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This episode's repeat was broadcast on Monday 13th July 2020.
This episode's repeat was broadcast on Monday 13th July 2020.
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00:13Thank you very much.
00:30Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown Studio and the penultimate Champion of Champions quarterfinals, a place in the semis,
00:39is on offer to the contestant who can keep their head whilst all around them are losing theirs.
00:47A quote from a wonderful poem, If, by Rudyard Kipling, who died 80 years ago today.
00:53He left a legacy of innovative and inspirational writing, a master of the short story, and in fact also, back
01:01in 1907, a winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
01:05What did he write? Well, of course, we all know a man who would be king, just so stories, of
01:08course.
01:09Jungle Book, which is currently being made into another film. Do you like his writings particularly, Jungle Book?
01:15Oh, I like the one, ooh, ooh, ooh, I want to be like you, ooh, ooh.
01:19I like Jungle Book.
01:22Walk like you, too, ooh, ooh, ooh.
01:24You like that one?
01:24One of my favourites, yeah.
01:26You got a Nobel Prize for that.
01:29All right. Now, who's up for a semifinal place?
01:34Jen Stedman, the great Jen Stedman, a postgrad journalist student from Kent, and she had a big, big win against
01:43George Ford last week, scoring 126, and you were a quarterfinalist here back in 2013.
01:49So, you know, you're doing extremely well. Let's see how you're going to go.
01:53Are you going to make the semis? I bet you hope you do.
01:55Hmm, I don't know. I kind of hope Callum wins, because I've always thought Countdown needs more geeky young males
01:59winning.
02:01You love that. That'll unsettle him. Callum, what do you think about that?
02:05Joining us today, big champion back in 2013, and you scored, of course, when you beat Samir Pillica, 127, which
02:15is actually one point more than Jen scored.
02:18So, that's a little bit of an advantage for you. How do you think it's going to be? Close?
02:22Er, a bit of a, yeah. I don't fancy my chances, to be honest, but we'll see.
02:26Come on, we need a bit more confidence here. Let's have a big round of applause for Jen and Callum.
02:31APPLAUSE
02:35And over in the corner, on this Monday semifinal day, we have, of course, Susie, joined for the first time
02:41here in the Countdown studio,
02:42by the wonderful Naga Munchetti, journalist and newsreader on BUC Breakfast Stalwart.
02:48Welcome. Welcome to our studio.
02:50Oh, hello. I nearly said morning, then. I'm so used to being up in the morning.
02:53Well, you get up at, what, pre-dawn?
02:56Silly o'clock, it's called.
02:57Silly o'clock.
02:59All right, so that's early. But you finish early, but not today.
03:02Not today. Here today, loving it.
03:04Well done.
03:04Looking forward to it.
03:05Well, we're delighted to have you here. But now, Jen, we're going to get down to business, serious business.
03:10Bags of confidence, as you go into your first letters game.
03:13I'll start the consonant, please, Rachel.
03:15Thank you, Jen. Start the week with K.
03:19And another.
03:21T.
03:22And another.
03:25D.
03:26And another.
03:29W.
03:30And I'll have a vowel, please.
03:32U.
03:33And another.
03:34I.
03:35And another.
03:37E.
03:38And another.
03:42A.
03:43And a final consonant, please.
03:46And a final R.
03:48And here's the countdown clock.
03:49Hope a champ.
04:18And a final 1890 split.
04:19And a final consonant, please.
04:21yes Jen just six a six column six as well mm-hmm Jen waited and both of you
04:28yeah the same word all right let's see whether the corner can beat you on that
04:34one Susie tirade is there as well a tirade for a six yes and twerks I think
04:42you can spell twerk with an eye you all know all about twerking Nick I know
04:47nothing about yes you can have twerking with an eye so this is dancing in a
04:53strange way isn't it this is yes I read exactly dancing to popular music in a
04:57sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movement and the low
05:01squatting stance I am a stranger to the twerk shall remain so anyway that's their
05:11for a seven at least you clearly know what it's all about six up peas and Callum
05:16come on let us go hello Rachel hi Callum can I have a constant please
05:19Kennedy thank you start with H and the other one please N and another one T and
05:28another G vowel please B and another vowel oh vowel please I
05:39vowel A and a consonant please and lastly R stand by
05:49yeah
06:01yeah
06:03yeah
06:03yeah
06:19Right, Callum.
06:21Eight.
06:22Good man.
06:23Jen?
06:24Eight.
06:25Right, Callum?
06:26Hearting.
06:27Now.
06:28Same word.
06:30Thank you very much.
06:32And?
06:33Well, we got no better than that.
06:35No.
06:36You can turn it round and have earthing.
06:39Yeah.
06:40But hearting is another new word we just had, twerking.
06:42Hearting as in liking very much or loving something, as in I'm totally hearting this song.
06:50If you must.
06:52Fourteen at least.
06:53Now then, first numbers game of the day.
06:55Jen?
06:56I'll have six more, please.
06:57Thank you, Jen.
06:58Going to be some good tactics numbers-wise today.
07:01Six little ones to kick us off.
07:02And they are one, three, six, eight, six, and two.
07:09And the target, 320.
07:12Three to zero.
07:13Fourteen at least.
07:14Three two.
07:23Fourteen.
07:24Three two.
07:32Fourteen.
07:35Five the zero.
07:36Fourteen.
07:37Fourteen.
07:37Fourteen.
07:38Fourteen.
07:39Fourteen.
07:41Fourteen.
07:44Well, Jen?
07:45Yeah, 320.
07:46And Callum?
07:47320.
07:48Jen?
07:496 times 6 is 36.
07:5136.
07:52Plus the 3 and the 1.
07:54The 40.
07:55Multiply by 8.
07:56Well done. 320.
07:57And Callum?
07:57Exactly the same way.
07:58There we go.
07:59Just perform.
08:02Well done.
08:03So, 24 pieces we turn to our first week-end teaser,
08:06which is Amen Lass.
08:09And the clue?
08:09This profession could be the death of him.
08:12This profession could be the death of him.
08:30Welcome back.
08:31I left you with the clue.
08:32This profession could be the death of him.
08:35And the answer is salesman.
08:37Salesman.
08:38Death of a salesman.
08:40And I saw that play.
08:42Tragic play.
08:43I loved it.
08:43I cried.
08:45I thought I'd pass on to you.
08:4724 points apiece.
08:48And we turn now to Callum for a letters game.
08:53Consonant, please, Rachel.
08:54Thank you, Callum.
08:55M.
08:56And another one, please.
08:58P.
08:59And another.
09:00H.
09:02And another.
09:04B.
09:05Vowel, please.
09:06U.
09:08Another vowel.
09:09I.
09:10And another.
09:12O.
09:17Consonant, please.
09:19Oh, V.
09:20It's not helping.
09:21Er, another consonant, please.
09:25And the last one.
09:26N.
09:28Countdown.
10:00Callum.
10:01Four.
10:02Four.
10:03Yes.
10:03Jen.
10:04Five.
10:05Oh, slim pickings.
10:08Callum.
10:09Ovum.
10:09Jen.
10:10Opium.
10:11And opium.
10:13Can we beat it?
10:14We had a fun one.
10:16I learnt something new today, as I knew I would.
10:18Yes.
10:18I always thought bump was spelt with an F.
10:22Bump, you know, level bump.
10:23And it's not.
10:24It's B-U-
10:25Or it can be.
10:26It can be, yeah.
10:26B-U-M-P-H.
10:28Bump.
10:28It's a World War II word, I think.
10:30Yeah, it comes from bumfroder.
10:32But, yeah.
10:33So you normally would spell it with the F, but you can spell it with the B-H.
10:36P-H even.
10:37I think people sort of carry lots of bump around to make them look important, do you know?
10:42Yeah.
10:42I've seen nothing in there, really.
10:43There was a fun one as well.
10:45What else have we got?
10:46Anything else?
10:47Himbo.
10:48What's that?
10:49A good-looking but unintelligent man.
10:51Oh, right.
10:52There's a female version of that, I think, is it not?
10:55No.
10:5629 plays 24.
10:57Jen's sprung into the lead.
10:59And it's Jen's letters again now.
11:02Consonant, please, Rachel.
11:03Thank you, Jen.
11:04G.
11:04And another.
11:06R.
11:07And another.
11:09F.
11:10And a fourth.
11:13S.
11:14And a vowel.
11:16A.
11:17And another.
11:18E.
11:19And another.
11:21O.
11:23And a consonant.
11:26N.
11:27And I'll finish with a consonant.
11:31And finish with T.
11:33Countdown.
11:36I'm your host.
11:36I'm your host.
12:03I'm your host.
12:04Yes, Jen? Try nine. Well done, Callum. I'll try nine, too.
12:09Jen, your nine. Frontages. And the same word. There we go.
12:14Happy about that? Yeah, facades of a building, those are frontages. Excellent.
12:18Excellent. Any more nines from the corner?
12:24What have we got? Anything there? I was lucky with a six there.
12:27Yes. I had greats. All right. Susie?
12:31Frontages, yes, but forages as well for seven.
12:34Well done. Thank you. 47 plays 42, still at five-point difference.
12:39And now, Callum, numbers time.
12:41Could I have one large and five small, please, Rachel?
12:44You can indeed. Thank you, Callum. One big one, five little ones coming up.
12:47And for this round, the numbers are ten, six, ten, two, one, and a large one, 25.
12:57And the target, 668.
12:59Six, six, eight.
13:31Callum, six, six, six, not written down.
13:34Two away. Jen?
13:35Six, seven, two, not written down.
13:37In that case, Callum, let's talk to you first of all, shall we?
13:40I did ten times two.
13:42Ten times two, 20.
13:44Plus six.
13:45Plus six, 26.
13:46Twenty-five plus one gives you another 26.
13:49Yep.
13:51Times the two together, I'm hoping, is six, seven, six.
13:54Six, seven, six.
13:56Yep.
13:57And then take away the other ten.
13:58And then the other ten, yeah, for two away.
14:00Two away.
14:01Not bad, but not the sort of perfection that we require here, Rachel.
14:06Is it possible?
14:08A bit of a tricky one, yes.
14:09I'll leave it with me.
14:10Leave that with you by all means.
14:12The score's standing.
14:13Callum on 49.
14:14Jen on 47.
14:16We link to Naga.
14:18Naga, you've said yourself, and I've heard you saying it, that you're in a privileged position of being broadcast into
14:24people's homes.
14:25But that sometimes leads to some odd and interesting conversation, embarrassing sometimes.
14:31Very embarrassing sometimes.
14:32I mean, people, we're in people's kitchens.
14:35We're in people's front rooms, first thing in the morning, giving them the news and hopefully starting their day on
14:39a good note.
14:40But you do get recognised, which is always lovely when someone says hello.
14:45But I remember one lady recognising me in the street and saying, BBC, BBC.
14:51I turned around, because obviously that's my name.
14:55And she said, hello, hello.
14:56She said, oh, you look so wide on the television, so wide.
15:02And then she proceeded to ask me what my dress size was.
15:05And then tapped me on the stomach and said, we didn't know if we should ask.
15:10And I wasn't pregnant.
15:11So it was all a bit embarrassing.
15:13And I just said, no, no, I'm fine.
15:16And people are very honest about their opinions, or with their opinions.
15:22And one gentleman, I was at a conference, and one gentleman said to me, I don't like you.
15:28I don't like you on the television.
15:29You're too forthright.
15:31You're too opinionated.
15:32You're not my type of person at all.
15:34But you've done an OK job, so I might change my mind.
15:37Yes.
15:38Oh, great.
15:39Thanks very much.
15:39So people are treating you as if they know you, because you're in their homes.
15:43Well, they do.
15:43They do know you.
15:44Exactly.
15:45It's extraordinary.
15:45But, I mean, you're a petite, you know, slim, slim young woman.
15:51Is there other?
15:52She should think that you were...
15:54But they say that television puts at least £10, is the phrase they use.
15:58But we do all look taller.
16:00Everyone's really surprised at how short I am.
16:02I make sure that we employ shorter men so I look taller when I sit next to them.
16:08No, that's not true.
16:10All right, Naga.
16:11Lovely stories.
16:12Well done.
16:12Very good.
16:14Very good.
16:18And now, Rachel, 668.
16:20Did you crack it?
16:21I cracked it.
16:22If you say 25 plus 10 minus 1, 34, times by the other 10 for 340, take away the 6
16:31for 334, and times it by 2.
16:34Oh, well done.
16:35Fantastic.
16:36As ever.
16:38Well done.
16:40And now, Jen, letters came.
16:42OK, start with the consonant, please, Rachel.
16:44Thank you, Jen.
16:45S
16:45And another
16:46L
16:48And another
16:49R
16:51And another
16:53S
16:54And a vowel
16:56I
16:58And another
16:59U
17:00And another
17:02O
17:03And another
17:05A
17:07And a final consonant
17:12And a final Y
17:14Stand by
17:15Stand by
18:12Yes, Jen?
18:14Callum
18:14Hasn't done you any good
18:16Jen on 54
18:18And Callum 49
18:19What have you got in the corner, by the way?
18:21Saylis was out of 7
18:22All right, well done
18:22OK, 54 plays
18:2449, Callum on 49
18:25And it's Callum's letters game
18:27No more of those, please, Callum
18:29Can I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
18:31Thank you, Callum
18:32L
18:33And another one, please
18:34R
18:35And another one
18:38N
18:38And another one
18:41G
18:42Vowel, please
18:43I
18:44Another vowel
18:45E
18:46Another vowel, please
18:48O
18:49Another vowel, please
18:51A
18:54And a consonant, please
18:57And lastly, T
18:59Countdown
19:00And a consonant, please
19:30yes Callum eight and eight well done Jen two eights Callum triangle well done
19:37Jen relation relation yeah and in the corner
19:42Lager and Susie I didn't get an eight I got a seven legator yes I quite like the
19:47word that's very good great countdown might as well lots of eights there Nick
19:51couldn't get to nine but integral altering etc thank you very much and it's
19:57sixty two to fifty seven as we go back to the numbers board Jen for large please
20:03for large getting quite the range today for large and two small this time and the
20:09two small ones are one and two very small and the large ones one hundred twenty
20:14five fifty and seventy-five and the target six hundred and eighty-two six eight
20:21two
20:53Yes, Jen?
20:546, 7, 8, not written down.
20:566, 7, 8.
20:57Callum?
20:58I've got nothing, sorry.
20:59Completed blank.
21:00Over to Jen, then.
21:01Jen?
21:02100 minus 75 is 25.
21:05Yep.
21:0625 times 25 is 65.
21:09Add the 50.
21:116, 7, 5.
21:12Add the 2 and the 1.
21:12Yep.
21:13Lovely.
21:146, 7, 8.
21:156, 7, 8, though.
21:17Bit away, isn't it?
21:18Can you help us?
21:19No, that was the best.
21:20That's it?
21:21Yep.
21:21Very well done, Jen, then.
21:23All right.
21:2469 plays 57 as we turn to our second key time teaser, which is Moral Duo.
21:30And the clue.
21:31It sounds like Malcolm was in debt to the lady.
21:34This stinks.
21:35It sounds like Malcolm was in debt to the lady.
21:39This stinks.
21:40This stinks.
21:56And the answer is malodour.
22:06As in malodorous, it's a bad smell, malodour.
22:10Now, if you'd like to become a Countdown contestant, you can email countdown at channel4.com to request an application
22:18form or write to us at contestants applications, countdown leads, LS3, 1, J, S.
22:27So, 69 to 57, and Callum, it's your letters game.
22:31Could I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
22:32Thank you, Callum.
22:34F.
22:34And another one, please.
22:36L.
22:37And another one.
22:38X.
22:40And one more.
22:42D.
22:43Vowel, please.
22:45E.
22:45Another vowel.
22:47I.
22:48Vowel, please.
22:50U.
22:52Er, consonant, please.
22:55T.
22:57And a consonant, please.
23:01And the last one.
23:02R.
23:03Stand by.
23:04And a consonant, please.
23:35Well, Callum, seven.
23:37A seven, Jen?
23:38Seven.
23:39Callum, fruited, right, and?
23:42Flirted.
23:43And flirted.
23:44That's better.
23:45Now, what have we got there?
23:47Naga and Susie?
23:48Got a couple, haven't we?
23:50Trifled.
23:51Yes?
23:51Yep.
23:52And a direful.
23:53Extremely bad or dreadful.
23:55A direful.
23:56All right.
23:57Well, a dire.
23:5876 plays 64.
23:59And, Jen, we're back with you for your next letters game.
24:02A consonant, please.
24:04Thank you, Jen.
24:05P.
24:06And another.
24:08G.
24:09And another.
24:11D.
24:13And a vowel.
24:15E.
24:16And another.
24:17A.
24:18And another.
24:19O.
24:21And another.
24:24E.
24:25And a consonant.
24:29R.
24:31And a final consonant, please.
24:34And the last one.
24:35W.
24:36Stand by.
24:37Odglich.
24:40And a vowel.
24:41To be.
24:59And a vowel.
25:05And another.
25:07yes Jen seven column seven Jen Howard and Calum dowager dowager oh excellent
25:17yeah great work it is very very good dowager and in the corner
25:21mega well I had groped but much better six-letter word yeah which I don't know
25:28what it is is podger not a podge not a chubby person but it's a short bar of
25:35iron or steel used for tightening a box spanner little to not not less
25:40interesting than a short chubby person a podger I've never heard of a podger no
25:46quite like that one but there was one more seven wordage wordage okay a podger
25:50pass me the podger all right eighty three to seventy one and Susie oh Susie we're
25:56back with you you're going to enjoy this naga it's Susie's origins of words I am
26:02I hope so let's all sit back and concentrate although I'm going to go
26:05to a slightly sensitive subject and that's the the new or the toilet and I
26:10don't know if you've ever read an essay written by Nancy Mitford one of the
26:14famous Mitford sisters called noblesse oblige written in 1956 where she talks
26:18about language that's you upper class and no toilet toilet absolutely not and in
26:25fact I think there was an episode wasn't there according to the papers in which
26:30Carol Middleton asked the Queen apparently where the toilet was and so it was called
26:35toilet gate because it was such a faux pas so those kind of social things still
26:40stick but I thought I would talk about some of the other words that we might use
26:43for a loo some of which are quite funny and some of which sadly have fallen out of
26:48use apparently the House of Lords was one popular one House of Commons as well it was
26:54known as businessman jocular so it was part of the jargon of the businessman the
27:00throne room fairly obvious that's similar formulation if you like to the House of
27:05Commons the kazi used slightly jokingly but actually it's a corruption of the
27:10Italian casa meaning a house so it has romantic roots if you think about the
27:15romantic languages and a bench hole which sounds quite modern and not
27:20particularly pleasant but it was actually used in Shakespeare's Anthony and
27:23Cleopatra and has fallen out of use going to the bench hole but I thought I'd end
27:28with not clearing up but giving you some of the theories as to the origins of loo
27:32because I'm often asked where that word particularly comes from and the most
27:38likely suggestion is it goes back to Waterloo not the battle but that was
27:42actually a trade name for iron systems in the early 20th century the other
27:47theories often put forward is that it goes back to guardi loo which was a cry
27:51used in Edinburgh streets in the 18th century to warn passers-by that people
27:55were going to empty their chamber pots from the window guardi loo means beware of
27:59the water that's one of the theories but as I say most likely explanation is
28:03Waterloo and the iron systems in the early 20th century well thank you
28:11you didn't include thunder box in your little uh no is that your preference just
28:17off of the thunder box thank you probably fairly transparent after curry perhaps 83 to 71 where
28:25should we go Callum let us go uh constant please Rachel thank you Callum n and another one please v
28:33and the
28:34number l and another one please t a vowel please a and another one i and another o and another
28:49e and
28:52and another one please a and the last one o stand by
28:57T
28:58t
28:58e
29:27Yes, Colin?
29:28Seven.
29:30Jen?
29:31Seven.
29:32Callum?
29:32Elation.
29:33Elation and?
29:35Violate.
29:36And violate.
29:37Yes.
29:38Any advances on seven?
29:39Naga?
29:40We had toenail.
29:43Yes.
29:45Yeah, that's another seven.
29:46Violate is another seven.
29:48And we were hoping for Ovaltine, but that has a capital O.
29:52Probably good.
29:52All right.
29:53Ninety plays seventy-eight and we're with Jen.
29:55Jen, final letters game for you.
29:57Consonant.
29:58Thank you, Jen.
30:00B.
30:00And another.
30:03P.
30:04And another.
30:06M.
30:07And a vowel, please.
30:09I.
30:10And another.
30:11E.
30:13And another.
30:13A.
30:15And a consonant.
30:18S.
30:19And a vowel.
30:23O.
30:24And a final vowel, please.
30:28And a final A.
30:31Stand by.
30:33So.
30:33Are you ready?
30:34To be busy.
30:47And a vowel.
30:48And a vowel.
30:58In this.
30:58I can't see this.
30:58You know.
31:00But, not that's a vowel.
31:00Yeah, people in half of a Script.
31:01So.
31:04yes Jen 7 7 Callum 7 thank you Jen amoebas and the same word amoebas split into two now go
31:15that
31:15was as good as we could get that's it yeah all right and now it's the final numbers game for
31:20you Kevin good luck make or break I have six moments please and gambling time spooky bomb
31:25time thank you Callum your last chance to stay in the game six little ones and the final numbers
31:30are eight three one two six and four and the target 848 848
32:11Callum absolutely nowhere near sorry no no our bad luck Jen 840 not written down 840 doesn't
32:19matter anymore tell us about it six plus one is seven six plus one seven seven times three is 21
32:27yep two times eight is 16 at the four is 20 no how long I think I've gone completely wrong
32:37I think
32:38yeah doesn't matter though no it doesn't matter absolutely one anyway at this point okay Rachel
32:44how problematic is that eight four eight this one was actually impossible you could have got to two
32:50away so all right well done and well done Jen 97 to Callum's 85 as we go into the final
32:58round
32:58the conundrum round fingers on buzzers let's reveal today's countdown conundrum
33:16Jen laryngeal not sure I pronounced that right but let's have a look and see whether we can't uh
33:21make something out of it make something out of it it's brilliant to the best of times even if it
33:35was
33:35there as of the larynx is that what it's all about I think so must be mustn't it yeah well
33:40well done
33:41anyway 107 Callum bad luck you uh you met Jen on a a bad day for you and a great
33:48day for her because
33:48Jen's now going into the second semi-final on Thursday well done well done Jen and Callum
33:54thanks very much for coming great competitor you're taking this piece of priceless kryptonite
33:59back to uh back home with you with our very best wishes thanks a lot thanks having me I've had
34:05a
34:05great time well done and tomorrow now have you enjoyed yourself very much so well lots great in
34:12that case come back tomorrow lovely thank you lovely it's a long day for you again tomorrow up at dawn
34:17pre-dawn and then in here you've been a joy thank you and Susie see you tomorrow see you tomorrow
34:22Nick and Rachel too a blonde girl in semi-finals I'm celebrating well done see you tomorrow join us
34:32tomorrow same time same place you be sure of it a very good afternoon contact us by email at
34:39countdown at channel4.com by twitter at c4countdown or write to us at countdown leads ls3 1js you can
34:48also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown
34:55an intimate look of what life was like for the heroes on the front line
35:00paramedics britain's lifesavers starting tonight at nine on channel four next up a place in the sun
35:07you
35:09you
35:09you