
Countdown (1982)
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.
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Episode 1 - Past Champions Special
Release Date: 1990-07-02 -
Episode 2 - Episode 1004
Release Date: 1990-07-03 -
Episode 3 - Episode 1005
Release Date: 1990-07-04 -
Episode 4 - Episode 1006
Release Date: 1990-07-05 -
Episode 5 - Episode 1007
Release Date: 1990-07-06 -
Episode 6 - Episode 1008
Release Date: 1990-07-09 -
Episode 7 - Episode 1009
Release Date: 1990-07-10 -
Episode 8 - Episode 1010
Release Date: 1990-07-11 -
Episode 9 - Episode 1011
Release Date: 1990-07-12 -
Episode 10 - Episode 1012
Release Date: 1990-07-13 -
Episode 11 - Episode 1013
Release Date: 1990-07-16 -
Episode 12 - Episode 1014
Release Date: 1990-07-17 -
Episode 13 - Episode 1015
Release Date: 1990-07-18 -
Episode 14 - Episode 1016
Release Date: 1990-07-19 -
Episode 15 - Episode 1017
Release Date: 1990-07-20 -
Episode 16 - Episode 1018
Release Date: 1990-07-23 -
Episode 17 - Episode 1019
Release Date: 1990-07-24 -
Episode 18 - Episode 1020
Release Date: 1990-07-25 -
Episode 19 - Episode 1021
Release Date: 1990-07-26 -
Episode 20 - Episode 1022
Release Date: 1990-07-27 -
Episode 21 - Episode 1023
Release Date: 1990-07-30 -
Episode 22 - Episode 1024
Release Date: 1990-07-31 -
Episode 23 - Episode 1025
Release Date: 1990-08-01 -
Episode 24 - Episode 1026
Release Date: 1990-08-02 -
Episode 25 - Episode 1027
Release Date: 1990-08-03 -
Episode 26 - Episode 1028
Release Date: 1990-08-06 -
Episode 27 - Episode 1029
Release Date: 1990-08-07 -
Episode 28 - Episode 1030
Release Date: 1990-08-08 -
Episode 29 - Episode 1031
Release Date: 1990-08-09 -
Episode 30 - Episode 1032
Release Date: 1990-08-10 -
Episode 31 - Episode 1033
Release Date: 1990-08-13 -
Episode 32 - Episode 1034
Release Date: 1990-08-14 -
Episode 33 - Episode 1035
Release Date: 1990-08-15 -
Episode 34 - Episode 1036
Release Date: 1990-08-16 -
Episode 35 - Episode 1037
Release Date: 1990-08-17 -
Episode 36 - Episode 1038
Release Date: 1990-08-20 -
Episode 37 - Episode 1039
Release Date: 1990-08-21 -
Episode 38 - Episode 1040
Release Date: 1990-08-22 -
Episode 39 - Episode 1041
Release Date: 1990-08-23 -
Episode 40 - Episode 1042
Release Date: 1990-08-24 -
Episode 41 - Episode 1043
Release Date: 1990-08-27 -
Episode 42 - Episode 1044
Release Date: 1990-08-28 -
Episode 43 - Episode 1045
Release Date: 1990-08-29 -
Episode 44 - Episode 1046
Release Date: 1990-08-30 -
Episode 45 - Episode 1047
Release Date: 1990-08-31 -
Episode 46 - Episode 1048
Release Date: 1990-09-03 -
Episode 47 - Episode 1049
Release Date: 1990-09-04 -
Episode 48 - Episode 1050
Release Date: 1990-09-05 -
Episode 49 - Episode 1051
Release Date: 1990-09-06 -
Episode 50 - Episode 1052
Release Date: 1990-09-07 -
Episode 51 - Episode 1053
Release Date: 1990-09-10 -
Episode 52 - Episode 1054
Release Date: 1990-09-11 -
Episode 53 - Episode 1055
Release Date: 1990-09-12 -
Episode 54 - Episode 1056
Release Date: 1990-09-13 -
Episode 55 - Episode 1057
Release Date: 1990-09-14 -
Episode 56 - Episode 1058
Release Date: 1990-09-17 -
Episode 57 - Episode 1059
Release Date: 1990-09-18 -
Episode 58 - Episode 1060
Release Date: 1990-09-19 -
Episode 59 - Episode 1061
Release Date: 1990-09-20 -
Episode 60 - Episode 1062
Release Date: 1990-09-21 -
Episode 61 - Episode 1063
Release Date: 1990-09-24 -
Episode 62 - Episode 1064
Release Date: 1990-09-25 -
Episode 63 - Episode 1065
Release Date: 1990-09-26 -
Episode 64 - Episode 1066
Release Date: 1990-09-27 -
Episode 65 - Episode 1067
Release Date: 1990-09-28