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00:00.
00:28Good afternoon and welcome to Canada and Studio.
00:31Now, nowadays there seem to be hundreds of awards evenings, but tonight there's something
00:36really rather special.
00:37It's a tongue-in-cheek award.
00:38It's the Oldie of the Year's award.
00:40The Oldie of the Year, founded by Richard Ingham, who, of course, previously founded
00:44the great Private Eye.
00:45And then when he got too old for that, he founded Oldie, the Oldie magazine.
00:50And prizes are handed out to senior figures for achievements over the previous year with
00:55titles changing.
00:56Of course, they're all tongue-in-cheek.
00:57For instance, Prince Philip was given Consort of the Year.
01:00And a previous Countdown guest, actually, Michael Burke, was awarded Jungle Survivor of the Year.
01:06And I can't think of any award, however tongue-in-cheek, that I would be deserving of.
01:12Now, Rachel, if you were able to put yourself an award, tongue-in-cheek, what would you go for?
01:19I guess my best hidden talent is bruising or getting bizarre injuries, so I'll put myself
01:24forward to that award, yeah.
01:25Bizarre injury award.
01:25Oh, yeah.
01:26Once I've got my makeup on, the makeup girls are brilliant.
01:28They have to colour in my scars.
01:31You poor girl.
01:32Yeah, I find new and interesting ways to injure myself when there's any slight possibility.
01:36Is this just bumping into things or cycling?
01:38I'm just clumsy.
01:38My friends have got stories and stories and stories since I was that big.
01:41I never go out of it.
01:42Most people do.
01:44It's makeup people to colour in your shins now.
01:46You don't look clumsy to me at all, but there we are.
01:50What do I know?
01:51Now, who's here?
01:52Tim Down.
01:53Welcome back, Tim.
01:55Welcome back.
01:56Let's see whether Colin Chute, an English teacher from County Mede in Ireland, is going
02:01to wrestle that crown away from you before you actually get it.
02:04Colin, you're teaching English to foreign students in Dublin now, is that right?
02:08Yeah, so I'm kept very busy.
02:10Yeah?
02:10Excellent.
02:11And these are young people flooding into Ireland from around the world.
02:14Basically, of all ages, so from 16 to 80.
02:17Ireland, and particularly Dublin, I think, is incredibly attractive to young people, isn't
02:21it?
02:21It's aptly packed solid with young people.
02:23It's a beautiful city.
02:24It's, you know, if you need a good pint, come to Dublin.
02:28Oh, I know all about that.
02:29I know all about that.
02:30But also, it's a very friendly city, and it's a lively city, too, isn't it?
02:35Yeah, we'll try to be happy and have a smile.
02:36Indeed.
02:37Well, good luck to you, Colin, and let's see how you get on.
02:41Who's over in the corner?
02:43None other, of course, than the wonderful Susie and Helen Fospero again, joining us again.
02:49How are you feeling today?
02:50You're getting that pronunciation beautiful.
02:51But actually, I mean, technically, that's wrong, because it's Italian, and I think it's
02:55Fospero.
02:56Don't confuse me now.
02:57I guess I'm only...
02:58Oh, yeah, but we always say Fospero, so you're doing beautifully well with it.
03:03All right, now then, let's get down to business here.
03:05Tim, good luck to you.
03:07Off you go.
03:07Letters game.
03:08Hi, Rachel.
03:09Hi, Tim.
03:10Start with a consonant, please.
03:11Start today with F.
03:14And another.
03:16T.
03:17And a third.
03:20V.
03:21Vowel, please.
03:23U.
03:24And another.
03:26E.
03:26And a third.
03:29A.
03:31Consonant.
03:32G.
03:34Consonant.
03:36D.
03:38And a vowel, please.
03:39And the last one.
03:40E.
03:42And here's the countdown clock.
03:43E.
03:45And a vowel.
03:45E.
03:50E.
04:14Well, Tim?
04:15Six.
04:16A six, Colin?
04:17A six, but not written down.
04:19All right.
04:19Tell us about that, Colin.
04:21Fesits.
04:23And defeat.
04:24And defeat.
04:26Are we happy, Susie?
04:28No, fetid, unfortunately, Colin.
04:30I can see where you're coming from with that, but not in the dictionary.
04:33Alas, sorry.
04:34Bad luck.
04:35And Helen?
04:36Fated, gated, and defeat.
04:38Well done.
04:39All right.
04:40Now then, another letter's going.
04:43Colin, this one for you.
04:44Hi, Rachel.
04:45Hi, Colin.
04:46May I get a consonant, please?
04:47You may, thank you.
04:48Start with R.
04:50And another.
04:52L.
04:54One more.
04:56Q.
04:57And a vowel.
04:59A.
05:01And again, please.
05:02I.
05:03And one more.
05:05O.
05:07And a consonant.
05:09N.
05:12One more, please.
05:15S.
05:17And a vowel.
05:19And a vowel.
05:20And a vowel.
05:20And a vowel.
05:21E.
05:23Countdown.
05:23And a vowel.
05:47And a vowel.
05:52And a vowel.
05:54Colin a seven a seven Tim eight and Colin nailers thank you nailers and ailerons ailerons
06:05excellent good old countdown now Helen I had loners which is a seven and we had ailerons
06:14which I don't even know what it means it's a flap on the wing of an aircraft you see in
06:17it
06:17it's used to control it's it's sort of rolling movement there you go all right 14 to Tim calling
06:23yet to go but bags of time and now it's Tim's numbers game Jim I'll have four large please
06:29I thought you might I don't need to ask anymore thank you Tim four from the top row and two
06:33little
06:34ones and these little ones are ten and four and then the big ones 50 175 25 and the target
06:44100
06:45oh dear 175 175
06:52so
07:20Right, I turn to you, Tim, to crack this one.
07:23175.
07:24Yes, and Colin?
07:26Yes, okay, let's deal with this fairly quickly.
07:29100 plus 75.
07:31Colin?
07:32I've got the same.
07:33You're going to go the same rate.
07:35Oh, you have to try.
07:36I'm joking.
07:3824 plays Colin's 10 as we turn to our first two-time teaser,
07:43which is rude slob.
07:44And the clue, big rocks that sound like they go with brass.
07:47Big rocks that sound like they go with brass.
08:07Welcome back, a warm welcome back.
08:09I left you with the clue, big rocks that sound like they go with brass.
08:13And the answer is boulders.
08:16Boulders.
08:18Boulders brass.
08:1924 plays Colin's 10.
08:21Colin, you're back in with the letters, Ken.
08:24May I start with a constant, please?
08:25Thank you, Colin.
08:26D.
08:27And one more.
08:39And the last one.
08:57And the last one.
08:59One more.
09:29Colin.
09:30A six.
09:31A six, yes, Tim?
09:33Six.
09:34Colin.
09:35Very low.
09:36And, Tim?
09:37Loader.
09:38And loader.
09:39Yes, absolutely fine.
09:40Very good.
09:41All right, any more loading over there?
09:43I've found jailed, which is six.
09:46Yes.
09:46But there's also a seven, dariole, which is a cooking pot.
09:50A dariole.
09:51That pops up from time to time.
09:53It's always simmering in the background.
09:55What have we got there, Susie?
09:57No, same, exactly the same.
09:59It's using French cooking, and it's shaped like a flower pot.
10:03Really?
10:03A dariole, yes.
10:04I'm a stranger to the kitchen.
10:05I know nothing.
10:06Actually, I've just heard we've had a new sort of thing in the kitchen that you heat pots on,
10:13but it's induction.
10:14You've got to have special saucepans, apparently, I've just heard.
10:16Oh, we've got induction.
10:16It's not great.
10:17Isn't it?
10:18No.
10:19There's no gas in our building, sadly, but no.
10:21Gosh, things aren't looking very good when I get home.
10:24Thirdly plays 16, and Tim, let us go.
10:28Consonant, please.
10:29Thank you, Tim.
10:30P.
10:31Vowel.
10:33O.
10:34Consonant.
10:35K.
10:38Vowel.
10:40A.
10:41Consonant.
10:43T.
10:44Vowel.
10:46E.
10:48Consonant.
10:50R.
10:52Vowel.
10:54I.
10:56And a consonant, please.
10:57And the last one.
10:58M.
10:59Stand by.
11:00B.
11:01I.
11:02We.
11:07.
11:08We.
11:10.
11:10.
11:17.
11:27.
11:31Yes, Tim?
11:32Six.
11:33A six. Colin?
11:35I've lost the one, unfortunately.
11:38Let's concentrate on Tim for the minute.
11:40Import.
11:41What have you characters over in the corner got there?
11:45Helen?
11:45Oh, I'm quite proud. I found this myself.
11:47Primate for seven.
11:49Not bad at all.
11:50Not bad at all, was it?
11:50Very good. Primate.
11:52And Susie, your seven?
11:53That was about the best, I think, that Helen got there.
11:55And there's a five there, Pokey, which is a fruit machine.
11:58OK, a pokey.
12:0036 plays 16, and it's numbers for you, Colin.
12:04May I get one large and five for choosing, please?
12:07Thank you, Colin.
12:07One from the top and five random little ones.
12:11And for this round, your small numbers are three, eight, five.
12:15Another eight and one, and the big one, 100.
12:19Hopefully something trickier.
12:21380.
12:223-8-0.
12:563-7-9, but not written down.
12:583-7-9, and Tim?
13:003-8-1.
13:013-8-1.
13:03So, Colin?
13:05OK, 3 plus 1.
13:073 plus 1 is 4.
13:09Times 100.
13:10Times 100, 400.
13:11And then minus, minus 8, minus 8.
13:17Yep.
13:17And then, and the 5, minus the 5.
13:20Perfect, yep, just right there.
13:213-7-9, which is what you did, Helen.
13:23Now then, 3-8-1, Tim, down.
13:255 minus 1 is 4.
13:265 minus 1, 4.
13:28Multiply by 100.
13:29400 again.
13:30And subtract 8, and 8 and 3.
13:338, 8, and the 3.
13:35Yep, for one the other way.
13:36Well done.
13:37Now then, Rachel, can you squeeze between them?
13:39Yes.
13:40If you say 100 minus 5 is 95, and then 3 plus 1 is 4, and times them together.
13:48There we go.
13:48Well done.
13:49Thank you, Rachel.
13:51Well done.
13:51So 43 plays 23, as we turn now to Helen.
13:55And Helen, last time you were here, you spoke, very moving, actually, about the collapse
14:02of the Twin Towers.
14:03You were there.
14:04You watched it happen.
14:05And in fact, you rushed out and grabbed a crew, and you reported from that terrible place.
14:11But you worked then in the States for some time.
14:14You had fun, I hope.
14:15I had a lot of fun.
14:16I mean, I worked for Morning Television, and the title was U.S. Correspondent, so obviously
14:20we covered lots of news stories.
14:22September the 11th, Timothy McVeigh's execution, the Bush Gore election, you know, lots of heavy
14:27news stories.
14:28But the Morning Show were very good about when we had a bit of downtime about doing colour
14:32features.
14:33It was all a bit quiet, and the office said, stick a pin in the map, disappear for a week,
14:39and come back with five good colour stories.
14:42And, you know, it's up to you where you go.
14:43All we ask is that at the end of the week, you have five good pieces to put out on
14:47television.
14:48So we decided that because we'd ended at the Grand Canyon on our political trip, and we'd
14:54had no time to explore it, we'd start there this time.
14:57And so rather sort of madly, me and my producer and my cameraman decided that we'd go on horseback
15:04to the bottom of the canyon.
15:05But they're slipping, their hooves are slipping on the edge.
15:08So it's quite terrifying to begin with, and then you just have to relax and enjoy it.
15:12But the whole desert was in bloom.
15:14And when we got down to the bottom, we camped with the Havasupai Indians, an ancient Indian
15:19tribe.
15:20And then the next day, having filmed again with the Indians, we helicoptered out with
15:25a little bit of classical music in our earphones.
15:27And I think it took three minutes to helicopter out and six hours to ride in.
15:31So we did lots of things like that.
15:33We had an awful lot of fun and a lot of freedom and got some smashing pieces.
15:37And you were there for the Gore Bush election?
15:40I went there for the election, and I was only supposed to be there six months.
15:43And then I didn't really intend to stay three years, but stories kept happening, and they
15:47kept ringing saying, can you stay for another couple of months?
15:50And I love New York City.
15:51Great days.
15:51Great days.
15:52What a wonderful...
15:53Fantastic.
15:53Fantastic job.
15:54Thank you, Helen.
15:55Wonderful stuff.
15:59Well done.
16:01Right, what shall we do?
16:02Tim, will you take us on now with the letters game?
16:05Consonant, please.
16:06Thank you, Tim.
16:07R
16:07And another
16:10G
16:10And a third
16:13T
16:14Vowel, please
16:16A
16:16And another
16:19I
16:19And another
16:22A
16:23Consonant
16:25W
16:27Consonant
16:29S
16:30And a vowel, please
16:31And the last one
16:32O
16:35Stand by
16:36additive
16:44You
17:05You
17:05You
17:05You
17:05So
17:05You
17:05yes Tim six a sick Colin just a five and that five beautiful words beautiful
17:14words sports yes and groats groats yes happy enough very happy and groats
17:23being medieval European coin worth four old pence oh really when do they go out
17:29of circulation well they wish you between 1351 and 1662 so 17th century a
17:34while ago now then Helen I've got warts too so to speak and wait so I didn't do
17:42very well this time it was a hard one wasn't it there's a few sixes gators as
17:47in alligators and Tawais t-o-w-a-i-s which are large New Zealand trees thank you
17:55very much all right well done 49 plays 23 Colin your letters game may I start with
18:02the constant please thank you Colin why one more ah and again T a vowel please I and
18:16and again U and another O and a fourth E a consonant please M and one more and the last
18:32one P
18:33stand by
18:35I and again T a vowel please M and one more and the other P
19:07yeah Colin I'll try a seven a seven Tim I'll try seven as well so Colin how's
19:15here are you both pouting same word yeah it's poutier yeah I wonder any more
19:21pouting over there well we didn't have it but you're in luck it's in the
19:24dictionary yes poutier poutiest all right and Helen and also proteum for
19:30seven yes yeah Susie what else have you got that well protein is an
19:35isotope of hydrogen so there's deuterium tritium and proteum thank you well
19:42done Helen thank you 56 plays 30 and it's numbers game Tim I'll go for four from
19:49the top please for all time's sake thank you Tim for from the top and two little
19:53ones and for the final time for me for a while they are six and three and the big
19:58ones 50 25 75 and 100 and this time your target 654
20:05six five four
20:09so
20:37yes Tim 654 and Colin
20:41six five three six five three so let's start with Tim 75 divided by 25 is 3
20:47yeah multiply that by 3 9 add the 100 109 and multiply by 6 well done 654
20:55well done very good a good mathematician so 56 66 even plays 30 as we go into our second
21:04tea time teaser which is eat fresh and the clue you'll see lots of these if you count down you'll
21:10see lots
21:10lots of these if you count down
21:29welcome back I left with the clue you'll see lots of these if you count down and the answer is
21:36feathers feathers
21:3866 to 30 and Colin your letters game may I start with a constant please thank you Colin
21:45Z
21:46better one please L
21:49and again
21:52G
21:53a fourth
21:55P
21:56a vowel
21:58A
21:59one more please
22:01U
22:02and again
22:04O
22:05O
22:06and a fourth
22:08E
22:10and finally a consonant
22:12and finally R
22:14here's the countdown clock
22:17The
22:17is
22:17the
22:17is
22:30you
22:47Yes, Colin?
22:49A six.
22:49A six, Tim?
22:51Six.
22:52Colin?
22:53Plague.
22:54Plague and?
22:55Plague as well.
22:56Two plagues.
22:58Two plagues.
22:59And in the corner, Helen and Susie?
23:02Well, two sevens, but I can't really claim them as my own.
23:05That would be really wrong.
23:06Earplug and pergola.
23:08Pergola and earplug.
23:09I wish they were mine.
23:11Very good.
23:12You can put the R on play, if you were wondering.
23:15You could have a plaguer, so somebody who harasses somebody else.
23:19And a rather ugly word for a beautiful thing,
23:22grauple, G-R-A-U-P-E-L,
23:24which are small particles of snow,
23:26almost like soft hail,
23:27so they've got slight hardness to them.
23:30But...
23:30Really?
23:31Yeah.
23:32It's a very useful word.
23:32So it could be graupling outside?
23:34It's not...
23:34It's actually a noun.
23:35Oh, it's a noun.
23:36For the sort of very fragile crust of ice,
23:38but it's still quite soft.
23:40All right.
23:4172 to 36,
23:42and it's Tim's...
23:45Letters again.
23:45Tim?
23:46Consonant, please.
23:47Thank you, Tim.
24:14And a consonant, please.
24:16And, finally, tea.
24:19Countdown.
24:19interview, sir.
24:26Okay.
24:43Do you have a
24:44beautiful friend in Bangalore?
24:44I'll be in the wars with you.
24:44Do me today's time.
24:45Bye.
24:48Bye.
24:50Jim eight and eight Colin and it's
24:54Thank you Jim coasting coasting and Colin coatings
24:59coatings
25:06What have you got in the corner Helen and Susie I managed a seven stoning
25:12Yes, not an eight one more eight to add Nick and that's agnostic agnostic
25:18Thank you 80 plays are 44 as we turn back to you Susie and
25:25Your wonderful origins of words. What have you got for us today?
25:29I have an unexpected connection and
25:33This one is between a verge side of the road and a man of the church
25:38I'll go I'll start with the the boundary sense first a verge comes from old French or via old French
25:45I should say from the latin verga which meant a rod and
25:49It referred to particularly to a rod or scepter that was carried as
25:53a symbol of office if you like
25:56Why that has anything to do with a boundary or a margin or as I say the edge of the
26:00road and probably goes back to the Norman Kings
26:04and
26:04they had the Lord high steward in
26:081500 they instated this office
26:11He was probably at one time the most important person in the kingdom in fact Henry the fourth gave his
26:17son
26:18Thomas of Lancaster the title of Lord high steward today
26:21It's very much a ceremonial role, but as I say once very very important and
26:25He again his his authority was symbolized by the rod of office and
26:31And there was a rule decreed that um nobody could come within 12 a 12 mile radius of the king's
26:38court without permission and
26:40the um the radius itself was called the the verga or the velge and it was in French and so
26:46this idea of coming within the boundary
26:48Probably gave us the modern sense of the boundary or the edge that you will now find on every highway
26:53and every road in England
26:55um, so that's that's the verge that is aside but the church person the verger um took his name from
27:02that rod of office
27:03So he carried a rod or a similar symbol of office in front of a bishop or another official
27:08So, um, it is strange that that the the verge that's the church caretaker if you like and attendant is
27:15linked to
27:15Um the grassy bit at the edge of the motorway
27:18Very good
27:22Complicated
27:2480 days 44 colin letters game
27:27May I start with a vowel please thank you colin
27:30U
27:32And again
27:34I
27:35One more please
27:37E
27:38A consonant
27:41S
27:42And again
27:44N
27:46N
27:46And a third
27:48T
27:49And a fourth
27:52H
27:53A vowel
27:55A
27:57And a consonant please
28:01And lastly
28:02R
28:03Counter
28:06One more time
28:08To
28:08Hot
28:08To
28:08To
28:08. . .
28:35Colin.
28:36A seven.
28:37A seven, Tim?
28:39Eight.
28:40Colin.
28:41Hunters.
28:42Hunters and?
28:43Haunters.
28:45Well done.
28:46Very good.
28:47And the corner.
28:48What news in the corner, Helen and Susie?
28:50Well, we had haunters as well.
28:52Yes.
28:53And also unearths, which is another really good eight.
28:56Very good.
28:57Susie, that's it?
28:58There's a term from heraldry, hoorient, H-A-U-R-I-E-N-T.
29:03We'll give you another eight, and it's when a fish or marine creature in heraldry
29:07is depicted as swimming vertically with a head upwards.
29:10That's right, yeah.
29:11Like a seahorse, do you think?
29:14Very interesting.
29:17OK, 84 to 44, and it's Tim's Letters Game.
29:22Last one of the day.
29:23Last one of the day.
29:26Consonant, please.
29:27Thank you, Tim.
29:28B.
29:29And another.
29:31L.
29:32And a third.
29:34D.
29:36Vowel, please.
29:38I.
29:39And another.
29:40E.
29:41And another.
29:43A.
29:45Consonant.
29:46R.
29:48Consonant.
29:50D.
29:52And a vowel, please.
29:54And the last one.
29:55O.
29:57Countdown.
30:28Tim?
30:29Seven.
30:30A seven, Colin?
30:32A seven.
30:33Yes, Tim?
30:34Boarded.
30:35Boarded and Colin Tute?
30:37Bladder.
30:38Bladder.
30:40Very nice.
30:42Depends what state it's in, really.
30:44What have we got there, Helen?
30:46We had boarded and also bridled, which I think is in there.
30:50That was the last minute one.
30:52Bridled, it's in there, isn't it?
30:53Yes, absolutely fine, yeah.
30:54The horse bridled.
30:55Susie, anything else?
30:56Radioed is another seven.
30:58He radioed in.
30:59Radioed in.
31:00All right.
31:0095, look at that.
31:02Just short of the 100 to 51, and it's Colin's numbers game.
31:06Good luck, Colin.
31:07Rachel, I'll let you take your pick.
31:09Why, thank you.
31:10Well, let's have two large.
31:11We've not had two large for a while and four little ones.
31:13Thank you very much, Colin.
31:14And the final numbers game of the day is 1, 4, 7, 9,
31:20and the big two, 25 and 100, in nicely ascending order,
31:25and the target 358.
31:273, 5, 8.
31:293, 5, 8.
31:59Colin.
32:00Yeah, 3, 5, 8.
32:02And Tim?
32:03360.
32:05360.
32:06Interesting.
32:07Colin.
32:09Okay, 100 times 4.
32:11100 times 4 is 400.
32:13Minus 25.
32:143, 7, 5.
32:15Minus 9, minus 7.
32:179, minus 7, 4, 3, 5, 9.
32:22Oh, I've...
32:23Oh, and the one.
32:23And the one.
32:24Perfect.
32:243, 5, 8.
32:25Well done.
32:27Well done.
32:29Tim, I hope you weren't cruising there, were you?
32:31No, I just missed it.
32:33I haven't got to 100 yet.
32:35Well done there, Colin.
32:36Let's go into the final round with the score standing at 95 to 61.
32:40Fingers on buzzers.
32:41Gentlemen, let's reveal today's countdown conundrum.
32:55Yes, Tim?
32:56Indignity.
32:58Indignity.
32:59Let's see whether you're right.
33:00There she rolls.
33:01Indignity.
33:02Well done.
33:04105 points.
33:08105 points.
33:09But that's not the end of it, because you're now an octo-champ.
33:13Well done.
33:14No, very well done, but I'll come back to you in a second.
33:17Colin, you did very well indeed against an octo-champ, because that's a formidable sort
33:21of performance from Tim, but 61 to his 105.
33:24That's okay.
33:25So back to Dublin, and back to your teaching role, and good luck to you.
33:30Take this goodie bag back to Dublin, and great good fortune to you.
33:33And my best regards to Trim in County Meath.
33:36Thank you very much.
33:37Getting the name out there.
33:38Brilliant.
33:39We shall see you later in the year.
33:42Octo-champ, well done, Tim Down.
33:44You've been a great performer.
33:45Tremendous.
33:46Good luck to you anyway.
33:47We shall see you tomorrow, Helen and Susie.
33:51Yeah?
33:51See you tomorrow.
33:52See you tomorrow.
33:52I was very surprised, actually, Rachel, to see Tim slipping down on that last numbers game.
33:57He's such a good mathematician.
33:58Well, he's won very hard.
33:59He's won eight games in a row.
34:00I think that deserves less criticism.
34:03No, no.
34:04I was just, I was worrying about you.
34:06I was looking forward for the most mean congratulations ever.
34:09Meanest spirited.
34:10There we go.
34:11There we go.
34:11Yeah, worst motivational speaker.
34:13See you tomorrow.
34:14See you tomorrow.
34:15Join us tomorrow.
34:15Two new contestants, same time, same place.
34:17You'll be sure of it.
34:18A very good afternoon to you.
34:20You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com, by Twitter at C4Countdown,
34:26or write to us at countdown leads LS3 1JS.
34:30You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.