Countdown (1982– )

The long-running words and numbers game.

Stars:

Carol Vorderman, Richard Whiteley, Susie Dent

2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Carol Vorderman	...	Herself - Hostess (4756 episodes, 1982-2008)
Richard Whiteley	...	Himself - Host (3983 episodes, 1982-2005)
Susie Dent	...	Herself - Lexicographer (2366 episodes, 1992-2012)

Storyline

The long-running words and numbers game.

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Plot Keywords:

number game | math whiz | word game | dictionary | anagram | 

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Genres:

Game-Show

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Details

Official Sites:

Channel 4 [United Kingdom]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1982 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Yorkshire Television Studios, Studio Road, Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Yorkshire Television (YTV)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min 30 min (1982-2001) 45 min (2001-)

Sound Mix:

Mono Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last numbers game total ever solved was 297 in Carol Vorderman's last episode.

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Connections

Referenced in 10:96: Training Night (2005)

User Reviews

Why it's a hit

Just because this show is on in the dead of the afternoon, don't dismiss it as lightweight. This show is a hit and has had such a long run because it is intelligent and does not rely on stupid stunts or gimmicks. Thirty seconds to produce a word from nine randomly picked letters is difficult to say the least, and the numbers game is even harder. It's one of the programs I miss most since moving to Canada. Sure Whiteley's jokes are bad, but that is part of the fun. In a TV world where shows like Survivor and Temptation Island get all the attention and millions of viewers, it's great that there are still some programs that need some brain power to get prizes. I'm not surprised that Countdown has lasted so long.