Countdown Box Art

Countdown

United Kingdom

5.4/10 from 5 votes

Gender: Reality

Date of release: 02 Nov 1982

Description

Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Nick Hewer, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and 67 series have been broadcast since its debut on 2 November 1982. With over 5,000 episodes, Countdown is one of the longest-running game shows in the world, along with the original French version, Des chiffres et des lettres, which has been running on French television continuously since 1965. Countdown was initially recorded at The Leeds Studios for 27 years, before moving to Granada Studios in 2009, and then over to MediaCityUK in Salford Quays in 2013. The programme was presented by Richard Whiteley for over 20 years, until his death in June 2005. It was then presented by Des Lynam until the end of 2006, Des O'Connor until the end of 2008, and Jeff Stelling until the end of 2011. The current presenter is Nick Hewer. Carol Vorderman, the show's co-host, who had been on the programme since it began, left the show in December 2008, at the same time as O'Connor. She was replaced by Rachel Riley. A celebrity guest features in every programme, and provides a brief interlude before the first advertisement break. The two contestants in each episode compete in three disciplines: eleven letters rounds, in which the contestants attempt to make the longest word possible from nine randomly chosen letters; three numbers rounds, in which the contestants must use arithmetic to reach a random target number from six other numbers; and the conundrum, a buzzer round in which the contestants compete to solve a nine-letter anagram. During the series heats, the winning contestant returns the next day until he or she loses or has accumulated eight wins. The best contestants are invited back for the series finals, which are decided in knockout format. Contestants of exceptional skill have received national media coverage, and the programme as a whole is widely recognised and parodied within British culture.

Extra

Runtime of the episode 36 minutes
Network Channel 4
Producer Yorkshire Television (YTV)
Language English
Themes game show
Created by

Seasons

  • Season 0
    Episodes: 44
    Date of release: 01 Jan 1900
  • Season 1
    Episodes: 26
    Date of release: 01 Nov 1982
  • Season 2
    Episodes: 52
    Date of release: 01 Jul 1983
  • Season 3
    Episodes: 51
    Date of release: 14 Dec 1983
  • Season 4
    Episodes: 51
    Date of release: 27 Jun 1982
  • Season 5
    Episodes: 50
    Date of release: 14 Oct 1984
  • Season 6
    Episodes: 54
    Date of release: 06 Jan 1985
  • Season 7
    Episodes: 50
    Date of release: 13 Oct 1985
  • Season 8
    Episodes: 59
    Date of release: 05 Jan 1986
  • Season 9
    Episodes: 47
    Date of release: 30 Mar 1986
  • Season 10
    Episodes: 50
    Date of release: 12 Oct 1986
  • Season 11
    Episodes: 50
    Date of release: 01 Feb 1987
  • Season 12
    Episodes: 50
    Date of release: 12 Apr 1987
  • Season 13
    Episodes: 50
    Date of release: 21 Jun 1987
  • Season 14
    Episodes: 63
    Date of release: 04 Oct 1987
  • Season 15
    Episodes: 50
    Date of release: 10 Apr 1988
  • Season 16
    Episodes: 55
    Date of release: 19 Jun 1988
  • Season 17
    Episodes: 55
    Date of release: 01 Jan 1989
  • Season 18
    Episodes: 70
    Date of release: 09 Jul 1989
  • Season 19
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 31 Dec 1989
  • Season 20
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 01 Jul 1990
  • Season 21
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 30 Dec 1990
  • Season 22
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 30 Jun 1991
  • Season 23
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 29 Dec 1991
  • Season 24
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 28 Jun 1992
  • Season 25
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 03 Jan 1993
  • Season 26
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 04 Jul 1993
  • Season 27
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 02 Jan 1994
  • Season 28
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 01 Jan 1900
  • Season 29
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 01 Jan 1995
  • Season 30
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 02 Jul 1995
  • Season 31
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 31 Dec 1995
  • Season 32
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 30 Jun 1996
  • Season 33
    Episodes: 58
    Date of release: 19 Dec 1996
  • Season 34
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 29 Dec 1996
  • Season 35
    Episodes: 64
    Date of release: 22 May 1997
  • Season 36
    Episodes: 65
    Date of release: 29 Jun 1997
  • Season 37
    Episodes: 60
    Date of release: 28 Sep 1997
  • Season 38
    Episodes: 130
    Date of release: 28 Dec 1997
  • Season 39
    Episodes: 130
    Date of release: 28 Jun 1998
  • Season 40
    Episodes: 130
    Date of release: 27 Dec 1998
  • Season 41
    Episodes: 121
    Date of release: 27 Jun 1999
  • Season 42
    Episodes: 123
    Date of release: 26 Dec 1999
  • Season 43
    Episodes: 114
    Date of release: 25 Jun 2000
  • Season 44
    Episodes: 130
    Date of release: 26 Apr 2001
  • Season 45
    Episodes: 42
    Date of release: 01 Jul 2001
  • Season 46
    Episodes: 67
    Date of release: 23 Sep 2001
  • Season 47
    Episodes: 127
    Date of release: 25 Dec 2001
  • Season 48
    Episodes: 109
    Date of release: 30 Jun 2002
  • Season 49
    Episodes: 122
    Date of release: 05 Jan 2003
  • Season 50
    Episodes: 103
    Date of release: 29 Jun 2003
  • Season 51
    Episodes: 112
    Date of release: 11 Apr 2004
  • Season 52
    Episodes: 112
    Date of release: 27 Jun 2004
  • Season 53
    Episodes: 119
    Date of release: 03 Jan 2005
  • Season 54
    Episodes: 153
    Date of release: 30 Oct 2005
  • Season 55
    Episodes: 150
    Date of release: 28 May 2006
  • Season 56
    Episodes: 120
    Date of release: 01 Jan 2007
  • Season 57
    Episodes: 126
    Date of release: 24 Jun 2007
  • Season 58
    Episodes: 119
    Date of release: 01 Jan 2008
  • Season 59
    Episodes: 104
    Date of release: 22 Jun 2008
  • Season 60
    Episodes: 111
    Date of release: 11 Jan 2009
  • Season 61
    Episodes: 100
    Date of release: 21 Jun 2009
  • Season 62
    Episodes: 83
    Date of release: 10 Jan 2010
  • Season 63
    Episodes: 83
    Date of release: 20 Jun 2010
  • Season 66
    Episodes: 66
    Date of release: 08 Jan 2012
  • Season 67
    Episodes: 93
    Date of release: 01 Jul 2012
  • Season 68
    Episodes: 67
    Date of release: 04 Mar 2013
  • Season 69
    Episodes: 118
    Date of release: 01 Jul 2013
  • Season 70
    Episodes: 107
    Date of release: 06 Jan 2014
  • Season 71
    Episodes: 83
    Date of release: 30 Jun 2014

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