Countdown | Friday 28th April 2023 | Episode 8006
This episode was (kindly) donated by Chloe Jones.
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TVTranscript
00:00This programme contains strong language and adult humour.
00:05APPLAUSE
00:31Hello, everybody. It's the final countdown of the week.
00:34We're all kitted up, ready to blow the whistle
00:36on another 15 rounds of Letters and Numbers.
00:40Rachel Riley in her weekend jumper.
00:43I'm ready.
00:44Yeah, a great anniversary today, not just any anniversary.
00:47100 years since Wembley Stadium opened its doors to the public.
00:53And the final, very quickly, very famous,
00:55FA Cup final won by Bolton Wonders against West Ham United, 2-0.
01:00But it's not famous for that. The capacity was about 125,000.
01:04King George V was there.
01:06Unfortunately, so were 300,000 other people who just streamed up.
01:11And, yeah, so everybody ended up on the pitch.
01:14It was madness.
01:15And it's famous as the White Horse final
01:17because there's that iconic image of the policeman
01:20and the mounted police on the white horse.
01:22So that was the first-ever event at Wembley.
01:24You said that Wembley's so many cents, sporting and otherwise.
01:27Does one jump to your mind that you were at?
01:29Well, I've been lucky enough to see my team in finals at Wembley
01:32on numerous occasions.
01:34And one of the favourite times was actually when we lost
01:37because I got to go and see Barcelona against Man United
01:40for the Champions League final.
01:41It was one of those, I never ask for tickets for anything,
01:44but I was working with a really good sports presenter
01:47called Geoff Stelling.
01:48Oh, yeah, he's very good.
01:49Yeah, so it was really nice when you had a professional in the job.
01:52And he got my dad and me some tickets to the final.
01:56And my dad actually said it was worth having children after all
02:00when he got those tickets.
02:02Without a hint of irony, he was deadly serious.
02:05Yeah.
02:06A couple of non-sporting things to note.
02:08Evil Knievel.
02:09For younger people, he was a stump man
02:11that used to break all these records.
02:13And he tried to jump 13 double-decker buses at Wembley
02:16and sold it out.
02:17I think that's brilliant.
02:18But I'd have to say Live Aid in 1985 obviously wasn't there.
02:21But that's just iconic.
02:23And I think might actually be the iconic moment
02:26of 100 years of old and new Wembley.
02:29Certainly outside of sport, it probably is.
02:31Anyway, so many memories of Wembley Stadium.
02:33100 years old today.
02:35And in our director's box,
02:37sitting over there with our best seats in the house,
02:39it's our G of the Day, Susie Dent.
02:41And, well, somebody who will have so many Wembley memories
02:44we wouldn't have time to list them all, Gabby Logan.
02:47A half-century ago, when I was born,
02:49a week later, my dad played in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
02:52So, yeah.
02:53And lost, I have to say, against Sunderland.
02:56But, yeah, I don't remember it.
02:58Yeah, that is a great...
03:00No-one was able to say that.
03:01Yeah, my dad played there a week after he was born.
03:04Brilliant, Gabby.
03:07Right, well, listen, he's already got a hat trick of centuries up.
03:10Our champion, Ian Laird, is back.
03:13Wembley memory?
03:15I've been there a few times with Trammey,
03:17but my favourite memory is the 1995 FA Cup final.
03:20Yeah.
03:21Paul Ryder, 1-0 against Manchester United, I'm afraid, Rachel.
03:25Yes.
03:26It's a real... It crosses every generation, this,
03:28when we talk about Wembley,
03:29cos our challenger today from Farringdon in Oxford
03:32is the brilliant 18-year-old Alex Blondie.
03:35Now, just remember, we knew him at this age
03:37because he sings, he dances, he acts, he writes,
03:40he's a little superstar in waiting, by the way.
03:43It's lovely to have you here.
03:44Thank you, nice to be here.
03:46And you have a Wembley stadium memory, tell us about it.
03:49Yes, a matter of months ago, I went to Harry Styles in Wembley.
03:52Yes.
03:53It was a really, really good night, very sort of exuberant.
03:56He's a very good showman.
03:57I went with my sister, so it was really, really nice to have her along.
04:01Yeah, I had a lovely night, and he's amazing, yeah.
04:05He really is.
04:06He's done so well, hasn't he, in recent times as well,
04:08both in the States and here.
04:10I mean, I couldn't pull off some of the outfits he wears,
04:13but you still could.
04:14Too old for them, as to be said.
04:16Right, best of luck to both of you.
04:18Ian and Alex.
04:21Come on, Ian.
04:22Afternoon, Rachel.
04:23Afternoon, Ian.
04:24Can I get a consonant, please?
04:25You can indeed.
04:26Start today with S.
04:28And another one.
04:30T.
04:31And a third.
04:33R.
04:34Vowel.
04:36U.
04:37Another one.
04:38A.
04:39Another one.
04:42E.
04:43Consonant.
04:45G.
04:46Another consonant.
04:48R.
04:49And a final consonant, please.
04:51A final T.
04:52That's the whole man in the studio.
04:54Let's play Countdown.
05:13MUSIC PLAYS
05:25Ian?
05:26I'll stick with a seven.
05:28And Alex?
05:29A seven.
05:30The seven. What have you got, Ian?
05:32Gutters.
05:33Gutters. And Alex?
05:34Gutters as well.
05:35Gutters as well. Let's have a look.
05:37So, seven points each. What do we have, Gabby?
05:40We only have sevens, don't we?
05:42Ratters?
05:43Garters, quite a few sevens there.
05:45Yeah, gutters and garters.
05:47Loads of sevens. Nice start, nice start.
05:49OK, Alex, let's get more letters.
05:51Hi, Rachel.
05:52Hi, Alex.
05:53Please may I have a consonant?
05:54You may indeed.
05:55W.
05:56And another.
05:58T.
05:59And a third.
06:01P.
06:02And a vowel, please.
06:04I.
06:05And a second.
06:07E.
06:08And a third.
06:09A.
06:10Consonant, please.
06:12C.
06:13And a second.
06:15N.
06:16And a final vowel, please.
06:18A final E.
06:20And 30 seconds.
06:42MUSIC PLAYS
06:52Give me a number, Alex.
06:53Er, eight.
06:54And Ian, give me a number.
06:55Risky seven.
06:56The risky seven is...
06:57Picante.
06:58Yeah, you should have taken your time,
07:00cos listen to this, Alex.
07:01Patience.
07:02Patience it is.
07:03Well spotted.
07:06Alex takes an early lead.
07:08I will stake my reputation, there's not a nine.
07:11No.
07:12No nines.
07:13Picante is in, spicy, just to say.
07:15It was there for seven.
07:16But, yeah, patience is excellent.
07:18Nice. Right.
07:19First numbers round of the day.
07:21Ian likes to mix it up, so let's see what way you're going.
07:24One from the top and any other five, please, Rachel.
07:26One big, five little, no gambles just yet.
07:29First numbers of the day.
07:31Seven.
07:33Three.
07:34Six.
07:35Eight.
07:36Four.
07:37And 25.
07:39And the target, 671.
07:41671, numbers up.
08:08MUSIC
08:13671, the target, Ian.
08:15671.
08:16Bang on, Alex.
08:18672.
08:19Ten points for Ian, if you can bag this.
08:22Eight minus six is two.
08:24Yep.
08:25Plus seven is nine.
08:27Nine.
08:28Times three is 27.
08:30Yep.
08:31Times 25, 675.
08:33675.
08:34And minus the four.
08:35And 10.671.
08:36APPLAUSE
08:39He is some pop on the numbers, isn't he?
08:41Ten points, champion back in the lead,
08:43but only just as we get our first tea time teaser.
08:45Dan Flush.
08:47Dan Flush.
08:48Dan was flush with as much money as he could carry.
08:51Dan was flush with as much money as he could carry.
08:54MUSIC
09:02APPLAUSE
09:09Welcome back.
09:10Dan Flush.
09:11Dan was flush with as much money as he could carry.
09:13Handfuls.
09:14Handfuls was the first tea time teaser.
09:16Well, our 18-year-old A-level student from Oxfordshire,
09:19more than holding his own at the start of today's countdown
09:22against an excellent champion, Ian Laird.
09:25So, Alex, let's roll on.
09:27May I have a consonant, please?
09:29Thank you, Alex. R.
09:30And another, please.
09:32S.
09:33And a third.
09:35T.
09:36And a vowel.
09:37O.
09:38And another vowel.
09:40I.
09:41And a third.
09:43A.
09:44And a consonant.
09:46N.
09:47And a second.
09:49T.
09:50And a final vowel, please.
09:52Promising eight so far, a final E.
09:5530 seconds.
09:57MUSIC
10:07MUSIC
10:27Alex?
10:28Er, I'll go with an eight.
10:30An N.
10:31Ace.
10:32The eight is, Alex?
10:33Er, tainters.
10:34Tainters. An N.
10:36Toastier.
10:37Tainters and toastier. Let's just check.
10:39Toastier's definitely in.
10:41Alex, I'm not sure what you were going to risk,
10:43but tainters, not in, I'm afraid. I'm sorry.
10:46Other eights in there, very generous letters,
10:48but with anticipation, let's go to Dictionary Corner.
10:51There's a nine. Yes.
10:53Stationer.
10:54Stationer.
10:59Susie's favourite place. Oh, yeah.
11:01The stationery shop.
11:03Nothing wrong with that, nothing wrong with that.
11:05Ian Loud, let's get more letters.
11:07A consonant, please, Rachel.
11:08Thank you, Ian.
11:09F.
11:10And another.
11:12S.
11:13And a third.
11:15P.
11:16And a fourth.
11:18N.
11:19Vowel.
11:20I.
11:21Another one.
11:22O.
11:23And a third.
11:24E.
11:26A consonant.
11:28R.
11:30And a final vowel, please.
11:32A final U.
11:34I'm half a minute.
12:05How did you fare, Ian?
12:07All risk and ease.
12:09And Alex?
12:10Safe six.
12:11OK, the six is?
12:12Prunes.
12:13OK, he's throwing caution to the wind.
12:15Ian, what's the word?
12:16Perusion.
12:17Perusion. Susie?
12:18Oh, he talked about perusal.
12:20I'm not sure about perusion.
12:22It's not there, I'm afraid.
12:24Sorry.
12:25Nice moment for Alex, for the six,
12:27just to bring him back in within striking distance.
12:30What else was there?
12:31There's a nine.
12:32Not again.
12:33What about this?
12:34You're on fire.
12:35Yes, we're taking Ian's perusion
12:37and putting an F in for perfusion,
12:40which is the passage of blood through blood vessels.
12:42APPLAUSE
12:45Always room for improvement, Ian and Alex.
12:48Let's switch to numbers again for the second time today
12:51and we're going to give you the choice, Alex.
12:53Please may I have two large and four small, Rachel?
12:55You may indeed, cautious choice.
12:58But not much in it so far.
13:00Four little ones for this round.
13:02Seven, ten, five and four.
13:05And the big two, 125.
13:08And the target, 538.
13:11538. Numbers up.
13:30MUSIC PLAYS
13:44538. Alex, did you see it?
13:46Yeah, 538.
13:47And Ian?
13:48No, 537.
13:49Oh, one away. Alex, off you go.
13:51100 x 5 is 500.
13:54Yeah.
13:55Add the 25 and the 10, 535.
14:00And then the 7 minus the 4 is 3 and then add it on.
14:04And you've made Colin make funny noises.
14:07Well done.
14:08APPLAUSE
14:11Well, you two can catch your breath for a second.
14:13Another chat with Gabby yesterday.
14:15Wonderful.
14:16The late Queen asking you about breastfeeding twins.
14:19Could I push you back towards sport?
14:21Because 100 years of Wembley,
14:23we've already had one of the memories, of course,
14:25the Lionesses winning the Euros.
14:27What else sticks in your mind of all the times you've been there?
14:30I guess when I started working in sport,
14:32which was not a career I intended to be doing,
14:35I found myself working at Wembley in an FA Cup final
14:38when I worked for ITV a few times and when I was at Sky, actually.
14:41It was quite surreal,
14:42because I'd seen this iconic place on the television.
14:44I knew my dad had played there,
14:46but then to be working there as well and walking up Wembley Way
14:49was always a bit odd.
14:51But I think one of the strangest times
14:53I ever attended a match at Wembley
14:55was watching my own husband,
14:57who by this point had played 70 times for Scotland playing rugby,
15:00playing football in the Soccer Aid game.
15:03Oh, yes.
15:04And including people like Figo and Zola as his team-mates, you know.
15:08And Kenny Dalgleish was the manager
15:10and told him to man-mark Jamie Redknapp,
15:12who was playing for England, being managed by Harry Redknapp.
15:15And he played so close to Jamie for the whole game
15:18that Jamie eventually told him to get away in no uncertain terms.
15:21Yeah, and I was sat in the Royal Box at Wembley
15:24and I saw myself come up on the screen as a wag,
15:26as a wife of one of the players,
15:28and I did that thing where I went...
15:30And one of my girlfriends next to me said,
15:32you're on telly all the time, what's wrong with you?
15:34Yeah, that was probably the most surreal, I would say.
15:37Brilliant. Not just a face in the crowd.
15:39Gabby Logan, thank you.
15:43OK, what an intriguing battle we have today.
15:46Can't wait for another round. And, Ian, you're going to lead the charge.
15:49Consonant, please, Rachel.
15:51Thank you, Ian. C.
15:53And another.
15:55G.
15:56And another.
15:58S.
15:59And a vowel.
16:01A.
16:02Another vowel.
16:03I.
16:04Another vowel.
16:05U.
16:07Another vowel.
16:09E.
16:10Consonant.
16:12B.
16:13And a final vowel, please.
16:15And a final A.
16:17Start the clock.
16:23ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYS
16:48That's your time-up, Ian.
16:50Just a five.
16:51And Alex?
16:52A six.
16:53A six, the five, Ian.
16:54Basic.
16:55And Alex, the six?
16:56I think it's how you spell it. Ageism.
16:58Oh, Alex, easy to do when it's your first time on the show,
17:01but no M there.
17:02No M. I had the E in the middle, so you were right there,
17:04but, yep, no M. Sorry, Alex.
17:06It's all right.
17:07It happens to the best of us.
17:08So the basic basically counts.
17:10Were there any sixes?
17:12Do I dream of a seven?
17:14Guys.
17:15G-U-I-S-E.
17:16But, no, nothing beyond five.
17:18OK, really tricky round.
17:20And every point counts today as we get back to Alex.
17:23Nine letters from you, my friend.
17:25May I have a consonant, please, Rachel?
17:27Thank you, Alex. S.
17:29And a second, please.
17:31T.
17:32And a third.
17:34N.
17:35And a vowel.
17:37O.
17:38And another.
17:39A.
17:40And a third.
17:42E.
17:43And a consonant.
17:45R.
17:46And a second.
17:48V.
17:49And a final vowel, please.
17:52A final I.
17:54Here we go.
18:20That's it. Alex?
18:22Eight.
18:23Ian?
18:24Try a nine.
18:26Alex, the eight.
18:27Aversion.
18:28Aversion.
18:29Yeah, I've put the S on the end,
18:31but I think it's got an S in the middle as well.
18:33Aversion and aversions.
18:35Big moment, Suze, it's all on you.
18:37The spotlight all eyes on you.
18:39Well, aversion is spelt with the S in the middle, not the T,
18:42so you can't have aversions in the way that Ian is spelling it out.
18:46I'm afraid that aversion for eight is absolutely excellent.
18:48That's very good. Alex takes a precious eight points.
18:52Was there a nine?
18:53There was, indeed.
18:54Oh, no.
18:55Yes.
18:56It was an odd one, actually.
18:57Overstain.
18:59And you can see Ian was thinking about this one.
19:02It's from histology,
19:04which is the microscopic inspection of tissue, etc,
19:07and it's to stain tissue using more staining medium
19:10than you need to, essentially.
19:12Big eight points for you, Alex.
19:14Let's see what the next round brings.
19:16You're picking it, Ian, and it's your numbers.
19:18One from the top and any other five, please, Rachel.
19:20Another one and five. Thank you, Ian.
19:23And this time...
19:25Selection is ten, one, eight, five, two,
19:31and the big one, 25.
19:33And the target, 662.
19:36662. Numbers up.
19:37BUZZER
20:08662. Ian?
20:11656.
20:14Six away. Alex?
20:16658.
20:18Four away. So, seven points for you. Let's hear it.
20:21So, ten times two is 20.
20:23Yeah.
20:24Add the five and the one for 26.
20:2726.
20:28Times 25 is 650.
20:30It is, indeed.
20:31And add on the eight.
20:33And add on the eight gets you seven points.
20:35Good.
20:36662, Rachel, take it away.
20:38Well, if you say five plus eight is 13,
20:43times that by 25, or 325,
20:46add on a one for 326,
20:49times that by two for 652,
20:52and add on the ten for 662.
20:54Yeah.
20:55APPLAUSE
20:57Lovely. Alex gets seven points,
20:59so that's a 16-point lead on our triple champion, Ian,
21:03whose man is a century-plus every single time.
21:06One more part to go, six rounds.
21:08Enjoy the tea time teaser.
21:10Mad reedals. Mad reedals.
21:13Lots of reedling needed to land this type of fish.
21:16Lots of reedling needed to land this type of fish.
21:28APPLAUSE
21:34Welcome back.
21:36Lots of reedling needed to land this type of fish.
21:39Mad reedals becomes demersal.
21:42Done a bit of fishing in my time, but demersal, Susie?
21:45Yeah, so this is as opposed to a pelagic fish,
21:49so that's one that lives in the open sea.
21:52Demersal one, it's an adjective,
21:54lives close to the floor of a sea of a lake, or a lake.
21:57Well, our challenger, Alex, has our champion, Ian, on the hook.
22:00Let's see if he can reel him in now.
22:03Please may I have a consonant, Rachel?
22:05Thank you, Alex. R.
22:07And a second, please.
22:09S. And a third.
22:11L. And a vowel, please.
22:14O. And a second.
22:16A. And a third.
22:19E.
22:21And a consonant, please.
22:23G.
22:25And another.
22:27D. And a final vowel, please.
22:30And a final U.
22:32Here we go.
23:01That's time. Alex?
23:03Seven.
23:04And Ian?
23:05Seven.
23:06Both sevens. Alex, what's your word?
23:08Lodgers.
23:09Lodgers. Ian, same?
23:11Yeah, same.
23:12Interesting round. Gabby and Susie, what have you got for me?
23:15There's an eight.
23:16There is, there. Roulades.
23:18Roulades.
23:19Yes.
23:20Right, seven points each.
23:21Chocolate puddings.
23:22Chocolate puddings!
23:24Nice one, Clarpa.
23:25Just in case.
23:2853 plays 37, Ian. Let's do it.
23:31Can't wait. Another letters round.
23:33Consonant, please, Rachel.
23:34Thank you, Ian.
23:36T.
23:37And another.
23:39D.
23:40And a vowel.
23:42E.
23:43Another vowel.
23:44U.
23:45Consonant.
23:47N.
23:48Another consonant.
23:50M.
23:51A vowel.
23:53I.
23:54A vowel.
23:56O.
23:57And a final consonant, please.
23:59And a final D.
24:00Starting the clock.
24:27MUSIC STOPS
24:32Ian, it's getting to that moment.
24:34What have you got?
24:35Seven.
24:36And Alex?
24:37Just a six.
24:38The six is?
24:39United.
24:40So, a moment for Ian.
24:41Mounted.
24:42Mounted is there.
24:43Mentioned at the top of the programme,
24:45the Mounted Police, at that first Wembley Cup final.
24:49We're in crucial Countdown Conundrum territory again.
24:52Dictionary corner.
24:53Another seven.
24:54Yes.
24:55Untimed.
24:56Yeah.
24:57If this was untimed, I'd be so much better.
25:00You look genuinely goddard you didn't have an eight there,
25:03by the way.
25:04No.
25:05You got that competitive...
25:06I feel I've let you down every time.
25:08No, I just think you have that competitive edge, you know?
25:11Right, listen, let's stay in dictionary corner
25:13before what will be a fantastic last four rounds.
25:16Origins of Words.
25:17We've been all about the pub this week.
25:20Yes, I'm on the wagon today,
25:22so I think I've finished my pub journey.
25:25And I'm going to come in a minute to a word
25:27that I think any parent in the country will recognise
25:30if they've got teenagers particularly.
25:32But I'm just going to start off by just commenting,
25:35there are so many words in the dictionary,
25:37particularly the historical dictionary,
25:39for somebody who is a bit toadying,
25:41a little bit obsequious, subservient,
25:46people who used to be called a catchfart, if you remember,
25:49in the 17th century, before your time, Colin.
25:51But these were people who would follow their master or mistress
25:54so closely that they were in the firing line
25:56for more than they bargained for.
25:58Catchfart's such a brilliant one.
26:00But the word that will be familiar to everyone, I think, is cringe.
26:04So any parent will know, Mum, that's so cringe,
26:07because it's become this all-encompassing noun
26:10for embarrassing parental behaviour, which, as we know,
26:12is the number one rule of parenting,
26:14is you have to be cringe sometimes.
26:16But it's an interesting word because it's had a bit of a journey.
26:19It started off in the 13th century
26:21when it meant to hunch your shoulders or to cower,
26:24so almost to flinch back, which it still has that...
26:27You know, you might think of somebody cringing
26:29as sort of shrinking back in a way.
26:31But it was especially associated with somebody
26:33who was hunching their shoulders in an obsequious or sycophantic bow,
26:38so they were toadying up to somebody.
26:40And that was its meaning for a very, very long time.
26:43But the noun started to appear in about the 16th century, really.
26:50And there's some lovely examples given in the dictionary.
26:53But in the 1980s, that acute embarrassment
26:56is actually associated with the Osmond Brothers,
26:58because there's an extract from the Sunday Independent.
27:01It says, BBC Two has the Osmond Brothers.
27:03They now have put together a sizzling new country music stage act
27:07which will either totally set you foaming at the mouth
27:10or make you consider again cancelling your TV licence.
27:13Total cringe. Poor Osmond Brothers.
27:16And, as I say, it's still with us today.
27:19It's not lost its favour at all.
27:21But the cringe factor is the thing that you either want to avoid
27:24or you want to embrace as a parent.
27:26And that's a nice one, because it actually started as a riff
27:29on the Krypton factor, for those of us who remember that.
27:33So it was a sort of jokey variation on that, really, the cringe factor.
27:37But, yeah, as I say, one to avoid and one to embrace,
27:40depending on your viewpoint.
27:41But it's so cringe, it's pretty much the theme in my house.
27:49And there's a lovely little connection to 80s TV.
27:51Now, you've mentioned the Krypton factor.
27:53People of my generation would have heard the word first as cringer,
27:57which was, He-Man had Battle Cat,
28:00but before he turned his cat into Battle Cat,
28:03the cat was called Cringer.
28:05Ah! Yeah, there you go.
28:07Four rounds left.
28:08Alex is like, what are all these old people talking about?
28:10It's so cringe.
28:12Alex, let's get another letters round.
28:15Please may I have a consonant, Rachel?
28:17Thank you, Alex.
28:18R
28:19And a second?
28:21L
28:22And a third?
28:24M
28:25And a vowel, please?
28:27I
28:28And a second?
28:30E
28:31And a third?
28:33O
28:34And a consonant?
28:36N
28:37And a second?
28:39K
28:40And a final vowel, please?
28:42And a final?
28:44E
28:45Let's do it.
29:04MUSIC PLAYS
29:17Alex?
29:18Seven.
29:19Ian?
29:20I'll have to try a seven, then.
29:21You're going to have to.
29:22Alex?
29:23Monica.
29:24Monica.
29:25And Ian?
29:26Monkier.
29:27Monkier.
29:29So, Monica, another name.
29:31Mm-hm.
29:32But Monkier.
29:33Oh, my goodness.
29:35Monica is in, yes, a name that you give someone, as you say,
29:39an epithet of some kind.
29:41But, no, not Monkier. I'm sorry, Ian.
29:43Anything else from Susie and Gabs?
29:45No, I had Monica.
29:47Yes, that was ours as well.
29:48The gap increases again to 16.
29:51Ian, you're picking our final letters.
29:53Consonant, please, Rachel?
29:54Thank you, Ian.
29:55S
29:56And another?
29:58F
29:59And another?
30:01L
30:02And a fourth?
30:04S
30:05A vowel?
30:07O
30:08Another?
30:10A
30:11Another?
30:13I
30:15A consonant?
30:17T
30:18And a final vowel, please?
30:20A final O.
30:22Good luck.
30:32MUSIC PLAYS
30:53Time's up.
30:54Ian with work to do.
30:56Six.
30:57And Alex?
30:58Six as well.
30:59A six.
31:00Ian?
31:01A six.
31:02And Alex?
31:03Floats.
31:04Floats.
31:05And fossil?
31:06Dictionary corner?
31:07Yep. Floats and fossil are good.
31:08And for seven, you could have had soloist.
31:10Soloist.
31:11That would have brought Ian back into the mix.
31:14Young Alex is in 66, which was the one Wembley memory
31:18we didn't mention England winning the World Cup.
31:20Hope we haven't cursed you, Alex!
31:22So close to a famous victory.
31:24You're choosing the last numbers.
31:26I'll go for a risk. I'll have four large, two small, please.
31:28Four large and two small.
31:30Easy. Ten points.
31:32Let's see how it pays off.
31:34Final numbers of the week, seven and ten.
31:37And then we have 50, 100, 25 and 75.
31:41And the target to reach, 513.
31:44513, last numbers.
31:46MUSIC PLAYS
32:00MUSIC CONTINUES
32:16513 will do it for Alex and get him the win.
32:19513?
32:20Yeah, 513.
32:21Yes, look how happy he is, Ian!
32:23510.
32:24OK, champagne is on ice, don't pop the cork yet.
32:27You're just about old enough.
32:29Tell Rachel.
32:3075 x 7.
32:32525.
32:33525.
32:34Minus the 10 is 515.
32:36Yep.
32:37And 50 divided by 25 is 2.
32:40Yeah.
32:41And nick it off.
32:42And then you can breathe again. 513.
32:44APPLAUSE
32:49It was going to take something special to beat Ian Laird
32:52and we found it today in Alex Blondie.
32:55But we're not done yet.
32:56Fingers on buzzers.
32:57Last round of the day, last round of the week,
33:00as we reveal today's Countdown Conundrum.
33:08Go on, Ian.
33:09Ironically incapable.
33:11APPLAUSE
33:17You know, I could have marked you down there
33:19because you technically said ironically is the first word,
33:21but I wouldn't be that cruel.
33:2260 points for Ian, we have a new champion.
33:25Ian, it's been brilliant to have you.
33:27How's been the experience for you?
33:28Yeah, it's been great.
33:29And the teapot, next time you watch Countdown at home,
33:32you'll be living like a king.
33:34Brilliant. Thanks very much.
33:35Really nice to have you.
33:36And I am looking forward, Alex, to seeing you back here on Monday
33:40because he's a little superstar in the waiting
33:42and we didn't get to get into it,
33:44but right now you're a superstar at Countdown.
33:46Well done.
33:49And Gabby, after how long was it since you last...?
33:52Just 23 years.
33:5423 years.
33:55Listen, you, me, 2046, cannot wait.
33:59We'll see you back, yeah?
34:00See you then.
34:01Thank you.
34:02Susie, you have to come back on Monday.
34:04OK, I'll look forward to that.
34:05Thank you for having me.
34:06And talking of Monday...
34:07Yeah?
34:08Your favourite topic apart from penguins and apart from baseball?
34:11Yeah.
34:12Eurovision.
34:13Yeah, and everyone who's ever won the Eurovision,
34:15been in Eurovision and works through Eurovision week,
34:17next week's the penultimate week,
34:19so we're very clever around Countdown.
34:21Cheryl Baker's here from Fox Biz.
34:23It's going to be Eurovision all over the place.
34:25I don't mind Eurovision. Yeah.
34:27Because I'm glad you're happy.
34:28It's going to be brilliant.
34:29It's going to be rainbow-coloured next week.
34:31We cannot wait.
34:32Thank you for watching this week.
34:33We never take it for granted.
34:34Monday, then, Susie, Rachel and I will be here.
34:37You can count on us.
34:40You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:44You can also find our web page at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:53APPLAUSE