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00:31Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown Studio.
00:34I recently read about a film that's to be made that may interest some people in the audience
00:40and will certainly really interest some people here in the studio.
00:45It's called The Professor and the Madman.
00:48It's a real-life drama and it's about the creation, wait for it, of the Oxford English Dictionary.
00:54Big stars are in it, Mel Gibson and Sean Penn are in it.
00:56And it's based apparently on a book, The Surgeon of Crothorn, A Tale of Myrna, Madness and the Love of
01:02Words, published back in 1998.
01:05So we'll wait for that with bated breath there, you and I, Rachel.
01:08But I then thought, hmm, books that I'd love to see made into a film.
01:13And I remember about 50 years ago, Rachel, I read four books, a quartet, called The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence
01:20Durrell.
01:21And I was absolutely entranced by it, a wartime spy story in many ways.
01:25And I'm not sure that a film was ever made.
01:27Now, what book do you fancy that might make a great movie?
01:31I'm the other way round.
01:32I always see the movie and then think maybe I'll read the book.
01:35I'm terrible, I don't read very much.
01:36But I love watching Game of Thrones.
01:38And I think people that read the book really get a lot more out of that.
01:41Because there's a lot in it and a lot of houses and clans and people doing this to each other
01:46that you don't know if you watch the programme.
01:48But it's interesting because they started with the books and then they made the programme.
01:51And now the programme's caught up and overtaken the books.
01:54Yeah, well, it's gone beyond.
01:56Yeah, yeah, they're making the programme quicker than the authors writing the books.
01:59So it'll be interesting to see how that kind of fits together.
02:02Excellent stuff.
02:03Now then, who have we got with us, Rachel?
02:06We've got Jamie Washington back, student from Huddersfield training, an English teacher, four good wins under his belt.
02:11Well done.
02:12Well done.
02:12Halfway there.
02:13Yeah, halfway, yeah.
02:14Well, good luck to you.
02:15But first, before you can progress, you've got to clamber over Steve Griffin, an IT consultant from Barnsley.
02:22King Golfer, his favourite place for playing golf, your local golf course.
02:26Is that right?
02:27It is.
02:27It's Waterton Park.
02:28Yep.
02:29Near Wakefield.
02:30Near Wakefield.
02:31Lovely.
02:31But you told me, Steve, before we came on set, that you went on holiday in Ibiza with your friends
02:37a while ago.
02:39And you ran into somebody who entertained you.
02:41What was all that about?
02:42It's a long time ago, 1983 to be exact.
02:45And a young George Michael bumped into us in the hotel.
02:49He was there on his own.
02:51He told us that he was there to get a suntan for the Club Tropicana video.
02:55And he asked if he could tag along with us.
02:57So we had a great time.
02:59Excellent.
02:59And did he sing for you?
03:00He did, yeah.
03:01I listened to a few of his demo tapes on his Walkman at the time, yeah.
03:05And he was good company?
03:07Lovely guy, yeah.
03:08Fantastic.
03:08Thank you for him.
03:09All right.
03:10Let's have a big round of applause then for Steve and Jamie.
03:14APPLAUSE
03:18And over in the corner, Susie, of course, joined once again by the wonderful Helen Fospero,
03:24TV and radio reporter and presenter.
03:26Welcome back.
03:27Good to see you back.
03:27It's good to be back.
03:29All right.
03:29Now then, Jamie, let us go.
03:31Hi, Rachel.
03:32Hi, Jamie.
03:33Start over a consonant, please.
03:35Start today with G.
03:47And a final vowel, please.
04:03And a final E.
04:04And here is the Countdown Clock.
04:07And here is the Countdown Clock.
04:38Yes, Jamie?
04:39A seven.
04:39A seven.
04:40Steve?
04:41A seven.
04:42Yep.
04:43A figured.
04:44And Steve?
04:45Fudgier.
04:47Fudgier.
04:48What a great word.
04:49That's a good one, isn't it?
04:50Oh, unfortunately, it's not in, Steve.
04:52It should be, but not fudgier.
04:54Fudgier.
04:55Yes.
04:55Fudgier cake you will not find.
04:57Sorry.
04:57What can we have?
04:58Helen?
04:59Susie?
04:59I failed a six.
05:02Failed was there, wasn't it?
05:03Very good.
05:04Yes.
05:04It's good that you haven't failed at all, but yes, you have there.
05:06No.
05:06That was the best I could do.
05:07And there is actually a nine there.
05:09What?
05:09To start off with.
05:10Yes.
05:11Not immediately obvious, but lifeguard is there for nine.
05:13Oh, well done.
05:14Well done.
05:15Well done.
05:16Lifeguard.
05:19Excellent.
05:19Seven points to Jamie.
05:21Now then, Steve, what should we have?
05:24Hi, Rachel.
05:25Hi, Steve.
05:26Could I have a vowel, please?
05:27Start with I.
05:30A vowel.
05:31E.
05:32A vowel.
05:34A.
05:35A consonant.
05:37F.
05:38A consonant.
05:40S.
05:41Another consonant.
05:43L.
05:45Another consonant.
05:47T.
05:48A consonant.
05:50L.
05:52And a vowel.
05:53And the last one.
05:55O.
05:55Stand by.
06:27Steve.
06:28A dodgy seven.
06:30Dodgy seven. Jamie?
06:32A seven.
06:33And a firm seven. Steve?
06:35Falsetto.
06:36Falsetto and?
06:37Phillips.
06:39Phillips.
06:41Just checking Falsetto.
06:43It's not there with a single T, I'm afraid, Steve.
06:46Not a good start.
06:46Yeah, I have to do with a double T from Italian, sorry.
06:50Bad luck?
06:51Phillips, absolutely fine.
06:53And Susie? Helen?
06:55I don't think I'm doing very well.
06:56Oh, five. Stale.
06:59Why?
06:59I need to warm up a bit, don't I?
07:00Plenty of time, don't you worry about it.
07:01Plenty of time, good, good.
07:02Exactly, only a second one in.
07:04Stifle is there for six, and there is an eight there, a slightly risque one.
07:08Fellatio is there for eight.
07:10So, Jamie on 14.
07:11Steve, very yet to score.
07:12Plenty of time for that.
07:13And it's numbers for Jamie.
07:16Could I have one large and five small, please, Rachel?
07:18You can, indeed. Thank you, Jamie.
07:19One from the top rope and five little ones.
07:22And for the first time today, your numbers are three, nine, three, eight, ten.
07:29And the big one, 100.
07:31And the target, 136.
07:33One, three, six.
07:34One, four, six.
08:04Jamie.
08:05One, three, six.
08:07One, three, six, Steve.
08:08One, three, six.
08:09Thank you, Jamie.
08:11Ten times three for 30.
08:12Ten times three, 30.
08:14Nine minus the other three, six.
08:16Yeah.
08:16Add those two together and add the hundred.
08:18Yeah, one, three, six, lovely.
08:21Thank you, Steve.
08:22Exactly the same way.
08:23There we go.
08:24Yeah.
08:25Well done.
08:28So, Steve's off the blocks.
08:31Ten to Jamie's 24s.
08:33We turn to our first Teatime teaser, which is Bert Loss.
08:36And the clue.
08:37Bert was at a loss to understand how these creatures mate for life.
08:41Bert was at a loss to understand how these creatures mate for life.
09:01Welcome back.
09:02Like I left with a clue, Bert was at a loss to understand how these creatures mate for life.
09:06And the answer is lobsters.
09:10Lobsters.
09:11So, 24 plays at Steve's 10.
09:13Jamie in charge.
09:14And it's Steve's letters game.
09:15Steve.
09:16Could I have a vowel, please, Rachel?
09:18Thank you, Steve.
09:19E.
09:19A vowel.
09:20A.
09:22A vowel.
09:23A vowel.
09:25A consonant.
09:26A consonant.
09:27A consonant.
09:29S.
09:30A consonant.
09:32J.
09:33A consonant.
09:36R.
09:37A consonant.
09:40L.
09:42And another consonant.
09:44And lastly, S.
09:46Stand by.
09:48B.
09:48B.
09:49B.
09:50B.
09:51B.
09:52B.
10:18Yes, Steve?
10:19I've only got five.
10:21A five-and, Jamie?
10:22Yeah, six.
10:24Steve?
10:25Rolls.
10:26Jamie?
10:27Losers.
10:28Can we beat six?
10:30Can't beat six.
10:31We had lasers for six, and also we had losers too,
10:35but we couldn't see a seven in there.
10:37Couldn't find a seven.
10:38All right.
10:3830 plays, 10.
10:39And, Jamie, let us go.
10:41Start with a consonant, please, Rachel.
10:43Thank you, Jamie.
10:44T.
10:45And another?
10:47B.
10:48And a vowel?
10:50U.
10:51And another?
10:53I.
10:53And a consonant?
10:55S.
10:57And a consonant?
10:59P.
11:00And a third?
11:03W.
11:04And a vowel?
11:07O.
11:08And a final vowel, please.
11:10And the last one, you.
11:13Tung-tung.
11:15Tung-tung.
11:18Jamie?
11:19Tung-tung.
11:45Jamie?
11:46Just a five.
11:47And Steve?
11:48Just a five for me as well.
11:50Jamie?
11:51Pouts.
11:51And?
11:52Spout.
11:53And spout.
11:56Pouts and spout.
11:57What can we do, Helen?
11:58Pouts and bouts.
12:00Both five.
12:00Bouts.
12:01All right.
12:02Now then, Susie?
12:03Oh, I'm sure there's something else there, but I haven't found it yet.
12:07And time's up.
12:08And time's up, so I failed, yeah.
12:0935, please.
12:1115.
12:11All right.
12:12Numbers for Steve?
12:14Could have two from the top and any others.
12:16You can, indeed.
12:17Thank you, Steve.
12:17Two large, four little.
12:19And this time, the little ones are six, three, one, and nine.
12:25And the big ones, 25 and 50.
12:28And your target, 613.
12:31613.
12:33613.
13:02Yes, Steve?
13:04609.
13:06609.
13:06Jamie?
13:07612.
13:08And 612, one away.
13:10Let's try it, Jamie.
13:1250 plus one for 51.
13:1450 plus one, 51.
13:169 plus the three for 12.
13:18Yep.
13:19Times those two together.
13:20Yeah, 612, one away.
13:22Not bad.
13:23Well done, well done.
13:24But 613.
13:25Rachel?
13:26Well, if you say 50 minus one, 49.
13:30And then again, 9 plus 3 is 12.
13:33Times those together for 588.
13:36And then add the 25.
13:38Fabulous.
13:38Well done.
13:39613.
13:42That's the way to do it.
13:43Now, 42 plays 15.
13:45And we turn to Helen.
13:46And Helen?
13:49Abseiling for Barnardos?
13:52What's this all about?
13:53Well, you know me.
13:53I'm always up for a bit of a challenge.
13:54But this one came about in quite an unusual fashion.
13:58Because I've been an ambassador for many years for Barnardos.
14:00And this year we're celebrating our 150th birthday.
14:05And I got a lovely invite through the post and taken to Buckingham Palace for a garden party.
14:11So I'd never been there before.
14:13And this was a thank you to all our supporters and some of the youngsters that the charity helped.
14:18Lovely afternoon, sunny, blue sky, sipping tea, cucumber sandwiches.
14:22And then one of the organisers came along and said, oh, so we're doing this charity abseil to mark the
14:28birthday.
14:29And do you fancy doing it?
14:30And I thought, well, that sounds like a good idea.
14:32Yeah, put me down for it.
14:33It'll be fine.
14:34And now I've got the details.
14:35And it's a freefall abseil, which I'm still not 100% sure what it is.
14:40They assure me it's not a bungee jump.
14:43But I was told it would be down a London iconic building.
14:45So I sort of had visions of coming down Big Ben and, you know, having the sort of brickwork to
14:50push my feet against.
14:52And I thought that sounded quite good.
14:53But I'm actually abseiling down the London Olympic structure, which is sort of like a big helter-skelter, really.
15:00I mean, there's nothing, nowhere really to put your feet.
15:03It's 262 feet high, the tallest sculpture in Britain.
15:08And I'm doing it in a few weeks' time and still feeling slightly nervous about the freefall element of it.
15:16But actually, I'm really, really looking forward to it.
15:18It'll be a massive challenge.
15:19And I'm assured we'll get proper instruction on the day.
15:22And hopefully I'll be back again to tell you all about it.
15:24But Bernardo is a great, great charity.
15:26It's an amazing charity and incredible history.
15:28And it was started 150 years ago.
15:30And it continues to do extraordinary work for children and young people.
15:35So it's a charity I'm very proud to be associated with.
15:38And if that helps, if dangling me off a building that high makes a difference, then it's worthwhile.
15:44Good for you.
15:45Good for you.
15:46Good luck.
15:51Brilliant.
15:52And don't look down.
15:54No.
15:55All right, well done.
15:56So 42, please.
15:57That's 15.
15:58Jamie, letters game.
15:59Do I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
16:01Thank you, Jamie.
16:02S.
16:03And another.
16:05P.
16:06And a third.
16:08H.
16:09And another.
16:12T.
16:13And a vowel.
16:14I.
16:15And another.
16:17O.
16:18And a consonant.
16:21S.
16:22And a vowel.
16:25A.
16:26And a final vowel, please.
16:27And a final.
16:29U.
16:31Countdown.
16:31C.
16:33To be 꼭 upside down.
16:50C.
16:51C.
16:52C.
16:53C.
17:03Jamie?
17:04That's seven.
17:05A seven.
17:06Steve?
17:06Six.
17:07You're six?
17:08Outish.
17:10Outish.
17:11Now then, Jamie?
17:12Utopias.
17:16No, outish, I'm afraid, Steve.
17:18Not having much luck today.
17:20No, no, no.
17:20Um, and Utopia, you can pluralise and have it with the small u.
17:26It's absolutely fine.
17:26Well done.
17:28All right.
17:28What else can we have there?
17:29You can also have sophist, which I'm not 100% sure what that means, actually.
17:35Is this sophistry?
17:36Yes, exactly.
17:37It looks back to Greece, classical Greece, and it was then a paid teacher of philosophy and rhetoric.
17:45And today it means somebody who reasons with clever, but often quite specious arguments.
17:50It's not always ones to be believed.
17:52Yeah.
17:53Pure sophistry.
17:54Yes.
17:55All right.
17:5649 plays 15.
17:57And it's Steve's letters game now.
18:00Steve?
18:01I'll start with a vowel, please.
18:03Thank you, Steve.
18:05E.
18:05Another vowel.
18:07A.
18:08Vowel.
18:10O.
18:11Consonant.
18:13P.
18:14Consonant.
18:16S.
18:17Consonant.
18:19T.
18:19A consonant.
18:22W.
18:24Another consonant.
18:26T.
18:28And another consonant.
18:30And lastly, D.
18:32Stand by.
18:33Hill.
19:02We'llchodinger.
19:04Steve.
19:05Seven.
19:07Yes, Jamie.
19:08Seven.
19:09Right, Steve.
19:10Spotted.
19:11Spotted and spotted.
19:14Well, spotted.
19:15Any more spotteds?
19:18Spotted and swatted.
19:20Swatted.
19:20Yes.
19:21That's more fun.
19:22Yeah, we like swatted.
19:23And teapots there as well.
19:25We like teapots.
19:26Indeed.
19:26Our good old friend, the teapot.
19:28Well done.
19:29And it's 56 to 22.
19:31Jamie in the lead.
19:32And it's Jamie's numbers game now.
19:33Jamie?
19:34Yeah, one from the top and any five of us, please, Rachel.
19:37Thank you, Jamie.
19:37One large, five little coming up.
19:40And this time around, the selection is five, ten, six, nine, four, and 100.
19:48And the target, 380.
19:513-8-0.
19:52Dr.
19:532-152-春ii- inadequ139-luene-mole-mole-vous.
20:083-252- raspberry- Equal movement-based под Budgi-Buddy.
20:144- Hee.
20:212-152-eight- instruments.
20:24Jamie?
20:25380.
20:26380. Steve? 380.
20:30100 minus 5 for 95.
20:32100 minus 5, 95.
20:34Times the 4. Perfect. 380.
20:37There we go, Steve.
20:38I did 100 times 4.
20:39400.
20:406 times 5 is 30.
20:43Yep. Take that off.
20:44370. And have the 10 back on.
20:46380. Lovely.
20:48Well done. Well done indeed.
20:51So 66 to
20:5332 as we turn
20:55to our second tea time teaser which is
20:57Don Begin. And the clue?
20:59Don begins to fillet all the
21:01fish. Don begins to fillet
21:03all the fish.
21:19OK. Welcome back.
21:21I left with a clue.
21:22Don begins to fillet
21:23all the fish.
21:24And the answer is
21:26deboning.
21:27He's deboning them.
21:29Deboning.
21:3066 to 32.
21:31Jamie in the lead.
21:32And it's Steve's
21:33chance to catch up now.
21:34Steve, it's letters game.
21:35I'll start with a vowel, please.
21:37Thank you, Steve.
21:38E.
21:39Another vowel.
21:41I.
21:41Another vowel.
21:44E.
21:45A consonant.
21:47N.
21:48A consonant.
21:49Q.
21:50A consonant.
21:52N.
21:54A consonant.
21:56C.
21:58Another consonant.
22:01K.
22:04And another consonant.
22:06And lastly, R.
22:09Countdown.
22:10!
22:10!
22:12!
22:12ес
22:13!
22:13!
22:13!
22:14!
22:15!
22:36MUSIC PLAYS
22:41Steve. Another dodgy seven.
22:44Right. What about Jamie?
22:46A dodgy six.
22:47A dodgy six. Yes.
22:49Nicker. Nicker?
22:51Yeah.
22:52Thank you. Steve?
22:53Neckier.
22:56You're on thin ground there. You're nice.
22:59I'll start with Nicker. That is there of a horse.
23:03It's to give a soft, breathy whinny.
23:05That's how it's defined in the dictionary.
23:07Which is a beautiful description.
23:10Necker is there, but not neckier, Steve, I'm afraid.
23:14He'd be long-necked, but not necky.
23:1672 to 32, and it's Jamie's letters game.
23:19Jamie.
23:21Instead of a consonant, please.
23:22Thank you, Jamie.
23:23M.
23:24And a vowel?
23:26A.
23:28And a consonant?
23:29R.
23:31And another?
23:32G.
23:34And a vowel?
23:35I.
23:37And another vowel?
23:38E.
23:40E.
23:40And a consonant?
23:41T.
23:42And another consonant?
23:44N.
23:46And a final consonant, please.
23:49And a final R.
23:51Stand by.
23:53The while.
24:21G400D.
24:21And a noun?
24:21Jamie seven Steve seven yes Jamie granite and garment and garment very nice
24:32both can we advance at all we can do emigrant which is eight very good yeah
24:42good yep very good yeah for eight and there's also teaming as in team up
24:46rather than teaming with people so t-e-a-m-i-n-g that will give you a seven
24:51as well thank you thank you well then Helen and it's 79 to 39 as we turn to
24:57Susie and her origins of words now then what have you got for us today Susie
25:04not so much an origin today but you mentioned at the top of the program Nick
25:08the film rights that have been bought by Mel Gibson's company for a new thriller
25:14really about the Oxford English Dictionary and those two words don't normally go
25:17together in people's minds and it's all about it's called the surgeon of
25:21Crowthorne and it's a very unlikely story it's about a surgeon called William
25:27Chester Minor he was American he was a specialist in anatomy and he went into the
25:34Union Army in 1864 as a surgeon and there he witnessed horrible horrible bloodshed
25:40and he was also charged with inflicting some rather terrible punishments on
25:44deserters or people who had somehow sort of disobeyed army rules it affected him
25:52quite badly and he became very paranoid he got real episodes of delusions and
25:59paranoia and it got to the point where the army actually recognized that his
26:02behavior was becoming more and more strange and so he was dismissed and for a
26:06while he went into an asylum in America before coming over to Britain he lived in a
26:13slum in Lambeth eventually he shot and murdered a man who he thought was coming
26:19to break into his apartment in fact the man was completely innocent but for that
26:24murder he was imprisoned in or or taken I should say to Broadmoor in Crowthorne as
26:30again it was called the lunatic asylum in those days what's this got to do with the
26:34OED well the OED in those times or under that was under the helm really of James
26:39Murray who was the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary and this was the
26:42first major venture in in lexicography since Samuel Johnson's dictionary he
26:47crowdsourced if you like in those days by asking people to send in their printed
26:51records of words and how they were being used turned out that his biggest
26:55contributor because William mining was considered not dangerous within
26:59Broadmoor and was so given access to books his biggest contributor was this
27:04murderer and he wrote copious amounts of letters in fact James Murray was latest
27:08to say that he could have produced four centuries worth worth of words on the
27:13basis of William miners slips alone but quite extraordinary that a man with that
27:17past was such a brilliant contributor to what we now use and one of my
27:21favorite reference works of all time extraordinary story
27:29that is fascinating and he was researching whilst in prison or he was just
27:34fringing his own mind no he was given access to lots of lots of books in fact
27:38the widow of the victim is the man that he had murdered brought books into him she
27:43recognized that he wasn't well yeah good thank you so much Susie fascinating now
27:48Steve let us go I'll try again with a vowel please thank you Steve a a vowel a vowel you
28:00consonant n consonant s consonant y consonant C another consonant M
28:18and another consonant and the last one V here's the countdown clock
28:28so
28:40so
28:41so
28:55Yes, Steve?
28:57Just a six.
28:58A six.
28:59A six.
29:00And a six for Jamie.
29:01Steve?
29:02I've got Sunday with an E on the end.
29:04Very nice.
29:05And Jamie?
29:06Unmade.
29:07Unmade?
29:08Yes, unmade bed.
29:09Very good.
29:10Why not?
29:10Yeah.
29:11Now, Helen, Susie, what have we got?
29:13Well, we had the ice cream sundae too, with the E on the end, and also medusan, which is
29:18seven letters.
29:20Medusan.
29:20It's the adjective which is referring to the medusa, which is a bit like a jellyfish.
29:25It's the sort of family of which the jellyfish belongs.
29:29Umbrella-shaped body with stinging tentacles.
29:32Not something you'd like to meet.
29:33Absolutely not.
29:34Absolutely not.
29:3585 plays.
29:3545.
29:36And it's Jamie's Leathers game.
29:38Jamie, last one of the day.
29:39Consonant, please, Rachel.
29:41Thank you, Jamie.
29:43D.
29:44And another.
29:46R.
29:48And another.
29:50C.
29:51And a vowel.
29:52E.
29:53And another.
29:55I.
29:56And a third.
29:57E.
29:59And a consonant.
30:00N.
30:01A consonant.
30:04A consonant.
30:05And a final consonant, please.
30:08And a final G.
30:10And the clock starts now.
30:12And a język.
30:26أ Aah!
30:41And a consonant.
30:42Jamie eight and Steve I've just got six and that six gender gender and receding
30:50and receding very nice I haven't seen that one excellent
30:55now what have you team Susie Helen I had a couple of sixes driven and cringe but
31:04I think you've got sevens yes bearing generic cringe oh but receding is
31:10excellent well done very good all right 93 look at this 93 points to us he's 45 as
31:17we go into the final numbers game Steve I'll try two from the top and any of
31:22it thank you Steve too large for little again and the final one of the day is
31:27three two one and nine and the big ones 25 and 50 again and this target 938 938
31:388
31:41the
31:41the
31:41the
32:10Steve?
32:10Sorry I missed that one.
32:11No?
32:12How about Jamie?
32:13Yeah, I'm nowhere nearer, no.
32:14Neither of you?
32:15We must hurl ourselves at Rachel's feet.
32:19Rachel, 938, can you crack it for us?
32:23I'm not quite there, so leave it with me.
32:25All right, come back to you.
32:26So, 93 plays, 45, as we come to the final round,
32:30which, of course, is conundrum time.
32:32Fingers on buzzers, gentlemen.
32:34Let's reveal today's countdown conundrum.
33:35No?
34:05So, you came on the wrong day, as we say here.
34:06We say 50 plus 3, 53, times by 2 is 106.
34:13Add 1 for 107, times it by 9 for 963, and then take away the 25.
34:19Oh, well done.
34:20Well done, Rachel.
34:21Excellent stuff.
34:23As ever.
34:26Well done, Rachel.
34:27See you tomorrow.
34:29See you tomorrow.
34:30Same time, same place.
34:31You be sure of it.
34:32A very good afternoon to you.
35:02Join me up your doors to complete strangers.
35:03Airbnb Dream or Nightmare is all new at 10.
35:06Next here on 4, a place in the sun, home or away.