00:31Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown studio on Friday the 11th of January.
00:37Now, by way of a change, I asked our research department to have a look at other 11th of Januaries
00:43in years past.
00:44And they've come up with some rather interesting things.
00:47For instance, on the 11th of January 1986, there were a number of notable events.
00:52One of them was that a team led by the Brit Robert Swan completed the longest unassisted march in history
00:58by arriving at the South Pole safely.
01:02Another notable event that day, Manchester United beat Oxford United 3-1 away.
01:08A highlight, perhaps, Rachel, in Man United's illustrious history.
01:12No?
01:13Yeah, that was a good one.
01:15Oh, was it? Oxford?
01:17The Pet Shop Boys were number one with West End Girls.
01:21And another, perhaps more significant for any of us here and anybody associated with the Countdown show,
01:28was that on that very day, a young South End girl was born.
01:34And this little lady would grow up to become the most intelligent, beautiful, warm, compassionate, caring young woman on British
01:45television.
01:46And it's you, Rachel Riley.
01:48I didn't know Helen Mirren was 27 today.
01:51Anyway, a very happy birthday to Rachel Riley.
01:54And a big round of applause for Rachel.
01:55Happy birthday.
02:02Now then, who have we got with us?
02:03Today we've got Mark Turnoff, a resource developer and teacher of English to overseas students from Horsham in West Sussex.
02:11And you're a novelist too, I think.
02:13That's right.
02:13And you've written two fiction books and a non-fiction?
02:16Yes, that's correct.
02:17And published?
02:18Yes, all of them.
02:19Good for you.
02:20And what was the non-fiction one about?
02:22It was about Countdown.
02:23Oh, was it?
02:24That's a very valuable...
02:26Is it still in print?
02:27Yes, it is.
02:28It's called Crucial.
02:29Right.
02:30We'll rush out and find that.
02:31Because I think that you won your Countdown series way back in 2004 after spotting the Crucial conundrum.
02:38Yes.
02:39Right at the end of the 30 seconds.
02:40How many seconds left?
02:42Three.
02:42That's pretty tight.
02:43Very good.
02:44Very, very good indeed.
02:45And you're joined today by Nick Deller, who was last here, I think, 19 years ago.
02:50Is that right, Nick?
02:50That's absolutely right.
02:51And you're from Godman, Chester in Huntingdon, and you represented the UK several times at
02:57the World's Sudoku and Puzzle Champions.
03:00Absolutely so.
03:02In fact, I had actually encountered the Sudoku puzzle probably before almost anybody else in
03:08the country as a result of that.
03:10Oh, you should have got a licence or something for it.
03:12Oh, if only I'd thought of it.
03:14I'd be a rich man now.
03:15Well, never mind, you're a rich man in the sense that you're here in the Countdown studio
03:19playing Mark Tornhoff today.
03:21So a big round of applause for Nick and Mark.
03:28And Susie, hey, it's the weekend.
03:31It's the weekend coming.
03:32I'm looking forward to today because Mark, I remember well, I didn't meet Nick though when
03:35he was on, so it was a good contest.
03:38Very good indeed.
03:39And you are joined, of course, by Dave.
03:41Last day, Dave.
03:42I know it's been fun this week.
03:44It's been a wonderful week.
03:45Some amazing competitors as well.
03:46I mean, lots of scores over 100.
03:49And some, you know, it's exciting stuff.
03:52Brilliant stuff.
03:53Brilliant stuff.
03:54And you're now floating off, and soon you'll be back on the road, kicking your tour off
03:59in Durham in February, is that right?
04:01Yeah, mid-February we go back on the road.
04:03It's a stage show we do, and we've been doing 90 nights around the country.
04:06We did about 50 before Christmas, took a break, and then we're back on the road till mid-April.
04:12So all the details are on our website, Harry Bikers.
04:15Excellent.
04:16Now then, Mark, would you be good enough to kick off the proceedings here today?
04:20Sorry, Nick.
04:21Hello, Rachel.
04:22Hi, Mark.
04:22Could I have a consonant to begin with, please?
04:25Start today with S.
04:28And a vowel.
04:30A.
04:32And a consonant.
04:35N.
04:37And a vowel, please.
04:40U.
04:41And a consonant.
04:44C.
04:45And a vowel.
04:48I.
04:50And a consonant.
04:52Q.
04:54And another consonant, please.
04:57S.
04:58And a vowel, please.
04:59And the last one.
05:01E.
05:02And it's the countdown clock.
05:03The.
05:04Y.
05:05And a overlapping.
05:33And a vowel.
05:34Now then mark try seven a seven Nick. I'll go for a seven as well. All right mark on cases
05:41Yes, and Nick. I've got Quincy's
05:45Uncases Quincy's Susie yes happy with both of those anything else Dave
05:50The only other thing we've got is sequins on seven very good seven all well done and Nick would you
05:56be good enough?
05:57It's a letters game certainly hi, Rachel. Hi Nick. Can I have a consonant, please? Thank you start with D
06:03And another consonant
06:05T and another consonant
06:09C and vowel please I
06:14Another vowel oh
06:17another vowel a
06:21Consonant ah
06:25Another consonant please s and
06:29And one more consonant, please and the last one and and it's stand by
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