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00:17Thank you very much.
00:31Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown Studio on World Heart Day.
00:37Started 14 years ago by the World Heart Federation and this year the theme is creating heart healthy environments.
00:45And Rachel, the statistics actually are horrendous when it comes to heart disease.
00:50For instance, heart disease and strokes are the world's biggest cause of death.
00:54I think 17 and a half million people every year are taken by a heart disease and 80% of
01:01premature deaths are down to cardiovascular disease.
01:05And what causes cardiovascular disease?
01:08Why? It's our old friend, the cigarette.
01:10It's unhealthy eating, lack of exercise and harmful use of alcohol, which I suppose is abuse of alcohol.
01:18Alcohol abuse.
01:20Everything in moderation.
01:21You don't smoke, do you?
01:22I don't smoke.
01:23That's a conscious decision or you've never bothered?
01:25I've never bothered. I was always really sporty at school so I didn't feel the need.
01:29And you still exercise?
01:30Yeah, I do, but I have had a heart check.
01:32You can get a free one.
01:33There's a charity called Cry, Cardiac Risk in the Young.
01:36And you can get a free heart check because even if you are really fit, that can hide heart things.
01:41So you just go and it takes about 10 minutes and they check and they give you the all clear,
01:44luckily for me.
01:45It doesn't hurt to get yourself checked out.
01:47Indeed not.
01:48So, Rachel, who have we got with us today?
01:49We've got Michael McDowell back, a computer programmer from your neck of the woods, from Westcliffe-on-Sea, returning from
01:56last week when he notched up two wins.
01:58So he's aiming for his third today.
02:00And, Michael, you're joined by Alan Chumbley, an account senior from Coventry.
02:05Favourite book, Lord of the Rings, and who once, I think, rejoiced at seeing Coventry City win at Wembley.
02:14How was that?
02:15Yeah, very good.
02:16Back in 1987, when I was a young man.
02:18And who did Coventry win?
02:21We beat Tottenham Hotspur.
02:22Tottenham, my word.
02:23Let's have a big round of applause for the giant killing Coventry City fan, Alan Chumbley and Michael McDowell.
02:35And in the corner on this Monday, of course, Susie.
02:38Hope you had a good weekend, Susie.
02:39Great weekend, thank you.
02:40And you're joined once again by your friend and my friend, the great Margaret Mountford,
02:44who I can only really describe as a lawyer, businesswoman, friend, chum to the week, good egg, and now TV
02:52personality.
02:53Welcome back, Margaret.
02:54Thank you very much.
02:55It's nice to be here.
02:56All right.
02:57Now then, Michael, should we roar off on a letters game, perhaps?
03:03Good afternoon, Richard.
03:04Good afternoon, Michael.
03:04I shall start with the consonant, please.
03:07Start today with C.
03:10Another consonant.
03:12D.
03:13A vial.
03:15A.
03:17Another vial.
03:19I.
03:20Consonant.
03:22N.
03:25Another consonant.
03:27D.
03:29A vial.
03:32A.
03:35Consonant.
03:37A.
03:38And a final vial.
03:40And a final e.
03:43And here's the countdown clock.
04:16Michael seven seven Alan seven two sevens Michael drained sand drain both
04:23drain I'm drained already yes now then what do we got over there Margaret and
04:29Susie there's a beautiful eight there radiance radiance very good all right
04:36so seven apiece and Alan your letters game good day Rachel hi Alan hi can I
04:43have a start with a consonant please thank you start with N and a vowel oh I know
04:52the consonant T a vowel please a consonant G a vowel
05:05oh another vowel E a consonant T and a final consonant please and a final Y
05:27stand by
05:28so
05:55MUSIC CONTINUES
05:59Now then, Alan.
06:01It's five.
06:02A five. How about Michael?
06:04Just five.
06:04Two fives.
06:05So, Alan.
06:07Knotty.
06:09Knotty.
06:10A knotty.
06:11Michael?
06:12A tone.
06:13A tone.
06:15Tone, absolutely fine.
06:17You were spelling the knotty without the K, I think.
06:20It does need the K, I'm afraid.
06:22Sorry.
06:23A knotty problem.
06:24Now, what has the corner got to offer us?
06:27Notate and Gentoo, the countdown penguin, almost.
06:30Ah, the Gentoo, yeah, indeed.
06:32Twelve points to Alan.
06:34Seven, and it's Michael's numbers game.
06:36Michael?
06:37I'll have one large and five small, please.
06:39Thank you, Michael.
06:40One from the top pro.
06:41And five little ones for the first numbers game to date.
06:44Okay, and these ones are five, three, eight, two, ten.
06:51And the large one, 100.
06:52And the target, 900.
06:55Nine, zero, zero.
06:57Nine, zero.
06:59Nine, zero.
07:28Yes, Michael.
07:29900.
07:30Thank you. And Alan?
07:31900.
07:32Sir, Michael.
07:358 plus 3 minus 2 is the 9.
07:37Give you the 9 and multiply by the 100.
07:39Easy one.
07:40And Alan?
07:413 minus 2 is 1.
07:44Take that off the 10 and then multiply by the 100.
07:46Lots of ways for this one. Not 30 seconds needed.
07:49Not too difficult at all.
07:50So there we are. 22 plays 17 as we go into a tea time teaser,
07:54which is drab rows.
07:56And the clue, they don't go home after school, they go surfing.
07:59They don't go home after school, they go surfing.
08:19Welcome back. I left you with the clue, they don't go home after school, they go surfing.
08:23And the answer is borders.
08:26How clever.
08:26Borders.
08:27So 22 plays Alan 17.
08:30And Alan, try a letters game.
08:33Start with another consonant, please.
08:35Thank you, Alan.
08:36S.
08:39Vowel.
08:40A.
08:43Consonant.
08:45G.
08:48Vowel.
08:50E.
08:53Consonant.
08:55L.
08:57Vowel.
08:59A.
09:02Consonant.
09:04G.
09:06And a final...
09:09Another consonant, please.
09:11T.
09:12And a final vowel.
09:14And a final...
09:16U.
09:17And it's countdown.
09:45So, we'll be right back.
09:49well Alan I've got a dodgy very dodgy seven a dodgy seven how about Michael just a five a five
09:57your five stage now they're now on your dodgyness laggates laggates not that legate is the usual
10:10one remember the clergy as a legate all right and the corner now then Margaret Susie and the
10:17plural of gato the French cake can be with an X or an S but you can use the end
10:22you can't be with
10:23an S because it's come over into English twenty seven points to Alan seventeen and Michael your
10:31letters game a consonant please thank you Michael B and another s the third ah a vial oh another vial
10:46you consonant p vial a consonant L and the final consonant and a final are stand by
11:10so
11:33MUSIC PLAYS
11:38Mmm, Michael.
11:39Six.
11:40Yes, Alan.
11:41Six.
11:42Two sixes, yep.
11:44Michael.
11:44Probes.
11:45Alan.
11:46Blouse.
11:49We happy enough about that?
11:51Yes, very happy.
11:51And what offering from the corner, Susie and Margaret?
11:55A couple of sevens, rubles and leprous to be affected by leprosy.
12:01Oh, leprous, what a terrible word.
12:0333 plays, 23, 10 points ahead for Michael.
12:07Alan, your numbers game.
12:09OK, can I have one large and five small, please, Rachel?
12:12You can indeed.
12:12Thank you, Alan.
12:13One large one again and five little ones again.
12:15And this time around, the selection is nine, six, four, eight, five, and the big one, 50.
12:24And the target to reach, 669.
12:27Six, six, nine.
12:29Six, six, nine.
12:55Six, six, nine.
12:59Yes, Alan.
13:016, 6, 9.
13:02And Michael?
13:03I think I have 6, 6, 9.
13:04All right, so, Alan, I've gone for 4 plus 9 for 13.
13:124 plus 9 is 13.
13:13Times by 50.
13:14650.
13:15And then add on all the remaining numbers.
13:17So 5, 8 and 6, lovely.
13:21Very good.
13:22And Michael?
13:24Yet plus 6 is 14.
13:268 plus 6 is 14.
13:27Then times 50.
13:29Times 50 is 700.
13:329 times 4.
13:339 times 4, 36.
13:35Subtract.
13:36Minus, oh, take that away.
13:38Then add the 5.
13:3964, 669, lovely.
13:43Well done.
13:46But still that 10-point lead for Michael, 43 to Alan's 33.
13:51But now we turn to Margaret.
13:54Margaret, you abandoned me on The Apprentice.
13:57I did.
13:58And you swept off to take your doctorate in Greco-Roman Studies.
14:02And I think this week you're going to regale us with some stories, perhaps drawn from your studies.
14:08Well, certainly drawn from Greek myth, because there's been quite a lot of references from Greek myths in the press
14:13recently.
14:14And I thought it was quite interesting to see why.
14:17And a few weeks ago there were lots of reports about Miranda Kerr being squabbled over by Orlando Bloom and
14:25Justin Bieber.
14:26And she was described as a modern Helen of Troy.
14:29So I thought, well, who exactly was Helen of Troy?
14:31And of course we don't know exactly, because these stories go back so long, they go back to before there
14:35was writing and they changed over the years.
14:38But the one principal myth about Helen is that she was very, very beautiful.
14:42And her father was Zeus, who was the top god.
14:45And her mother was a mortal called Leda.
14:48And Zeus disguised himself as a swan to seduce Leda.
14:52So I think that's one of the reasons why you're supposed to not go too close to swans if you're
14:55going along a canal.
14:58Helen was married to a king called Menelaus, who was a king of a place called Sparta in the south
15:03of Greece.
15:04And she was stolen from him by Paris, who was a prince from Troy, which was on the Aegean coast.
15:11And he took Helen away to Troy.
15:13And the Greek king, all the Greek kings, were annoyed about this and they went to get Helen back.
15:19And so they went to Troy and they besieged Troy for ten years with a huge army, a huge fleet.
15:25So hers was the face that launched a thousand ships.
15:29So even the queen probably hasn't managed that.
15:32But Sparta was a rather brutal, basic state where Helen had been living with Menelaus,
15:37who was always portrayed as a rather sort of rough chap.
15:41And Paris, one thinks of as being rather pretty and effeminate possibly, but certainly young and handsome.
15:49And so there is a question really as to whether Helen was taken away by Paris or went of her
15:58own free will.
15:59Well, I think what's interesting when you look at the Miranda Kerr analogy is that it was Orlando Bloom who
16:04played Paris in the film of Troy in 2004.
16:09So possibly there's a bit of role reversal because I can't really see Justin Bieber as a latter-day Menelaus.
16:15And the swan thing, of course the Leda, the great myth about the swan, which is a sort of a...
16:21It's a bit odd really, isn't it?
16:23Well, there we go.
16:24Bird fanciers.
16:27Just be careful where you are when you're sunbathing by the river.
16:31Now then, 43 points to Michael and Alan on 33.
16:35And Michael, it's your letters game.
16:37I'll start with a vial this time, please.
16:39Thank you, Michael.
16:40U.
16:41And another.
16:43I.
16:44A consonant.
16:46V.
16:48Consonant.
16:50D.
16:52Consonant.
16:53M.
16:54A vial.
16:57E.
16:58Consonant.
17:01T.
17:04Consonant.
17:06P.
17:08And a vial.
17:10And the last one.
17:12I.
17:13And the clock starts now.
17:46now Michael seven a seven yes Alan just a five and that five timid timid Michael
17:54imputed imputed excellent yes if you ascribe or attribute a crime to somebody
18:00for example you impute it to them very good very good indeed now then what
18:06brilliance from the corner we just had a six otherwise which is tedium tedium yes
18:11all right thank you both for that now then Alan let us game all right Joe can I
18:16start with a constant please thank you Alan D Annabelle a and a consonant L
18:26a vowel I consonant B consonant R vowel A consonant S and a vowel please and the
18:56and
19:03and
19:25so
19:26yes Alan seven a seven Michael seven so Alan broiled broiled and bridles
19:36bridles yes very nice very good now what have you got there Margaret Susie there
19:43is an eight a Dario I shouldn't put the S on it Dario's fate they're cooking pots
19:48which are often in flower-shaped molds thank you look now then it's numbers
19:54time Michael numbers game seems before please return one large and five small
19:59thank you Michael same as before exactly one large number five little ones and
20:05these little ones are four six nine another nine and another six and a large
20:11one hundred and the target nine hundred and forty five nine four five
20:18so
20:47Michael nine four five
20:49yes Alan nine four four nine four four so Michael one hundred plus four one
20:56hundred plus four one hundred four times nine times by nine nine hundred and
21:01thirty-six the other nine nine four five lovely very good well done well done
21:10it gives you a reasonable lead now then twenty seven point sixty seven to forty
21:15points as we go into a tea time teaser which is age in Sun and the clue he spent an
21:21age in the Sun and his face turned this he spent an age in the Sun and his face
21:28turned this
21:46warm welcome back I left with the clue he spent an age in the Sun and his face
21:50turned this it turns sanguine sixty-seven points to 40 for Alan Alan your letters
21:57game all right you can have a constant place to that thank you okay and another
22:06consonant
22:06consonant s a vowel a another consonant l a vowel e another vowel o another vowel a
22:30consonant a consonant a consonant a consonant a consonant a consonant a consonant and
22:36lastly G and here's the countdown clock
23:12Alan.
23:14Just a five.
23:15A five and Michael?
23:17Five.
23:17Two fives.
23:19Yes, Alan?
23:21Gales.
23:22Michael?
23:23Licks.
23:25Gales and Licks and in the corner, Susie and Margaret.
23:29There is a seven.
23:30You might talk about a materials capacity for soakage, if you were technically minded.
23:37Soakage is there for seven.
23:38Soakage?
23:39Yep, as all been to see, I suppose.
23:40Yeah, yeah, okay.
23:43Hmm, 72 plays 45, Michael in the lead.
23:46And Michael, take us away on a letters game.
23:51Consonant, please, Rachel.
23:52Thank you, Michael.
23:53S.
23:54Another.
23:56N.
23:58And a third.
23:59T.
24:01A vowel.
24:02I.
24:04Consonant.
24:05N.
24:08Vial.
24:10A.
24:12Another vial.
24:14I.
24:16Consonant.
24:18T.
24:21And a final vial.
24:23And a final E.
24:26Stand by.
24:27spel.
24:28You may.
24:29I.
24:31The.
24:46A.
24:48And a.
24:53I.
24:54I.
24:55I.
24:55I.
24:56I.
24:57I.
24:58Michael? Six. Six. Alan? Six. Michael? Statton? Yes. Alan? Tennis. Tennis? Yep. And the corner, what offerings? Any improvements there?
25:16No, we were looking for words that weren't there. I was looking for tartine and you were looking for sentience.
25:22So for sentience, but it wasn't there. Absent. So that's it? So we failed, I'm afraid. Never mind. It's not
25:29a grievous offence. 78 plays 51. And now it's Susie's time for origins of words. Susie?
25:36Well, after that round where we failed, you might say to me that my name is Mud, Nick. In other
25:42words, I'm in a lot of trouble or I'm completely disgraced. And I'm going to tell you the story of
25:47a man whose name really was Mud, said to be the origin of our expression.
25:53And that man was Samuel Mud, who was a physician who was convicted and imprisoned for conspiracy in the assassination
26:01of Abraham Lincoln back in 1865.
26:05John Wilkes Booth, who's the assassin, met Samuel Mud in late 1864 at Mud's farm. Booth told him that he
26:13was interested in property investments and he wanted to have a look around.
26:16Although in reality, he might just have been planning his escape route. Anyway, Booth shot President Lincoln, as we know,
26:23April the 14th, 1865.
26:25And he stopped at Mud's house, running away from the scene at about 4 a.m. the next morning. He'd
26:32broken his leg from jumping down from the stage.
26:37Mud set, he was a physician, remember, he set and splintered the leg in his mind, probably simply helping an
26:43injured person who was in distress.
26:45But it was when he went into town the next day that he heard all about Lincoln's assassination and he
26:50heard the news that Booth was the killer.
26:53He returned home, but he was arrested later for conspiracy and he was jailed.
26:59Spent a long time trying to clear his name, trying to protest his innocence. And he was later reprieved and
27:04he was released from jail by President Johnson.
27:06But it said that Mud and his descendants spent over a century trying to have the original conviction overturned and
27:14the Mud honour returned.
27:16But thanks to the notoriety of his case, Your Name is Mud came to me what it means today.
27:22Well, well. Perfect stuff. Thank you, Susie.
27:29It really rings true, doesn't it? It does. The name was mud. 78 to Alan's 51. Michael in the lead.
27:36Alan, your letters came.
27:38Hi, Rachel. Can I have a consonant, please? Thank you, Alan. H.
27:42And a vowel. A. A consonant. N. A consonant. R. A vowel. I. Vowel. E. Another vowel. O.
28:10A consonant. M. And another consonant, please. And the last one. S. Countdown.
28:53Now then, Alan. 7. 7. 7. 7. Alan.
28:58Monas. Monas and?
29:01Remains.
29:03Now, nothing to argue about there? Nothing at all.
29:06And what offerings from the corner there? Susie? Margaret?
29:10Well, I haven't, but Susie has.
29:12Yes, Susie?
29:13There are two nines, Nick. Harmonies and Harmonise.
29:16Oh, very good.
29:21Very good. Well done.
29:23Well done the corner.
29:2485 to 58. Alan on 58, and it's the last letters game, Michael.
29:31A consonant, please.
29:32Thank you, Michael.
29:33Q.
29:35And another one.
29:37T.
29:38Consonant.
29:40L.
29:42Vowel.
29:43E.
29:45Another vowel.
29:47U.
29:47Consonant.
29:51S.
29:53Consonant.
29:55N.
29:56A vowel.
29:58E.
30:01And a final consonant.
30:03And a final T.
30:05Countdown.
30:06C.
30:08C.
30:08A Word.
30:08C.
30:37MUSIC CONTINUES
30:51MUSIC CONTINUES
31:09Very good. All right, 85 plays, 65. Alan, numbers game, last one of the day.
31:15OK, two G4 in these large ones, please, Rachel.
31:18And four small.
31:18Thank you, Alan. Two large, four small, and you can still nick the teapot just about.
31:22Right, good luck. The last numbers game today is 8, 6, 1, 10.
31:28And the last two, 25 and 75.
31:31And the target, 596.
31:34Five, nine, six.
32:04MUSIC CONTINUES
32:06Yes, Alan.
32:07596.
32:08596, Michael.
32:09596.
32:10Both of you. So, Alan.
32:12Um, 100 minus 1.
32:15Where's your 100?
32:17Uh, sorry, 75 plus 25 for 100.
32:2075 plus 25 minus 1 for 99.
32:23And multiply by 6.
32:25Multiply by 6 for 594.
32:27And then you've got the 10 minus the 8 for 2.
32:29You do indeed.
32:31Well done. 596.
32:33And Michael.
32:3375 times 8.
32:364, 600.
32:36And subtract 10 and add 6.
32:39Yep, well done.
32:40Same result.
32:41APPLAUSE
32:41Very good.
32:43APPLAUSE
32:45So, briskly done.
32:47So, 95 plays 75.
32:49Final round, conundrum time.
32:51Michael, Alan, fingers on buzzers.
32:53Let's reveal today's countdown conundrum.
33:02MUSIC CONTINUES
33:13Alan, egotism.
33:16Let's have a look.
33:18No, over to you, Michael.
33:20MUSIC CONTINUES
33:36FOXED AND STUMPED UP HERE
33:38But in the audience, I know the forest of hands.
33:42Yes, yes, sir.
33:44Smogiest.
33:45Smogiest.
33:46Let's see whether you're right.
33:49APPLAUSE
33:50Very good.
33:51Well done.
33:53Well done.
33:56So, there we are.
33:58Very good.
34:00So, 95, pretty good score.
34:02And Alan, 75 against 95 is a pretty good score, too.
34:05But not quite good enough today.
34:06Didn't get the best selection today.
34:08Mm.
34:08So, back to Coventry with your goody bad and our very best wishes.
34:11And, Michael, we shall see you tomorrow.
34:13Well done.
34:14Well done.
34:15Susie, tomorrow.
34:16See you tomorrow, mate.
34:16Margaret, more tales from Greek mythology tomorrow.
34:20Hope so.
34:21Good stuff.
34:21All right.
34:22See you tomorrow.
34:22See you tomorrow.
34:23See you then.
34:24Rachel.
34:24All right.
34:25Join us tomorrow, same time, same place.
34:27You'll be sure of it.
34:28Very good afternoon.
34:29You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com, by Twitter at C4Countdown, or write
34:37to us at Countdown Leeds LS3 1JS.
34:40You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:49From five o'clock this evening, it's brand new four and a bed, followed by brand new come
34:54dine with me.
34:55Think of it as a kit, followed by breakfast, followed by dinner.
34:58Next, it's deal or no deal.