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00:31Hello, everybody. Happy New Year to you and welcome to the first show of Year 41 of the national treasure
00:38that is Countdown.
00:39And we begin with such a bang. The best players of the last five years coming together for a champion
00:46of champions.
00:48Watch live, record it, catch up with it, but just do not miss it because, Rachel Riley, the storylines are
00:57unbelievable.
00:57You know the 16 players who will be taking each other on over the next three weeks of Countdown.
01:03What's your favourite storyline?
01:05I think the best one is that we've got a husband and wife playing. Not each other, but if they
01:10both win their first match, then they will be playing each other.
01:13If you were to take on Pasha on Countdown, how much of a point lead would you give him to
01:20make a competitor?
01:21Oh, I mean, that's so cruel, isn't it? Because, I mean, not only is English not his first language, but
01:26it's not even his first alphabet.
01:28So really, it's slightly different. So I think I probably need a good 80.
01:32Listen, English isn't my first language and I won Celebrity Countdown, so don't worry about that.
01:37Well, the storylines are sensational. We have a repeat of the series 80 final, which I'm really excited about.
01:44We have the highest scoring debutante ever. We have the highest scoring single show contestant ever.
01:49And we have one champion of champions contestant who has never scored under 100.
01:55It's going to be so special for three weeks. And we have, sorry, everybody else, I think my favourite dictionary
02:01corner ever to kick us off in 2023.
02:04We have, of course, our guardian of the dictionary, Susie Dent.
02:07And alongside her quiz show royalty, world best-selling author, the one and only Richard Osman.
02:15APPLAUSE
02:18Listen, we may need you a little bit more this week than we usually would,
02:22because big news, Susie Dent has almost lost her voice.
02:28Susie, how many times? When we're on air on a Monday, no all-night raves on a Sunday.
02:33Your wild child life is going to bring this show down.
02:37I know. What can I say? I'm so sorry.
02:39Listen to that.
02:40I'll put the frog back.
02:41Somebody's had a big Christmas.
02:44If only we had somebody who knew how to marshal a quiz show in dictionary corner to help out.
02:49Well, and I can give them the laptop.
02:51Yeah, yours has actually switched on.
02:53I've never had a real one before.
02:55Well, I love it. It's going to be great.
02:56Susie, with half a voice, it's still absolute delight with Richard Osman.
03:01APPLAUSE
03:03And mentioned right at the top of the show,
03:05we welcome, without doubt, the better half of the husband and wife, Gio,
03:10who are competing as champion of champions.
03:13Florence, Coupleman Lines is here. How are you?
03:15Yeah, I'm good, thanks.
03:16And it's not just two Coupleman Lines in the studio.
03:21It's two and a half. Tell me about that.
03:23Yeah, my third child is due imminently, so...
03:27How imminently?
03:28Well, hopefully it's born before the end of this series final.
03:32OK, good.
03:33Listen, that could be...
03:33We'll have a reserve, just in case.
03:36Well, the plot actually thickens,
03:38because Florence faces Leo Smith,
03:41who made the semi-finals of Series 82
03:44after having a spectacular run to OctoChamp.
03:48But, Leo, you were beaten by Florence's husband.
03:52On a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate this family?
03:55LAUGHTER
03:56At least seven.
03:58LAUGHTER
03:59How are you feeling today? Good?
04:01Good, yeah.
04:01Love the shirt. Absolutely.
04:02That says confidence to me.
04:04Brilliant. Leo and Florence, everyone.
04:06APPLAUSE
04:09So, here we go.
04:11Three weeks of Champion of Champions begins now in Florence.
04:14Your letters.
04:15Hi, Rachel.
04:15Hi again, Florence.
04:16Can I have a consonant, please?
04:17You can indeed. Start the year with T.
04:20And a vowel.
04:22O.
04:23And a consonant.
04:25J.
04:26And a vowel.
04:27A.
04:28And a consonant.
04:30S.
04:31And a vowel.
04:33I.
04:34And a consonant.
04:36R.
04:37And another consonant.
04:40P.
04:41And a final consonant, please.
04:44A final T.
04:46At home and in the studio.
04:47Let's play Countdown.
04:48I.
04:49You.
05:15Wish me.
05:16What you are.
05:18You and see.
05:1830 seconds is up Florence six and Leo yeah just a six okay Florence what's
05:25yours ratios ratios and Leo patios okay nice solid start what else Richard well
05:32I have an anagram of patios which is patois yeah but also in there it's an
05:38eight-letter word patriots very good however did you get that I would
05:44silent Susie get that silent Susie wrote it down on a piece of paper and passed
05:49it across to me but it still feels like I won the royal we well done with Patriots
05:55it's six points each that's what matters in Leo my friend you're picking the
05:58letters hi again Rachel hi Leo can I start with a consonant please you can indeed
06:02start with D and another s and a third w and a fourth n and a vowel a another e
06:20and
06:22another oh and a fourth e and a final constant place a final t 30 seconds
06:34so
07:02Mr. Smith.
07:04Seven, not written down.
07:05Florence.
07:06An eight.
07:07The seven is...
07:08Donates.
07:09Donates.
07:09And the eight, they're taking early lead, Florence.
07:12Onstead.
07:12O-N-S-T-E-E-A-D.
07:15T-E-E-A-D.
07:17Gosh, this is amazing.
07:19It's Scottish and English regional, and it means the farmhouse...
07:23It's like a steading, essentially.
07:25A farmhouse and other buildings belonging to a farm.
07:27APPLAUSE
07:30Normally it's got onstead, but you can put an extra E in it.
07:33But even Susie gasped.
07:35I did.
07:35Even with her voice, Susie gasped.
07:37I did, I did.
07:38That's brilliant.
07:38What else, Richard?
07:40Standee, you could have got.
07:41Yeah.
07:42Standee.
07:42And you could have been doing what our contestants will be doing,
07:44sweated.
07:45Oh, sweated, lovely.
07:46So there's a few good words in there.
07:48I know we look so foolish after onstead, though, don't we?
07:51What a round that was.
07:52Florence takes an early lead.
07:53Ten points up for grabs now with her first numbers round.
07:57Can I have six more, Richard?
07:58You can indeed.
08:00I think, like Richard, I'm not going to have much to do this week either.
08:03Right, six little ones.
08:04First challenge for you two.
08:05Three, six, nine, seven, five and one.
08:10And the first target of the year, 321.
08:13Three, two, one.
08:14Numbers up.
08:15Yes, sorry.
08:16Over time.
08:19Yes.
08:31No.
08:44You've beenокоed on the right track though.
08:46Three two one the target the old Ted Rogers. How'd you do there Florence? Yeah, I've got three two one
08:51very good Leo
08:52Yeah, three two one off you go friends
08:54Seven minus five is two. Yep. Nine times six is fifty four
09:00Fifty four fifty four multiplied by two subtract one
09:04107 multiplied by three perfect three two one and Leo
09:08I did nine times seven nine times seven sixty three times five times five is
09:14Three hundred and fifteen at the six and at the six another way to get there. Well done you two
09:22Lawrence and the machine let's get our first tea time teaser pool
09:26Pell pool pill the lady and my boy. How sweet the lady and my boy. How sweet?
09:48You
09:49Welcome back pool pill the lady and my boy. Hi sweet becomes
09:54Lollipop our first champion of champions round of 16 slight early lead for Florence
10:00But it's Leo picking us up with the letters
10:03May I start with a vowel please? Thank you Leo you
10:05And another
10:07A
10:09And a third
10:11A
10:13And a consonant
10:15S
10:17And another
10:19G
10:21And another
10:23F
10:25And another
10:26Z
10:32S
10:36And a final consonant please
10:38And a final T
10:40Love the noise Leo. We were all thinking it. Here we go
10:43The
10:44Spmee
10:44Do
10:44Do
10:44Do
11:12Docape
11:13right Leo how do you get on just a six six and Florence there you go even
11:18Stevens in this round Leo causes yes and Florence gusset gusset and gauzes yeah
11:25as soon as I heard gusset I thought I'll have to read that out instead of Susie
11:28but gusset and gauzes is all we had as well sixes press no worries let's get
11:33back to Florence more letters can I have a consonant please very thank you
11:36Florence ah and the vowel oh and the consonant T and the vowel a and the
11:46consonant T and a vowel oh and a consonant ah and a vowel e and a final
12:01consonant please and a final T thanks rich
12:36that's time Florence seven very good Leo have an eight oh but game-changing
12:42moment Florence rotated Leo send us in a spin Toreador Toreador over to Susie and
12:49Richard in dictionary corner need I ask no I mean it perfectly mirrored us here and
12:53I got rotated I pushed it over to Susie and she pushed back Toreador two great
13:00words all right more numbers Leo you're in control for the first time today I
13:04have two large please who large I'm not sure we're gonna get too many one large
13:08two large selections for the next few weeks but here we go
13:11first one six two three seven 50 and 25 and the target 352 three five two numbers
13:23is up
13:25so
13:36MUSIC PLAYS
14:06MUSIC CONTINUES
14:0811 x 50, add the two.
14:10Yeah, we know you can do that.
14:11Lawrence.
14:12You need to be fresh.
14:14There you go.
14:15You will not waste the ink, Rachel.
14:16I love those rounds.
14:18What a game.
14:1940 points each.
14:20And a good time to pause
14:22and have our first proper chat with Richard Osman.
14:24I want to start by telling you a little tale
14:26about Richard,
14:27whose star has risen so much,
14:29say, over the last decade.
14:30yet he still comes on on a Saturday morning.
14:33My little radio show where, believe me, the fee is miserly
14:37and it's a mark of the man.
14:39But, Richard, when you first penned the paper
14:42or started typing the first line of your first novel,
14:46you couldn't have imagined in your wildest dreams where it is now.
14:51Yeah, I've been enormously lucky in that way.
14:54Funnily enough, whenever you do sort of book events,
14:57the question you always get asked is where do you get your ideas from?
15:00And I think creativity, it's quite hard to teach,
15:03but my experience of it has always been,
15:05I've always got little bubbles around my head
15:07where I just heard something or someone you met said something to you
15:10or seen something on television
15:11and suddenly two of those bubbles sort of popped together
15:14and you got an idea.
15:16And that was the case with the Thursday Murder Club.
15:18My mum lives in a retirement community down in Sussex.
15:21Everyone there is over 70.
15:23And I was down there and on the sort of notice board
15:25they had like Tuesday Knitter Natter Club,
15:28Wednesday Art History Club and things like that.
15:29So that was in a little bubble in my head.
15:31I thought, that's cute.
15:33And then I was sitting on her patio and it's a really pretty place
15:36and the sun was out and the birds were singing
15:38and there's sort of lakes and, you know,
15:39a very tranquil sort of British view.
15:42And I thought, well, this would be an amazing place for a murder.
15:45As an Agatha Christie fan, that's what you're thinking.
15:48And then we go for lunch and I started chatting to all these people.
15:52They're all over 70 and they've done amazing things with their lives.
15:55You could tell, you were hearing life stories, crazy things.
15:58They were all drinking at 11.30 in the morning.
16:00So I was thinking, I'm in a place that would be an amazing for a murder.
16:05I'm with a group of people who are incredibly wise.
16:07I've just seen this notice board that says Tuesday Knitter Natter
16:10and the idea Thursday Murder Club of a group of people over 70 solving murders.
16:14Those three bubbles just pushed into each other.
16:17Suddenly you got an idea.
16:18And, yeah, that's when I wrote down the first word
16:20and everything stemmed from there.
16:22Wow.
16:23Richard, thank you.
16:27Let's get back to it.
16:28Love on every round, both of you.
16:30Florence, more letters?
16:31Can I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
16:32Thank you, Florence.
16:34Y.
16:34And a vowel.
16:36I.
16:37And a consonant.
16:39N.
16:40And a vowel.
16:41O.
16:42And a consonant.
16:44G.
16:45And a vowel.
16:47A.
16:48And a consonant.
16:49S.
16:51And a vowel.
16:54E.
16:55And the final consonant, please.
16:58Final B.
17:00Half a minute.
17:01Half a minute.
17:30So many possibilities.
17:32is florence and eight and leo eight wow florence you're eight begonias same or different leo same
17:40bunch of begonias here let's get the dictionary corner i'm assuming you didn't find a nine no we
17:46had with nosebag and nosegay are both there for uh for seven but we can't be that you can't have
17:51yoga in i assume oh um i've gone yoga in yeah i love look at susie looking up she's such
17:58a pro
17:58as if it's gonna be there for that but no it's not there leo let's save her voice and hear
18:03yours
18:03more letters may i start with a vowel please thank you leo a and another e and a third i
18:15and a consonant n and another q and another n and a vowel o
18:28and a consonant l
18:37and a final vowel please a final a start the clock
19:28a at the beginning relating to the action of the wind well done
19:34so let's get our third numbers round of the day florence did you can i have six small again please
19:39rachel can indeed still on for that husband wife match let's see how this changes things
19:44little ones are three eight two four one nine and the target 329 329 numbers up
19:56so
20:12so
20:27Florence.
20:283.30.
20:293.30, one away.
20:30Leo.
20:313.26.
20:323.26, three away.
20:34So for seven points, Florence.
20:36Eight times four plus one.
20:38Eight times four, 32 plus one?
20:41Yep.
20:4132 plus one, 33.
20:43And nine plus three minus two is ten.
20:46Yeah.
20:46And then times the 3.30, one away.
20:48One away.
20:49Very good.
20:49So I notice Richard and I aren't screaming this time, are we?
20:53Let me have a go.
20:54Have you got it?
20:54Yeah, I think so.
20:55Wow.
20:55Fantastic.
20:56Go on, Osmond.
20:57I could be wrong.
20:58Eight plus two is ten.
20:59Eight plus two is ten.
21:00Go on.
21:01Nine times four is 36.
21:03Yeah.
21:03Take away the three is 33.
21:06Multiply them together.
21:07Take away the one.
21:08You have got it as well.
21:10Well done, Richard.
21:11Thank you for giving me that.
21:12Thank you for letting me have one.
21:15Sensational stuff.
21:16And the first proper gap opening up today, 14 points in it.
21:20Plenty of points left when we come back.
21:22Pasta hen is our second Tea Town teaser, just for all our Scottish viewers.
21:27Pasta hen.
21:28A small insect wearing a Turkish hat or a bird.
21:32A small insect wearing a Turkish hat or a bird.
21:55Very clever.
21:57Pheasant was the answer.
21:59Back to the game at hand.
22:00Six rounds left on our first champion of champions.
22:03Round of 16.
22:05So let's get cracking straight away.
22:07Leo, more letters.
22:09May I start with a vowel, please?
22:10Thank you, Leo.
22:11E.
22:12And another.
22:13I.
22:15And a third.
22:16E.
22:18And a consonant.
22:31And a final consonant, please.
22:40Final.
22:40C.
22:42Start the clock.
22:44Start the clock.
23:12Leo.
23:14Just an eight. Florence. An eight. Leo. Creasing. Creasing. And Florence? Increase.
23:20There you go. Anything else? I've got creasing. Again, we're looking for the ing, as we always do,
23:25but Susie has another one, generics. As in, you might go for generics rather than trade name, drugs, medicine.
23:32Well done. Florence, more letters. Can I have a consonant, please, Rachel? Thank you, Florence.
23:36B. And a vowel? E. A consonant? R. A vowel? I. A consonant? T. A vowel? O. A consonant? P.
23:52A vowel? E.
23:56And a final consonant, please. And a final T. Coyotein.
24:15MUSIC PLAYS
24:31That is time, Florence.
24:33Er, seven, not written down.
24:35Seven. OK, and Leo? Seven. OK, what's not written down?
24:38Pettier. And what is written down?
24:40Pottier. Pottier, yes. There you go. No worries at all with that. The dictionary corner, sevens?
24:45Er, yeah, we can't beat it. Pottier and pettier. Er, I assume we're not allowed bottier, more like a bottom,
24:49but, er, it is there.
24:50No, I did look it up, no. Did you? Yes. Of course you did.
24:54And what about the pointless answers? And I knew I was going to do that once at some stage.
24:58The pointless answer is Rope Tribe.
24:59LAUGHTER
25:00What is it like watching a programme now that you were so integral to for so many years? Must be
25:09a little bizarre.
25:10Er, watching it with other people doing it, I absolutely love it.
25:14Because I can play along. I never really understood why people enjoyed Pointless, because every time I've ever played, I've
25:19got all the answers written down.
25:20So to me, it's just like, name a Tom Cruise film, I'm like, well, yeah, I'm going to say this
25:23pointless answer.
25:24Now when I watch at home, I'm like, oh, you can actually play along.
25:28Yeah. So I love it, and they've had amazing kind of co-hosts as well.
25:32So, honestly, me sitting home, shouting at the TV screen, I absolutely adore it.
25:36I loved doing it, but 12 years was enough.
25:40Thank you very much.
25:41And that was my polite way of saying that we're just going to rest Susie's voice this week,
25:47because Origins of Words, which is one of the highlights of the Countdown Week, you'll just sound like a frog.
25:54I can do Origins of Words if you like.
25:56OK.
25:56Bottier comes from more like a bottom.
26:00There you go.
26:01Well, we're getting to the bottom of this riddle.
26:03Who's going to make the last day to the champion of champions?
26:06Florence has a 14-point lead at the moment, which we know can evaporate just like that.
26:11So, Leo, let's get more letters.
26:13A continent, please, Rachel.
26:15Thank you, Leo.
26:16N.
26:17And another.
26:20S.
26:21And a third.
26:23W.
26:25And a fourth.
26:26H.
26:29A vowel.
26:31U.
26:32And another.
26:33E.
26:35And another.
26:37A.
26:39And a consonant.
26:41M.
26:45And a final consonant, please.
26:48A final H.
26:49Ah, he's done.
26:51And a consonant.
27:08And a consonant.
27:09And a consonant.
27:10And a consonant.
27:10And a consonant.
27:10And a consonant.
27:10And a consonant.
27:10And a consonant.
27:16And a consonant.
27:21Leo. Just a six.
27:23And Florence. Right, we'll stick with a six.
27:26Leo. Humane. Humane and Florence.
27:29When you are. W-H-E-N-U-A.
27:31Yeah. We'll double-check that.
27:32Yeah, it's absolutely fine. In New Zealand, it means land.
27:36Right, what have we got in Dictionary Corner?
27:37Yeah, it can't beat six. Lots and lots of sixes,
27:39none of which were when you are, I have to say.
27:42So when you are in Dictionary Corner,
27:45there was a humane, there's also humans,
27:47and often on pointless when we do word rounds,
27:50you can put un in front of a lot.
27:52I wonder if I could unwash, unmesh or unmash.
27:56Most of them are there as adjectives, as in unmeshed,
27:58but unmeshed actually is there.
28:00There you go. Unmesh. Very good.
28:02I like that one. There you go.
28:03If you've got those at home, that's your line.
28:05Sorry, let's just move on.
28:07Right, business end of countdown today.
28:09Florence, your letters.
28:11Can I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
28:12Thank you, Florence. F.
28:14And a vowel.
28:16E. And a consonant.
28:18R. And a vowel.
28:20I. And a consonant.
28:23C. And a vowel.
28:26U. And a consonant.
28:30N. And another consonant.
28:33D. And a final vowel, please.
28:39Final A.
28:40Last letters.
28:42D. Yangfirst.
28:44D. Yori eres.
29:11Dio.
29:11Dio.
29:11Dio.
29:12That's time Florence seven and Leo just a six the six Leo refund and
29:19Florence uncared uncared yeah uncared for we would normally say and in the dictionary
29:26Yeah, uncared is in the dictionary and Florence is into the last eight of champion a champion
29:36Absolute key moments throughout the game one or two is all it takes Richard anything better
29:41I can't beat it. There's there's more on words is unfired unfried. I'm guessing not. Yeah, I think I'm fine
29:47I like the idea of something. I'm fine Richard you're playing like you play at home
29:52Yeah, I love it. That's a proper fine
29:54Except Susie can now tell me if it's in the dictionary or not
29:57I've got a lovely word for me for today's show though, which is duncey a duncey
30:01Yeah, which is how I feel more duncey. I don't think it's real
30:03All right. What a contest today and they'll listen you go for your life here on the numbers. What do
30:08you fancy?
30:08I have a four large please. Yes, come on Leo. Go big or go home or go big and go
30:13home
30:19Nine and we've got 50
30:22175 and 25 and this is for a bit of fun
30:27587 five eight seven last numbers
30:31You
30:32You
30:58You
30:59You
30:59You
31:00You
31:00Five eight seven with the four big Leo five eight eight not written down
31:05Okay, one away and Florence. I've got five eight seven. Let's have it
31:10100 minus 75 is 25. It is
31:13Multiply by the other 25 six to five so trap 50
31:17Five seven five and at the nine and three very nicely done and I need a few seconds
31:25Sensational fans gets the 100 up all that remains is to reveal today's countdown conundrums
31:31So let's get your fingers on the buzzers and let's do just that
31:35You
32:06Florence with half a second left.
32:08Inactable.
32:09Let's take a look.
32:11It is not Leo.
32:14Finger back in the buzzer if you can be bothered.
32:18Here we go.
32:21That is a bum note to go out on.
32:23But we have flummoxed in both of you.
32:25I have to go to the man who bested everybody with the numbers.
32:29Did you get it?
32:30No, unless it's antiquable, which I suspect it's not.
32:32It was hard to see past that ending.
32:36Rachel Riley.
32:37I mean, for the champion of champions,
32:39I would be lucky if I know the word once it's revealed.
32:41Right, let's reveal it for everybody at home.
32:43If you've got this, well done.
32:46Canterbile.
32:47Canterbile.
32:48Canterbile.
32:49Come on, let's have it then.
32:50It is a smooth singing style, which I don't have today.
32:54Smooth singing.
32:55Not a single one of us has that in the studio.
32:58But hitting the right nose today, Florence.
33:00That 100 puts you into the quarterfinals.
33:02Are the first champion champions in five years.
33:05And that means it's getting real.
33:07We just need your husband, Sam, to win on Wednesday of next week.
33:11And you'll be playing him.
33:13Yeah.
33:13Let's not worry about that for now.
33:15How did you enjoy being back?
33:16I loved it.
33:17It was great to have you here.
33:19And Leo, what a shame.
33:20What a shame.
33:21Because you did absolutely fantastic.
33:22She had some magic moments.
33:24Yeah.
33:25Yeah.
33:25Can't match it.
33:26Thank you for being here.
33:27Leo, well done.
33:28Florence, congratulations.
33:32Well done.
33:33We are one step closer to having a live berth in the studio.
33:37It should be great for the ratings.
33:38How did you enjoy your countdown debut?
33:40Oh, I mean, what a privilege to sit next to these two and watch that play out.
33:43It's like watching the Champions League.
33:45But, like, from the touchline.
33:46It's amazing.
33:47So, congratulations, both of you.
33:48And, Susie, don't say anything.
33:50Just give me a thumbs up if you're OK.
33:53Rest that voice.
33:54Get the honey and lemon in.
33:55It just feels like an easier afternoon when Susie can't talk, doesn't it?
33:59Well, I mean, plus we've got the champion of Champions League,
34:02so I've got much to do in the way of numbers.
34:04And even if they don't get them, we've got Richard here.
34:06So, a bit obsolete this week.
34:08And we love it.
34:09Less work for us, just all the joy.
34:11Well, listen, do not miss the next three weeks.
34:13As I said, ten past two, this week, next week and the week after.
34:16It's just unmissable countdown.
34:18We rarely do a champion of Champions.
34:21And every day has a story.
34:22Tomorrow is that Series 80 rematch.
34:24Do not miss it.
34:25Rachel, Susie, and I will be here in Countdown Us.
34:29You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com
34:33or write to us at countdownleadsls31js.
34:37You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:45Channel 4 is full of sunshine this afternoon.
34:48While Yorkshire puddings prove popular in rural Portugal,
34:51a new life in the sun.
34:52The new series starts at four.
34:54Coming up, they have their sights set on a family-friendly holiday home in Almeria.
34:58It is the perfect place in the sun.
35:00Ready and waiting.
35:01Next.
35:05Next.
35:07Next.
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