"Countdown" (1982) TV series 1982-????

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61

Release Date:

2 November 1982 (UK)

Genre:

Game-Show

Plot:

The long-running words and numbers game.

Plot Keywords:

Number Game | Word Game | Pun | Oxford English Dictionary | Dictionary

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Carol Vorderman	...	Herself - Hostess / ... (4,756 episodes, 1982-2008)
Richard Whiteley	...	Himself - Host / ... (3,983 episodes, 1982-2005)
Susie Dent	...	Herself - Lexicographer / ... (2,046 episodes, 1992-2009)

Runtime:

30 min (including commercials) (1982-2001) | 45 min (including commercials) (2001-)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Yorkshire Television (YTV)

Trivia:

In May 2005, Richard Whiteley caught pneumonia, and his position as host was to be temporarily filled by a series of guest presenters during the recording of Series 54. He later died in June, and after auditions for a new host the show returned in October hosted by Desmond Lynam. The guest-presented episodes were never aired, and a new Series 54 was recorded instead. Others who auditioned included Richard Digance and Noel Edmonds; Paul Merton was also rumored to have been under consideration.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Mr Countdown: A Tribute to Richard Whiteley (2005) (TV)

A new host for this series

After nearly being axed, Channel 4 chose Des Lynam as the new host of Countdown to replace the much missed Richard Whiteley after his most unexpected death. Though not the same as Richard, Des isn't too bad.

Richard hosted from episode 1 which was screened way back in 1982 and was at first only intended to run for a few weeks. He hadn't missed an episode until he went down with pneumonia in May 2005 and there were to be guest presenters until his return, but that never did happen.

Richard was of course noted for his bad jokes and bright coloured ties. I often used to watch Countdown when I got home from school back in the 1980's/1990's and only occasionally watch it now.