- 2 days ago
Broadcast on Monday 12th January 2009.
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00:32It's cold and it's damp and it's miserable and the electricity bill and the phone bill and the gas bill
00:38have all arrived on the same day and it's still six months to the summer holidays. But are we downhearted?
00:43No, we are not because Countdown is back.
00:49And I know, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking who the heck am I? But Stelling is the name,
00:56six consonants, two vowels and in truth the words I'm more used to are foul, penalty, referee, blinders are back.
01:05I'm not the only new face here today. Say hello to Rachel Riley.
01:09Hi there.
01:10Hi there.
01:14And don't worry, you haven't tuned in to Beauty and the Beast by mistake. How are you feeling, Rachel?
01:20Excited. It's like Christmas all over again.
01:22When did you first realise that you were amazing with maths?
01:25I think my mum decided for me in the womb.
01:28So, did you sleep last night? Did you go to bed thinking of numbers games?
01:31Maths dreams, every night. I had George Clooney with me to help last night in the dreams.
01:35Well, you're looking good, so really enjoy it.
01:38Look, we're a couple of new faces and we've got a sparkling new set as well here.
01:42But rest assured that this is the same countdown that you've grown to love over the years.
01:48And what a start we have for you because over the next three weeks we have our Champion of Champions
01:53competition.
01:54So, all the people you're going to see over the next three weeks have been here before.
01:57They're all winners. It's going to be of a fantastically high standard.
02:01And this is a straight knockout, so it's going to be really cutthroat.
02:05Let's meet our first two contestants.
02:06First of all, James Hurrell, who's an Octachamp and a quarterfinals from Series 57.
02:13He's from Carnham, Wiltshire.
02:14And he is a financial analyst, so he's been pretty busy in recent months, I would imagine.
02:20Now, look, you are a lifelong supporter of Plymouth Argyle.
02:23I think that's a very brave thing to admit.
02:25And your ambition is to see them play in the Premier League, so you're expecting a very long life, are
02:30you?
02:31One day, you never know.
02:33If Hull City can get there, then I don't see any reason why Plymouth can't.
02:37OK, James is up against David O'Donnell.
02:39Hi, David.
02:40David is star and Champion of Series 58.
02:42He's played 11 games so far, and he is currently undefeated.
02:47He's from Omar in County Tyrone.
02:49He has an MA in Political Theory, and is currently working as Administrator at his local college.
02:55David almost didn't make his Series Finals at all, as he had a little problem with his passport.
03:01What happened, David?
03:02Well, I assumed I knew where it was, so I didn't bother about it.
03:06And then the night before, I went to get the passport, and it just wasn't there.
03:09Wasn't there a story about the picture as well?
03:11It was refused.
03:13Well, this is...
03:14I had to get a new passport, obviously, so I brought my pictures in.
03:17And they wouldn't accept my pictures, because they said they didn't look human.
03:25It's very hard.
03:27OK, let's meet our guest today.
03:29I tell you what, he could make me fall about in tears of laughter with the use of just a
03:34three-letter word.
03:35Or is it a two-letter word?
03:36I'm not quite sure.
03:37He was, of course, Manuel in Fawlty Towers.
03:39He may be from Barcelona, but he's with us today.
03:42Andrew Sachs, good afternoon to you.
03:49So that word I was talking about was ke?
03:52Yes.
03:52Two letters or three?
03:53Three.
03:54Three letters, OK.
03:55And a question, and an exclamation mark at the beginning and the end.
04:00And amongst all these new faces today, it's great that there's an old head in Dictionary Corner.
04:04And I use the phrase old head metaphorically.
04:07Of course, it's Susie Dent.
04:09Afternoon to you, Susie.
04:10Hello, Dad.
04:15This must all be a bit strange to you as well, all these newcomers, these interlopers.
04:19Well, I'm fantastic to use that, but welcome to you and Rachel.
04:22We're going to have a lot of fun.
04:23Thanks.
04:23Of course, you've been away for a few weeks yourself.
04:25Do you get rusty while you're away?
04:27Someone gave me for Christmas a mini dictionary for my glove compartment.
04:30They obviously thought I was very sad, but no, it's very difficult to turn off in my job
04:34because you're always, you know, listening out for new words.
04:36But rusty, I do get, I have very bad days, as you'll see.
04:39Well, we hope you're going to hold our hand today.
04:41We certainly are.
04:42So let's press on.
04:43It's time to play Countdown.
04:45Let's have our first letters round, and David, it's your first choice.
04:48OK.
04:49Good afternoon, Rachel.
04:50Hi, David.
04:50A vial, please.
04:52Start with E.
04:54And a vial.
04:57O.
04:57And a vial.
05:00Another E.
05:01And a consonant, please.
05:04S.
05:05And consonant.
05:07R.
05:09And a consonant.
05:11Another S.
05:13And a consonant, please.
05:16Another R.
05:20I'll try a consonant.
05:23Another R.
05:24Lovely.
05:25And one more, please.
05:26And another consonant, please.
05:27And the last one, hopefully not an R.
05:29H.
05:30That should be easy, shouldn't it?
05:31Find a word with three R's and two E's and two S's in it.
05:34For the first time, it's my turn to say, here's the Countdown Clock.
05:55And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
05:55And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
05:56And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
05:57And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
05:58And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
05:58And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
06:00And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
06:03And the last one, I'll try to make it a little bit.
06:08tough stars James what have you got about a six six David dodgy seven a dodgy seven well let's have
06:15the six first of all errors errors okay and re-shoes as in to re-shoe a horse as in
06:23a blacksmith let me
06:24have a quick look it would seem to make absolute sense just have to just always err on the side
06:31of
06:31caution with the re-word it's not in I'm afraid David it's not there that's very bad luck all right
06:36errors takes it then six point start James well done to you James he's got six points on the board
06:42and it's his choice of letters hi Rachel hi James I can start with a vowel please you can I
06:48and another
06:50one place and a and another another a and another oh and consonant place and n and another C and
07:07another another n and another one place and m and a final consonant and a final n time starts now
07:28so
07:37so
07:52okay David just six six James six as well okay James what's your six maniac maniac yeah yeah
07:59I've got the same word same word okay anything else guys in dictionary corner at this variation
08:06of the same thing there's manioc as well m-a-n-i-o-c and that's cassava which is type
08:11of flour or starch
08:11used in food okay six points apiece in that one then so James has the advantage leads by 12 points
08:17to six but David it's your choice of letters and the file please start with you and file e file
08:28I
08:28consonant please n consonant x and consonant s and another consonant and f and consonant please
08:50t and I'll finish with a consonant finish with another t and your time starts now
09:01so
09:29okay James
09:31I'm just a six six David likewise just six what's your six David infuse thank you Jim so
09:39you nights you nights you nights excellent yes very good I think it's not in the keel over but
09:46you know in football where you drop your shoulder and you think to go one way oh f-e-i
09:50-n-t-s brilliant
09:51well done okay very good on around for James your choice of letters start with a vowel please so to
09:59start e and another one a and another place e and a fourth i and a consonant place l and
10:15another one d and another
10:20another p and a final consonant place l and a final consonant place l and finish s and here's the
10:32countdown clock
10:36so
11:04David?
11:05Seven.
11:06James?
11:06Seven as well.
11:07Okay, James, what's your seven?
11:08Please.
11:09Okay.
11:10David?
11:11Slopped.
11:12Dictionary corner?
11:13Applied.
11:14Very good.
11:15It's another seven.
11:16All for sevens.
11:17Yes.
11:17Fantastic.
11:18So, it's David 19, James 25.
11:20It's our first numbers game.
11:22David, your choice.
11:23Okay.
11:24Can I please have four large numbers and any two of your choice?
11:27Oh, I thought you might do that.
11:29Of course you can.
11:30Thank you very much.
11:31Okay.
11:32So, champions, the first numbers game for me.
11:34Start with a three, ten, and no surprises.
11:40Fifty, seventy-five, twenty-five, one hundred.
11:46And the target, five hundred and three.
11:49Very nice.
11:50Five, oh, three.
11:52Might manage this.
11:53Here's the clock.
12:24MUSIC CONTINUES
12:53MUSIC CONTINUES
12:56I didn't want to insult you chaps by asking you your method.
13:01OK, James has 35 points and David has 29.
13:07Let's go to our first tale from Dictionary Corner, shall we?
13:10What have you got for us, Andrew?
13:11For the benefit of those who seem to have known me only as a Spanish waiter, I thought I might
13:18introduce myself as a bona fide actor, but not in my own words.
13:23I'm far too modest for that.
13:24I'll use those of a very popular comedian called Billy Bennett from the 1920s who wrote his own monologues.
13:32And this is one of them called My Mother Doesn't Know I'm on the Stage.
13:35It goes like this.
13:37I'm cherishing a secret in my bosom about the dreadful stage life that I lead.
13:43I've heard it said that pros, that's professionals, I've heard it said that pros are decent people, but according to
13:50the papers that I read, both actresses and actors are dead or wrong-uns, whether from the palace or the
13:56Hippodrome.
13:57Now, you folks out here know that I'm an actor, but I never breathe a word of it at home.
14:03I'll tell you exactly why.
14:04It's because of my mother, my dear mother, whom I adore.
14:07You see, my mother doesn't know that I'm an actor.
14:11It would break her poor old heart if she found out.
14:15She knows I am a deserter from the Scottish Fusiliers.
14:18She knows I stole a blind man's can.
14:21That got me seven years.
14:22She knows I am connected to a gang of West End pests, and the police have had me twice inside
14:27the cage.
14:28She knows I mix with ladies who've had a shady past, but my mother doesn't know I'm on the stage.
14:35Sometimes she sees the powder on my clothing, and then it's such a nuisance to explain.
14:40If she thought it was powder, she'd go crazy.
14:43So, of course, I have to tell her it's cocaine.
14:46Well, that makes it all right, you see.
14:48The day she met me out with Gladys Cooper.
14:51Oh, what a star.
14:52What a beauty.
14:53You're aware of her, of course.
14:54She's a friend of mine.
14:56Yes, the day she met us, she started screaming murder and police, and would have caused a dreadful scene in
15:02public.
15:03So, I told her that my girl was Crippen's niece.
15:06Oh, you see.
15:08Yes, I...
15:09Because my mother doesn't know I'm on the stage.
15:12I have to have respect for her old age.
15:14She knows I'm a bigamist, a blaggard, and a crook.
15:17But thank heaven she don't know I'm on the stage.
15:20Thank you so much.
15:26Mr. Chairman, please take over.
15:27Thank you very much, Andrew.
15:29I think after that we just need a momentary pause, don't we?
15:32It's our first tea time.
15:33Teaser has got most appropriate words as well.
15:36Well, the word clue is New Rachel, and it's all about starting again.
15:42It's all about starting again.
15:44See you in a minute.
16:01It's all about starting again.
16:03It was, of course, relaunched, the answer to our first tea time teaser.
16:07It's our first champion of Champions Heat.
16:10At the moment, James has 35 and David has 29.
16:13Here's our next letters game.
16:15James, your choice.
16:16I'll start with a vowel, please.
16:19For you, James, E.
16:21And another one.
16:23Another E.
16:25And another.
16:27Another E.
16:30Preferably not another E, but a vowel, please.
16:32A vowel.
16:33I.
16:34And a consonant.
16:37L.
16:39And another.
16:41F.
16:42And another.
16:45T.
16:46And a fourth.
16:49D.
16:50And a final consonant, please.
16:53Final B.
16:55Just the one I there.
16:57Can't see a lot with that.
17:00Here's the countdown clock.
17:32David, what have you got?
17:33Just a six.
17:34Six.
17:35James?
17:35I'll stick with a six.
17:37Ah, you're tempted, weren't you?
17:38Go on, let's have the six that you're sticking with.
17:41Edible.
17:42Edible.
17:42Yeah, David?
17:43Belief.
17:44Dictionary corner?
17:45You can, there is a seven there, actually.
17:47Fleeted.
17:48And to fleet is to move or pass quickly.
17:51So a variety of expressions, fleeted across his face.
17:54And that's a seven.
17:55OK.
17:56Thanks very much indeed.
17:57James has 41.
17:58David has 35.
18:00But, David, your choice this time.
18:02And a vial, please.
18:03So to start, O.
18:05And another vial.
18:07E.
18:08And a vial.
18:10Another E, our favourite.
18:12We must be running out of those.
18:14Consonant.
18:15M.
18:17Consonant.
18:19D.
18:20Consonant.
18:22K.
18:23And a consonant, please.
18:27Z.
18:30And another consonant, please.
18:33And C.
18:36And the final one.
18:38And I'll finish with a consonant.
18:40Finish with an S.
18:42And your 30 seconds starts now.
18:45And your 30 seconds starts now.
19:15A's and Z's and C's.
19:16Not the easiest bunch, were they?
19:18David, what have you got?
19:19Six again.
19:21OK.
19:22James?
19:22I'll go for seven.
19:24Seven.
19:24Let's see the six first.
19:25Oh, second.
19:26Sorry.
19:27Second.
19:27Sorry.
19:28And the seven?
19:29Encodes.
19:30Encodes.
19:30To put something into code is to encode it.
19:32Very good indeed.
19:33Anything better than that?
19:34That's quite a nice one.
19:35Snekt.
19:36Snekt.
19:36It sounds like a very northern word to me.
19:38And in fact, it is Scottish and Northern English dialect.
19:41It's to close or fasten a door or window with a latch.
19:43OK.
19:44Thank you very much indeed.
19:45It's David, 35.
19:46James, 48.
19:48James, the Plymouth Argyle fan.
19:50Pilgrims, they're called, aren't they?
19:51They are, yes.
19:52Yeah, you're making good progress at the moment.
19:54And it's your selection of letters, James.
19:57Vowel, please.
19:59E for you, James.
20:00And another?
20:02U.
20:04And another?
20:04I.
20:07And a fourth?
20:09O.
20:10And a consonant, please.
20:13C.
20:14And another one?
20:16T.
20:18And another one?
20:21R.
20:23And another one?
20:25M.
20:27And a final consonant?
20:30Final R.
20:32Here's the countdown clock.
20:46MUSIC PLAYS
21:04James?
21:05Just six.
21:06David?
21:07I'll stick with the seven.
21:08Stick with the seven.
21:09OK, let's have the six first.
21:10It's not a very nice one, but rectum.
21:14OK, the seven, David?
21:15Mortis.
21:16Mortis.
21:17Mortis, yes, very good.
21:18As in mortis and tenon, you can spell it with a C or an S.
21:21Anything else at all, Susie?
21:23Yeah, there is an A there, actually.
21:25Courtier.
21:27Courtier in the royal court.
21:29C-O-U-R-T-I-E-R.
21:35On to our next letters round.
21:37And, David, it's your choice.
21:39Vial, please.
21:40To start, A.
21:42Vial.
21:44I.
21:45Vial.
21:47E.
21:48Consonant, please.
21:50G.
21:52Consonant.
21:54W.
21:55And another consonant, please.
21:57T.
21:59Consonant.
22:02P.
22:04And a consonant.
22:07R.
22:09And I'll finish with a consonant, please.
22:11And finish, Y.
22:14And the time starts now.
22:16And the time starts now.
22:46OK.
22:47David, what have you got?
22:48Seven.
22:49James?
22:49Just six.
22:50Let's have the six.
22:52Earwig.
22:53David?
22:54Wiretap.
22:56Absolutely double-check that it is one word.
22:59But I'm pretty hopeful.
23:01Yep, it's there.
23:01Wiretapping is the practice of connecting a listening device to a telephone to monitor conversations secretly.
23:07Wiretap.
23:08Well done.
23:13Susie.
23:14Been digging into the origins of some nice words, haven't we?
23:17Yes.
23:17Just, I thought I'd concentrate on some new words.
23:19Some words for the noughties, as we call them.
23:22And we've heard very much about the carbon footprint this century.
23:25And reduce and reuse and recycling has been the mantra, really.
23:29As we've finally woken up to the modern wasteful life that we lead.
23:33But some of us would ignore, would insist that we've ignored the reducing and reusing bit.
23:38And we've concentrated entirely on recycling.
23:40So the new word, and possibly the new mantra, is going to be pre-cycling.
23:44Not recycling, but pre-cycling.
23:45Which is simply thinking more carefully about the products that you buy and don't buy them in all this packaging.
23:50It sounds very simple, and probably a lot of people have been doing it for ages.
23:53But I think pre-cycling, as a word, is likely to take off.
23:56And forget footprint, pre-cycling is where we're going now.
23:59OK.
24:00Thanks very much, Dave.
24:00On to round tennis.
24:02Very close.
24:02David has 49 points, and James has 48.
24:07James, it's a numbers game, and it's your choice.
24:10Can I have six more numbers, please?
24:12From anywhere, James?
24:13Wherever you like.
24:14Wherever.
24:14Oh, thank you.
24:15Right.
24:15One.
24:19OK, six small ones.
24:22We have three, seven, nine, six, ten, and one.
24:32Nice range.
24:34And target 690.
24:37690, then.
24:39Let's see if we can get it.
24:40Here's this clock.
24:49Here's this clock.
25:10I can tell you they're both sitting here grinning like Cheshire cats.
25:13I suspect they've both got it.
25:15James?
25:16Yeah, 690.
25:17David?
25:17690.
25:18OK, David, will you tell us the 690?
25:19Yeah, 9, 7s are 63.
25:21They are indeed.
25:229 times 7 is 63.
25:24Plus the 6.
25:25Plus the 6 is 69.
25:28And then multiply by 10.
25:29By the 10.
25:30Very good.
25:30I can see why you're a champion.
25:33And the same?
25:34The same way, yeah.
25:35All right.
25:36OK, well, it's still mighty close, isn't it?
25:38David, 59.
25:39James, 58.
25:41We're going to take a short break.
25:42Here's our second tea time teaser.
25:44And the words are clad sign.
25:47The clue?
25:48Tell somebody off.
25:49They're in very hot water.
26:06Yeah, tell somebody off.
26:08They're in very hot water.
26:09Our tea time teaser.
26:10The answer was scalding.
26:12Well, we have a red hot contest at the moment.
26:14David has 59.
26:15And James has 58.
26:18On with the letters games.
26:19David, your selection.
26:20A vial, please.
26:23A.
26:24A vial.
26:26I.
26:27And a third vial.
26:29U.
26:31Consonant.
26:32R.
26:34Consonant.
26:36L.
26:37Another consonant, please.
26:39N.
26:41And a consonant.
26:43Another R.
26:45I'll have a vial this time, please.
26:48O.
26:50And I'll finish with a consonant, please.
26:54A final T.
26:56And here is the countdown clock.
26:58I.opolit.
27:02D카로.
27:05If a sai.
27:11A consonant. E
27:12it. I'll finish.
27:13You canだ.
27:15It's theo.
27:16It's the wine.
27:17You can". I'd
27:17kick you out.
27:18I'll finish with it.
27:18it. Yes. I'll finish with
27:29James, how many have you got?
27:31Seven.
27:32David?
27:32Seven as well.
27:33Shall we hear your seven first, David?
27:35Reonite.
27:36Reonite, yeah.
27:37Yeah, same.
27:38Yes, I think you've been watching Countdown, haven't you?
27:41Because it's a very Countdown word.
27:42It's an American word, actually.
27:43Obviously, something that's cancelled because of rain is a rainout.
27:46It is getting down to the nitty-gritty, isn't it?
27:4911 rounds.
27:50David's 66.
27:52James, 65.
27:53Almost impossible to separate them.
27:55Here's the next letters game.
27:56And, James, your turn.
27:58Have a vowel, please.
27:59You can, James.
28:01O.
28:02And another one.
28:05A.
28:06And another one.
28:08U.
28:09And a fourth one, please.
28:11O.
28:13And a consonant.
28:15B.
28:17And another one.
28:19And V.
28:21And a third, please.
28:24N.
28:25And a fourth.
28:28D.
28:30And a final consonant, please.
28:33And S.
28:3530 seconds starts now.
28:37Ooh, good.
28:38OK.
29:05And i'll see you next time.
29:06Bye.
29:06Bye.
29:06James seven David seven as well okay James let's have your seven first abounds abounds
29:18yep I've got feeling Susie you can't do any better than that can you no abounds abounds
29:22literally anything more I'm afraid okay seven points apiece 73 to 72 and David it's your choice
29:30and file place to start a and another vile I and a third vile Oh consonant place h and another
29:44consonant d and a consonant t and a consonant s and another consonant place m
29:59and I'll finish with a consonant place final l here comes the clock
30:38okay James seven David and alternate let's have a seven first hostile hostile and the eight you're
30:47going to try David F mods ETH mo ideas could you spell that for me David it's an ETH mo
30:56ideas you
30:57know it's there I've never heard of it brilliant it's an anatomical word a square bone at the root
31:01of the nose David has the advantage 81 points to 72 okay on to the numbers game it's a key
31:17numbers
31:17game as well and James it's your choice I'll go one large please one large and five small thank you
31:25very much so we'll start where three one six five ten and a large 75 target 554 554
31:49so
31:58so
31:59so
32:17okay David yeah I think a 554 James yeah 554
32:22should we hear your 554 then version of it David and 10 minus 3 is 7 10 minus 3
32:29is 7 plus 1 is 8 plus 1 gives you 8 75 minus 5 is 70 75 minus the 5
32:37equals 70
32:398 70s are 560 they are indeed 560 and you've got a 6 left over and on the 6
32:46no you don't you take away the 6
32:49oh dear
32:56James same method no different started the same 10 minus 3 is 7
33:01yeah 10 minus 3 is 7 times 75 times 75 equals 5 to 5 6 times 5 is 30 6
33:12times 5
33:13equals 30 add that on and then take the one away and you take away the one yes
33:17you do very good
33:2310 points each David has 91 points James has 82 it's the first of our champion of
33:31champions heats and it's coming this I can hardly bear to watch fingers on the
33:36buzzers because this is a critical countdown conundrum please reveal today's
33:42countdown conundrum
33:47is it courtism courtism let's have a look
34:00fantastic your speciality conundrums in are they it's the worst part about it's the
34:04bit I hit really hits I can't stand them it took you at least a second to get that
34:07yeah that's really not usual what it means is that our first champion of
34:12champions heat has been won by David 101 point James has 82 so many
34:17congratulations to David and commiserations to James James I have to
34:22tell you that you will take away our glass countdown clock which is going to be
34:27very useful for you because you can count the minutes till Plymouth Argyle win
34:30promotion to the Premier League and the good news is it does come with a lifetime
34:35guarantee
34:39congratulations to our winner David who's into the quarterfinals he'll be back
34:44for that a week on Thursday thanks very much indeed Andrew and Susie Andrew do you
34:51have a favorite episode of faulty towers you're the one about the hamster because I
34:57was a rat what it was a rat it was a filigree Siberian hamster because I had
35:04more to do in that episode than any other I love gourmet night was well I've never
35:09looked at duck in the same way ever since fantastic um Rachel how have you enjoyed it
35:17oh it's great I've got some very very good contestants here so I didn't have to do much
35:21work today did I what would your friends at Oxford University say oh they're all very
35:25excited hopefully they'll have it on in the bar and they'll be watching every day they better
35:28be don't drink do they use universities good lord coffee in the bar yeah okay we'll see
35:33David a week on Thursday well done him commiserations to James hope you enjoyed it bye bye now
35:50Jeff and Rachel back tomorrow at 3 25 and the return of another new series Wogan's perfect recall at
35:56five and that's followed at 5 30 by yet another new series celebrity come dine with me featuring
36:02Rodney Marsh Abby Titmuss and Paul Ross coming up next here on four it's deal or no deal
36:08you
36:09you
36:10you