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This episode's repeat was broadcast on Wednesday 13th May 2020.
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00:13Good afternoon and welcome to the countdown studio spot on 240 because we cannot keep you
00:20waiting and we certainly can't keep our live audience here waiting when we last kept them
00:26waiting they became restless and a certain air of menace appeared so we're very very keen on always
00:33being spot-on time but apparently not everybody's so concerned about that in fact reporters recently
00:39observed that nearly 600,000 people a day turn up late for work they turn up when they're ready
00:48and that according to this report amazingly cost the economy nine billion pounds every year and
00:55one in ten apparently people are late for a job interview can you imagine anything more insulting
01:02to a prospective employer than you pitch up late it's not very good is it it's appalling how's that
01:08throat of yours not very good either it's actually rather charming Rachel now then are you a punctual
01:16sort of girl what do you think Nick I think you're pretty good no you're being very kind I'm notoriously
01:24bad actually oh no I'm with you I'll rock up at the last minute it always works out okay in
01:28the end
01:28exactly now who's rocked up to join us here today none other than Andrew Hulme professional poker
01:36player from Nottingham you jet over to Vegas do they send a private plane for you no I'm afraid not
01:42no
01:42do they put you up free no no they don't do that either all right but they haven't warned you
01:46off
01:46yet not yet not all right listen you uh you're a runner-up from 2009 how are you feeling today
01:53with
01:53your poker face I'm feeling like it's probably a good chance I'll be runner-up again I think today
01:57no don't be be so modest well you are up against having said that Stephen Briars a student of
02:03criminology at Southampton and you just finished writing a book a novel yeah brilliant now you've got a
02:10fair reputation actually you were a 2006 octo champ and you scored a whopping 136 in my short tenure
02:19here 136 nowhere near I think 117 was the top Rachel 136 is pretty extraordinary it's pretty good yeah
02:27fantastic brilliant and in 2009 you won countdowns champion of champions mini series so welcome
02:35welcome both of you Stephen and our poker playing Andrew Hulme well now Susie here we go here we go
02:48hot shots here yeah and you're joined as ever by Martin Martin Lewis who is just well I think he's
02:55the
02:55consumers champion I think he's a great guy um for a number of reasons because at a very young age
03:00you
03:00started that extraordinary uh website yes how old was I it was 2003 February so I was 31 31 when
03:09I
03:09started to sign yes actually I'd been the money saving expert for a couple of years and it was a
03:14no-brainer to start a website I had all this research all this stuff sitting there and I thought well
03:19I
03:19may as well put it out there and just uh set up the website way back then but I'd already
03:23been doing
03:23the job before that good for you you keep plugging away there he's done a great great job but now
03:28it's
03:28time to turn our attention to you Andrew because it's a letters game and we're giving it to you
03:33kick it off hi Rachel hi again Andrew can have a consonant please can thank you start with T and
03:40another S and another N vowel please I and another U and another O consonant please P and another S
04:02and
04:02and a final vowel please and a final I and here's the countdown clock
04:12so
04:24so
04:39Andrew?
04:41Seven.
04:42Seven.
04:43Stephen?
04:44Seven also.
04:45OK, Andrew?
04:46Pistons.
04:47Pistons, very good.
04:48Stephen?
04:48Poussant.
04:49Poussant.
04:50Poussant?
04:51Poussant, little chicken?
04:52The chicken, exactly, that you can have in posh restaurants.
04:55Absolutely fine, both.
04:57Very good.
04:57Now then, Martin?
04:59No, I haven't got anything, and with those two champions,
05:01I'm a little chicken of what we're going to be facing for the rest of the day,
05:03to be honest with you.
05:04All right.
05:05Very good.
05:06Seven all.
05:06Well done.
05:07Stephen, our criminologist.
05:09Off you go.
05:10Hello, Rachel.
05:11Hi, Stephen.
05:12Can I have a consonant, please?
05:13You can, thank you.
05:14Start with L.
05:15And another.
05:18N.
05:19And a consonant.
05:21W.
05:22And another consonant.
05:24D.
05:26A vowel, please.
05:28A.
05:29And another.
05:30O.
05:32Another vowel, please.
05:34E.
05:35A consonant.
05:37T.
05:39And a final vowel, please.
05:41And a final A.
05:44And it's clock time.
06:01And a final vowel, please.
06:02And a final vowel, please.
06:02And a final vowel, please.
06:03And a final vowel, please.
06:03And a final vowel, please.
06:03And a final vowel, please.
06:03And a final vowel, please.
06:04And a final vowel, please.
06:04And a final vowel, please.
06:04And a final vowel, please.
06:04And a final vowel, please.
06:05And a final vowel, please.
06:05And a final vowel, please.
06:06And a final vowel, please.
06:11And a final vowel, please.
06:16Yes, Steven seven and Andrew seven off thinking you think all right we'll find out shortly Steven talon talon
06:25Same word two talons. Yeah. Yep. Very good
06:29Birds need to it's French for high heel. You know how long how long? Yeah? Yeah. Yeah. Now what else
06:35we got there?
06:36We were hoping for that but we were let down
06:40Well, these are not letting each other down 14 or as we go into the third letters game Andrew
06:47Consonant please. Thank you, Andrew. N and another
06:53C and another oh
06:57Vowel please I
07:00And another you and another oh
07:06Consonant please
07:08T
07:09Vowel
07:12A and a final consonant, please and final M
07:17Stand by
07:20T
07:20T
07:21T
07:21T
07:21T
07:22T
07:22T
07:22T
07:52All right. Andrew? Romantic.
07:55Romantic. Stephen?
07:56Curation. Curation?
07:58Yes. What a curate will do is looking after something, essentially.
08:02I'm pretty sure that's absolutely fine.
08:05I'll double-check for you.
08:07Yes, it's in. Well done.
08:09Very good. Well done.
08:12Now, then, what news from the Rialto over there?
08:15Martin?
08:15My cranium couldn't touch that. It's only a seven.
08:19All right. Anything else?
08:20Very good. There is a manitou, which is quite nice.
08:22Amongst certain North American Indians, it's a good or an evil spirit.
08:26A manitou.
08:26A manitou?
08:27Yeah.
08:28Very good. 22 all. Pretty good stuff here. Letters.
08:31Stephen?
08:33Consonant, please.
08:34Thank you, Stephen.
08:36L.
08:36And another.
08:39T.
08:40And another.
08:42Zed.
08:43And one more.
08:46T.
08:47Vowel, please.
08:48I.
08:50Another vowel.
08:53U.
08:54Another vowel.
08:57O.
08:58A consonant.
09:01S.
09:02And a final consonant, please.
09:06And a final R.
09:08Tick-tock time.
09:11Tick-tock time.
09:13Tick-tock time.
09:13Tick-tock time.
09:18Tick-tock time.
09:18Tick-tock time.
09:20Tick-tock time.
09:21Tick-tock time.
09:22Tick-tock time.
09:22Tick-tock time.
09:23Tick-tock time.
09:24Tick-tock time.
09:24Tick-tock time.
09:25Tick-tock time.
09:26Tick-tock time.
09:27Tick-tock time.
09:27Tick-tock time.
09:28Tick-tock time.
09:28Tick-tock time.
09:30Tick-tock time.
09:33Tick-tock time.
09:40Stephen, six.
09:42And Andrew?
09:43I will say six as well.
09:46All right.
09:47Stephen?
09:47Stolid.
09:48Stolid.
09:50Troils.
09:51It sounds like a really good northern dialect word.
09:55Um, oh, it's actually not there.
09:59Troilism is, but I won't go into what that is,
10:01because it's rather rude.
10:02But not in.
10:04I'm afraid.
10:05Sorry.
10:06Very good.
10:0728-22, Sir Stephens, in the lead as we come to a numbers game.
10:11I'll have six more ones, please.
10:13Six more.
10:13I thought you might say that.
10:14I remember you being pretty good at the numbers, Andrew.
10:16Hopefully that hasn't changed.
10:18It might well have.
10:19But the first time today, the numbers are seven, one, six, nine, four,
10:27and five.
10:28And the target, 380.
10:31380.
10:59We'll see you next time.
11:00We'll see you next time.
11:02Andrew?
11:03I think I've got 380, but it's not written down.
11:06And Stephen?
11:07No, it's 382.
11:08382.
11:09All right, let's hear from you, Andrew.
11:11Eight, sorry, seven plus one is eight.
11:13Seven plus one, eight.
11:14Times nine is 72.
11:16Yeah.
11:17Plus four is 76.
11:1976.
11:20Times by five.
11:21Well done.
11:21380.
11:23Well done.
11:23Well done indeed.
11:24Well done, Andrew.
11:29So, Andrew, 32 to Stephen's 28.
11:33But now it's time for Martin.
11:36Martin.
11:37I was basking in having got that myself, I must be honest.
11:39I was miles away there.
11:40Oh, man.
11:41Slightly different route.
11:42But anyway.
11:42OK.
11:43Question.
11:44Another question for you.
11:45Susie, this one's yours.
11:46Very simple multiple choice.
11:48If you're setting up a payment each month and you're asked to provide the long number on
11:54your debit card, so the long one, is it A, a recurring payment, B, a direct debit, C,
12:02a standing order, or D, could it be any of the three?
12:07Um, a direct debit.
12:10It is not a direct debit.
12:12Nick.
12:14Any one of the three.
12:15Wrong.
12:16Come on, Rachel.
12:18I'll go for the first one then.
12:20Correct.
12:20Well done, Rachel.
12:21Well done.
12:21It is a recurring payment and it's actually a really important thing for everybody.
12:24to understand.
12:25A direct debit is something that you set up from your bank account, with your bank account
12:30number, and therefore you have lots of rights to enable you to cancel it.
12:33A standing order is where you actually arrange from your bank to pay somebody a specific amount
12:38each month.
12:38A recurring payment comes from a card.
12:40It could be a debit or credit card.
12:42If they take the long number.
12:43Now, the problem is, traditionally, you set these up and you are unable to cancel them.
12:48Only the company you set them up with, and there's been many problems, certainly in
12:52the internet generation of people making transactions for, whether it's for information, websites
12:56or other types of websites and other things, television companies that you can't cancel.
13:01Now, they changed the law on this in 2009, so that if you have set up a recurring payment,
13:06you can go to your bank and tell them to cancel it.
13:09But, many bank staff don't know this.
13:12So, you try and cancel, they tell you you can't.
13:15We're having huge problems communicating the fact that you can now.
13:18So, my information to people out there.
13:21First of all, be very careful.
13:22If they want the long number and it's a regular payment, see if there's another way that you
13:26can pay.
13:26If you have to do it, know that if you want to cancel, you have a right.
13:30If the bank staff tell you you have to go to the company, they're wrong.
13:32Tell them I said they're wrong.
13:34If that doesn't work, you can take them to the financial ombudsman and it will be sorted.
13:38But, recurring payments aren't the same as direct debits or standing orders.
13:42They're nowhere near as good and if you can, avoid.
13:46Avoid.
13:47Very, very good advice.
13:52Very, very good indeed.
13:53But now it's time for a tea time teaser.
13:55And what is this teaser?
13:57It's Merge Toy.
13:58And the clue, have I got a pot of news for you?
14:02Have I got a pot of news for you?
14:20Welcome back.
14:21I left you with the clue, have I got a pot of news for you?
14:25And the answer, unsurprisingly, is geometry.
14:30Geometry.
14:31Now, if you'd like to become a Countdown contestant, you can email Countdown at Channel4.com to request an application
14:38form or write to us at Contestants Applications, Countdown Leads, LS3, 1J, S.
14:4732 to 28, Stephen on 28.
14:50And Stephen, it's your letters game.
14:53Constance, please, Rachel.
14:54Thank you, Stephen.
14:56G.
14:57And another one.
15:00And another one.
15:02F.
15:04And another.
15:06K.
15:08A vowel, please.
15:10E.
15:11And another vowel.
15:14A.
15:15And one more.
15:17O.
15:19A consonant.
15:21D.
15:23And a final vowel, please.
15:24And a final U.
15:27And they're off.
15:29This one.
15:29Zils
15:29The spoke山.
15:31You.
15:51And a vowel.
15:51The angel.
15:51And a coarse.
15:51The eight gew отно, this ten one.
15:56And aaron.
15:57When does a beast.
15:57They're học.
15:57The two.
15:57They're off.
15:58Steven five and Andrew five right Steven and joked joked uh judged judge judge judge yeah
16:09joked and judge yes and in the corner Martin just fives all around faked was in there as well all
16:16right a struggle nasty combination of letters very not didn't have two consonants that could
16:20be put together to to give you out there at all yeah nothing else all right 37 plays 33 still
16:27pretty close-run thing here as I turn to you Andrew a consonant please thank you Andrew T and another
16:36s and another n vowel please e and another a and another you vowel again please another e
16:55continent T and a final vowel please and a final a and it's countdown
17:09so
17:40nauseate nauseate oh yep same both nauseous over here any more nausea
17:50no the quality of play is absolutely fantastic yes it is making us sick
17:56yes very nauseating there was a seven there tetanus tetanus tetanus
18:00very good well done 45 plays uh steven's 41 and steven it's your letters game uh consonant please
18:08thank you thank you thank you thank you steven m and another c and another e and another p and
18:22one more
18:23please m a vowel e another vowel o another vowel i and a final vowel please and a final e
18:43stand by
18:45time
18:48so
18:57so
19:15Now, then, Stephen, six. Andrew?
19:19I'll try six as well, then.
19:21Yep, Stephen?
19:22Become.
19:24Become. Andrew?
19:25This is probably completely rubbish, but compie?
19:28Oh, compie.
19:30Somebody who enters lots of competitions.
19:32It's ringing a bell.
19:33I'm not sure if it's with the IE.
19:34We call those compers.
19:35Oh, maybe it is compers.
19:37That's one of my subjects.
19:39Yeah.
19:40Compers are people who enter lots of competitions, do it professionally.
19:42Lots of software out there now that you can use for doing that,
19:45so you can enter many competitions at a time
19:48and go and enter them, filling in your names and addresses,
19:50and that way you increase your win percentage.
19:52Compers.
19:53I don't know if... Is that in there?
19:54Compers, not in there.
19:55No, it's comping.
19:55Well, it should be.
19:56Very good.
19:57What else have we got over there?
19:59Um, commie.
20:01Yeah?
20:02Commie's only a short for communist.
20:04Yeah, absolutely.
20:04Another six.
20:0547, says Stephen's, ahead by two points over Andrew.
20:10And, Andrew, it's letters game.
20:12A consonant, please.
20:13Thank you, Andrew.
20:15X.
20:16And another.
20:18D.
20:19And another.
20:25And a final consonant, please.
20:37And a final G.
20:47Stand by.
20:50Stand by.
21:18MUSIC CONTINUES
21:21Uh, just five.
21:23And Stephen?
21:24Uh, a dodgy five.
21:26Andrew's five.
21:27Goads.
21:28Goads, yeah.
21:30Stephen?
21:30I'm hoping fades with an eye, but it's probably rubbish.
21:34Let's have a look.
21:38Um, no, it's not there, I'm afraid.
21:42Sorry, Stephen.
21:42That's OK.
21:43Not there at all.
21:44Bad luck, bad luck.
21:45What else have you got there?
21:46Martin?
21:47Susie, why don't you say what it is?
21:48Uh, well, it's gasify, which is when a solid or liquid becomes a gas.
21:54Becomes gaseous.
21:55Yes, becomes gaseous.
21:56Gasify, well dashed.
21:57Very good.
21:58Now then, Andrew's back in the lead by three points, 50 to 47.
22:01Now then, Susie, it is your time.
22:04The nation is at your knee.
22:07Well, um, one of the things that the contestants have been doing a lot recently, given that
22:11they're such champions, is, um, stealing our thunder over here.
22:14And I was going to talk about the origin of, um, that curious expression.
22:17And it might make you think of gods, um, exacting some terrible revenge on another deity in
22:23the sky.
22:24But the origin is much, much closer to home, um, albeit quite old.
22:28And it's all to do with stage machinery in theatres.
22:31The ancient Greek, um, invented the deus ex machina, or machina, um, which was a god
22:37lowered from the skies, if you like, um, to resolve the whole problem that had emerged
22:44in the drama.
22:45Um, and that was the very, very traditional form of, of the denouement, if you like, of
22:49the, um, of the play.
22:50But from the Renaissance, stage machinery became a little bit more ambitious.
22:54And, um, in 1638, there was a wonderful method for creating thunder, which was, uh, a case
23:00of wooden stairs suspended over a stage into which several iron balls, probably weighing
23:05about 30 pounds, uh, were released.
23:07And as they rolled down this channel, they created the sound of thunder.
23:11But as you can imagine, it was probably a pretty hairy business for both the audience and for
23:16the players.
23:17So something a little bit more sophisticated was needed.
23:20And in 1709, uh, a playwright called John Dennis premiered one of his plays in Drury
23:26Lane, the Drury Lane Theatre in London.
23:29Uh, sadly, the play was a flop and it quickly closed.
23:32And it's said that a few weeks later, he went to see, um, a new production that was being
23:36put on at Drury Lane, and that was Macbeth.
23:38Uh, he, he watched it, um, open-mouthed because he saw that the very complicated machine that
23:44he'd created in order to, um, produce the sound of thunder had been nicked, literally,
23:48by the, um, producers of Macbeth.
23:51And his words are variously reported, but in one version, he says, that is my thunder
23:55by God.
23:56The villains will play my thunder, but not my play.
23:59And, uh, it's quite unusual for an idiom so that we can trace it right back to a very
24:03quirky event.
24:04But, um, but that was it.
24:05And stealing my thunder goes back to his flop, sadly.
24:08Brilliant.
24:08Lovely story.
24:10Very good.
24:12Very, very good.
24:14Well done, Susie.
24:15Now then, 50 to 47.
24:18Andrew Beckham lead, and it's, uh, Stephen's numbers game.
24:21So there's Rachel, waiting for you.
24:24Um, can I have one large and the rest small, please?
24:26You can.
24:26Thank you, Stephen.
24:27One large one.
24:28Five small ones.
24:29This neck and neck contest.
24:30And for this round, the five little ones are eight, seven, eight, six, and one.
24:40And the large one, 25.
24:42And the target, 130.
24:45130.
24:46130.
25:17Well done, Andrew.
25:20All right, Stephen.
25:21Uh, did 25 plus one.
25:2325 plus one.
25:2426.
25:25Eight minus six is two.
25:27Yep.
25:28Um, seven minus that two gives five.
25:31Yeah.
25:32And multiply the two together.
25:3326 times five, 130.
25:35Very good.
25:35And Andrew?
25:36Uh, I've done this in a pretty strange way for some reason, but seven plus six is 13.
25:41Yeah, I did it that way.
25:41Seven plus six, 13.
25:43Uh, times eight is 104.
25:44Oh, I didn't do it that way.
25:45104.
25:47Uh, plus 25 plus one.
25:49Plus 25 plus one.
25:50130, game well done.
25:51There you go.
25:52Well done, both.
25:56Same difference as we go into a tea time teaser, which is irate mum.
26:02And the clue, mum's irate.
26:03She's had enough of this sort of behaviour.
26:06Mum's irate.
26:07She's had enough of this sort of behaviour.
26:26Welcome back.
26:27I left you with a clue.
26:28Mum's irate.
26:29She's had enough of this sort of behaviour.
26:31And what sort of behaviour?
26:34Immature behaviour.
26:35Immature.
26:3560 to 57, Andrew in the lead.
26:40And Andrew's turn.
26:41Let us go.
26:42Consonant, please.
26:43Thank you, Andrew.
26:45R.
26:46And another.
26:48T.
26:49And a third.
26:51G.
26:52A vowel, please.
26:55A.
26:56And another.
26:58E.
26:59And a third.
27:02I.
27:03Consonant, please.
27:05C.
27:07A consonant again, please.
27:10S.
27:11And a final consonant, please.
27:15And a final.
27:16Teeth.
27:17And they're off.
27:21Yeah.
27:49Yes, Andrew?
27:50Nine.
27:51Good. Stephen?
27:52Eight.
27:53And your eight?
27:55Agrestic.
27:55Thank you. And Andrew?
27:57Strategic.
27:58Strategic.
27:59Super.
27:59Yeah, I've heard of that.
28:00Super. Well done.
28:01Very well done.
28:05Very well done.
28:07Good call, Andrew.
28:08And in the corner, Martin?
28:10I'll tell you what agrestic it is.
28:11It's rustical, rural.
28:13It's related to agriculture.
28:14Very good.
28:15Thank you for that.
28:16Anything else?
28:17Martin?
28:18No, we're not going to beat a nine.
28:21All right.
28:22Scattier, which is what they make us feel.
28:24Scattier.
28:25Scattier.
28:25Yeah.
28:26All right.
28:26Well, 78 now to 57.
28:29And, Stephen, your call.
28:31Consonant, please, Rachel.
28:32Thank you, Stephen.
28:34R.
28:35And another one.
28:37Q.
28:38And another.
28:40N.
28:41And another.
28:44R.
28:45A vowel, please.
28:47E.
28:47And another.
28:50A.
28:51And another.
28:53I.
28:55A consonant.
28:57P.
28:58And a final consonant, please.
29:01And a final N.
29:03And here comes the big hand.
29:04And a second.
29:05forbidden.
29:32I totally don't open it.
29:35Steven seven seven Andrew seven right Steven pannier pannier and Andrew same
29:42word two panniers one either side and in the corner we also have pannier as
29:48well all right well done very good 85 plays 64 a letters game Andrew constant
29:54please thank you Andrew T and another L and another see a vowel e and another a
30:11and another a consonant please B and another T and a final
30:24vowel please and a final oh and it's countdown
31:01Andrew eight and eight Steven seven and your seven belated belated Andrew a dead
31:09bolt dead bolt if it's there is it going to be two words or one it's one word well
31:23done it's simply both engaged by turning a knob or a key rather than by spring
31:27action I see yeah well done Andrew that's perfect 93 to 64 and the else over there
31:33lots and lots of sevens other otherwise bleated debated belated all right very
31:38good indeed well done Andrew as we move towards the end of today's business and
31:43it's a numbers game and it'll be Steven call um I'll just go one large and five
31:48small again please thank you Steven again one from the top and five small ones for
31:53the last time today and for this round they are ten seven two one three and the
32:02large one twenty five and your target four hundred and seventy two four seven two
32:11so
32:23so
32:24so
32:38Stephen 470 well done Andrew yeah 472 okay Stephen I did 10 plus 7 plus 2 19
32:4810 plus 7 plus 2 19 multiplied by 25 475 and then minus a 3 well done 470 very good
32:56Andrew
32:573 times 7 is 21 3 7 is 21 plus 25 plus 25 is 46 46 plus 1 is 47
33:05yeah times 10 is 470 and add on the 2
33:08well done again 470 well done I see that Andrew has topped the 100 with 103 to Stephen 74 but
33:22now it is
33:22conundrum time so fingers on buzzers and let's please reveal today's countdown conundrum
33:30Andrew how could you take this reputable reputable let's have a look excellent
33:45very very good Andrew as good as they come actually in this series yeah brilliant well done 113 to 74
33:52but Stephen back to your criminology studies at Southampton University dragging behind you this
33:58magnificent trophy now tell me this what you can be doing when you've graduated in your
34:04criminology degree um I don't know hopefully going to a police or perhaps training to be a solicitor
34:13something in the law enforcement field good good luck thank you now then Andrew that was a cracking
34:18score 113 brilliant stuff thanks very much brilliant stuff from the poker player we'll see you shortly
34:24will do look forward to it great performance well done good wasn't he stunning absolutely stunning
34:29brilliant and that makes does it humble you about him oh especially the conundrum at the end it it's
34:35quite exceptional I was just starting to read it when you've got the answer I know I'm glad the
34:40audience are laughing because I feel you've you were with me on that we haven't actually got that far
34:45it's it's incredibly impressive how the brain works that way absolutely there must be a trick
34:49there's gotta be a trick without they don't come much quicker than that look forward to seeing you
34:53tomorrow both of you and see you tomorrow see you tomorrow oh yeah I love it really I look for
35:00I look
35:01forward to seeing you all tomorrow same time same place you'll be sure of it good afternoon
35:18examining the model which made South Korea's response super effective from testing and the
35:24tracing the country that beat the virus what can Britain learn here tonight at nine next this
35:30afternoon a place and the sun
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