.
31:09Well done.
31:1093-52 into the final numbers game.
31:14Chris Weldon.
31:15One large.
31:17Five small, please, Rachel.
31:18Thank you, Chris.
31:20Another simple potential selection.
31:22One big five, little.
31:23And for the final time today, they are.
31:25Two.
31:26Ten.
31:27Three.
31:29Another ten.
31:30Another three.
31:31And 75.
31:33And a target.
31:35861.
31:36861.
31:37One big one.
31:40Seven big one.
31:40And we'll be back with you.
32:00One big one.
32:03One big one.
32:08Chris, one away, 860.
32:12860.
32:13Phil?
32:14I think I've got 861.
32:17Let's try it.
32:1910 plus 2 is 12.
32:2210 plus 2, 12.
32:23Times 75.
32:25Times, yep, 75, 900.
32:27And then 10 plus 3.
32:29The other 10 for 13.
32:30Times the other 3.
32:3139.
32:32And take it away.
32:33Perfect, 861.
32:34Oh, well done.
32:40Terrific last pass there.
32:42Fabulous.
32:43All right.
32:44So, we go now into the final round, gentlemen.
32:48Shake hands if you wanted to.
32:49I thought there was a little bit of a flurry there.
32:52Fingers on buzzers.
32:54Let's roll today's Countdown Conundrum.
32:58Bye-bye.
32:59Bye-bye.
33:08MUSIC PLAYS
33:27Well, two very good players, a fox, surprisingly.
33:31But who in the audience will have a go at this one?
33:35Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
33:36Obscurely.
33:38Obscurely.
33:39Let's see whether you're right.
33:40Here it goes. Well done.
33:44There we go. Obscurely.
33:47Well, now, Phil, you had two good wins, up to 112.
33:51And along comes Chris and takes it away.
33:55Well, he doesn't take it away. He doesn't take your teapot away.
33:58So you take this goodie bag and your teapot back to shore and by sea
34:02with our very best wishes.
34:04Brilliant, sir. Well done. Well done.
34:06You're beaten by Chris Weldon.
34:07We shall see you tomorrow. Congratulations.
34:09Thank you very much, mate.
34:11Richard, what are we going to do without you?
34:13I always love coming here. Anytime. Anytime.
34:16Excellent. Thank you.
34:17Susie, we'll see you tomorrow.
34:18You'll see me tomorrow.
34:19All right.
34:20See you tomorrow.
34:21See you then.
34:21So join us tomorrow when Paul Zenon will be here with lots of stories about magic.
34:26Same time, same place.
34:28You'll be sure of it.
34:28A very good afternoon.
34:30You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com,
34:34by Twitter at C4Countdown,
34:36or write to us at countdownleadsLS31JS.
34:40You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:50More than one suspect involved investigating a real-life shooting,
34:54catching a killer, a bullet through the window later tonight,
34:57nine o'clock here on Channel 4.
34:58Well, next up, press party.
35:00Lost and found.