Broadcast on Friday 22nd December 2023.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00This programme contains strong language and adult humour.
00:05APPLAUSE
00:31Hello, everybody. Welcome to Countdown on the shortest day of the year.
00:35And it follows the longest night for two young Countdown contestants
00:39who went to bed last night,
00:41dreaming of becoming Series 88 Countdown champion.
00:44At the end of today's show,
00:46one will take home the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy.
00:49And I guarantee you, Rachel, it will be played in the best of spirits,
00:53because this has just been a wonderful series.
00:56I think quite often we have our contestants come on as well
00:59and their biggest nightmare is to lose to a really young Wonder Kid.
01:02At least today we know that the other one's not going to be worried about that,
01:06because it's definitely going to happen.
01:08Yeah, it's really sad.
01:10I am comfortably older than both of their ages combined.
01:13And actually, you're not far off at this stage.
01:15Yeah, I'll just call me Auntie Rach.
01:17Well, listen, let's get on with it, Rachel.
01:19In Dictionary Corner for us, of course,
01:21Susie Dent and Christopher Biggins.
01:24And Susie, I mean, 88 series in.
01:27You've been going through the motions at this stage,
01:29but it has been one of the very best.
01:31Oh, it's just every single time we welcome back the Countdown family
01:34and it's always really special.
01:36And today is no different.
01:37That's what it's about.
01:38And always special when the Biggins has given it the biggin'
01:41in Dictionary Corner.
01:45OK, we've ended up with the number one and the number two seed,
01:49but I really don't think that tells the story.
01:52Really good battles along the way.
01:54Harry, you didn't have it easy to get here.
01:56No, not at all.
01:57Not at all.
01:58The last game was very tense, especially, yeah.
02:00Harry's 21.
02:01He's been saying things to Viraj Silam, like,
02:04back in my day, you won't remember this at Viraj,
02:08because Viraj is just 19.
02:09How are you doing, mate?
02:10Are you feeling after yesterday?
02:12I'm feeling over the moon that I barely got by.
02:16And now I feel like I've been humbled
02:18being moved back to this place.
02:20You see, I think you've touched on a really interesting psychology,
02:24because Harry has carried the weight of number one seed,
02:28but you've carried the number two seed
02:30in your quarterfinal and your semifinal.
02:32Do you suit, do you think, better sitting in the underdog's chair?
02:36It feels more comfortable, it feels like home.
02:38Yeah.
02:39I don't mind it.
02:40You know you're both special, because, you know,
02:42when they were on, what, four or five wins,
02:44we give them nicknames, and we only do that to the very best.
02:47So it is the Soros against the Font.
02:50Good luck to both of you.
02:51APPLAUSE
02:55And that was first round, Harry.
02:58Hi again. Hi again, Harry.
02:59Can I start with a consonant, please?
03:01Good luck, you two. We'll start this final with J.
03:05And another consonant, please.
03:07R
03:08Another consonant.
03:10L
03:11And another consonant.
03:13S
03:14And a vowel.
03:16E
03:17Another vowel.
03:18U
03:19Another vowel.
03:20O
03:22Another vowel.
03:24E
03:26And a final consonant, please.
03:28A final D.
03:30At home and in the studio for the last time in the series,
03:33let's play Countdown.
03:53CLOCK TICKS
04:05Harry? I'll stick with a seven.
04:07Viraj? I'll go for a seven.
04:09The seven you have, Harry? D, Laos.
04:11And the seven you have, Viraj? Same.
04:13OK. Were you sticking with a seven
04:15because you were thinking about putting the R on the end?
04:18Yeah, I think I just was, Viraj.
04:20OK, so have they both made the right decision?
04:22They absolutely did. It's not in the dictionary, yes.
04:25Well done.
04:27Christopher Biggins, can you beat our first and second seeds
04:30in the very first round?
04:32Sadly, I can't, but I can de-Laos them.
04:35LAUGHTER
04:37Viraj, second round, your letters.
04:39Hi, Rachel. Hi, Kevin, Viraj.
04:41I'll have a consonant, please. You will have...
04:44N
04:45Another one.
04:47R
04:48Another one.
04:49T
04:50A vowel.
04:52A
04:53A vowel.
04:54I
04:55Another consonant.
04:57S
04:58A vowel.
05:00E
05:01A consonant.
05:03Y
05:04And a vowel, please.
05:06And lastly, A.
05:08And an important 30 seconds.
05:19MUSIC PLAYS
05:41Time's up. Viraj? Eight.
05:43Harry? Eight.
05:44Viraj, what's the word? Sanitary.
05:46And what's the word, Harry? Artesian.
05:48Beautiful. Artesian wells, we talk about.
05:51A well, particularly with natural pressure,
05:54so you don't have to pump for it, it just comes up naturally.
05:57Very good. First numbers round of the day.
06:01Let's see if we can separate them. Harry?
06:03One large, please, Rachel.
06:05Not going for anything tricky.
06:07Let's start with one large, five little.
06:09Carefully does it.
06:11And the first numbers of this final.
06:13Eight, nine, two, four, ten.
06:17And the large one, 25.
06:19And the target, 260.
06:23260. Numbers up.
06:47MUSIC PLAYS
06:55260. Harry?
06:57Yeah, 260. Viraj?
06:59Yep, got it. Off we go, Harry.
07:01Nine times two. Nine times two, 18.
07:04The eight. 26.
07:06Times by ten. 260.
07:08What would you go, Viraj? 25 times ten, plus two, plus eight.
07:11Yeah, lots of ways.
07:13APPLAUSE
07:15Here's a lovely one. It's a fitting one.
07:17Octofinal.
07:19That's what we have today, an octofinal.
07:21And it's going to be great. You can just smell it.
07:24It's going to be great. You can just smell it.
07:27MUSIC PLAYS
07:35APPLAUSE
07:37APPLAUSE
07:42Welcome back. Octofinal becomes Olfaction.
07:45It's going to be great. You can just smell it.
07:47Susie Dent, Olfaction.
07:49Yeah, I think we've all learned the importance of this.
07:51It is simply the sense of smell.
07:53OK. Viraj, let's get the letters.
07:55Start with a vowel, please.
07:57Thank you, Viraj. E
07:59One more. O
08:01A consonant.
08:03L
08:04Another consonant.
08:07Another one. H
08:09A vowel.
08:11I
08:13A consonant.
08:15N
08:16Another consonant.
08:18T
08:19And a vowel, please.
08:20And the last one.
08:22A
08:23Thanks, Rachel.
08:25MUSIC PLAYS
08:36MUSIC CONTINUES
08:54Time is up.
08:56Viraj? I'll have to risk an eight.
08:58Harry? Eight.
09:00Viraj, what are you risking? Antipole.
09:02Do you have that written down?
09:04Olifant and antipole.
09:06Susie Dent.
09:08They're both absolutely fine.
09:10Olifant is an old term for an elephant.
09:12Antipole is simply the opposite pole.
09:14What have we got in the dictionary corner?
09:16We had phonate to utter speech sounds.
09:18That would give you a seven.
09:20Otherwise, antipole. We didn't see olifant.
09:22That was very good. Antipole is good.
09:24Yeah. That's nice, that.
09:2633 points each.
09:28More letters. Harry, you're picking.
09:30Can I start with a consonant, please?
09:32And another one.
09:36Another consonant.
09:38Another one.
09:40And a vowel.
09:44Another vowel.
09:46Another vowel.
09:48Another vowel.
09:52And a final consonant, please.
09:54And half a minute.
09:56MUSIC PLAYS
10:02MUSIC CONTINUES
10:26Harry. Seven.
10:28And Viraj. Seven. Harry.
10:30Viraj, what was your word?
10:32Roguish.
10:34OK, so I can tell you that daigu
10:36has a very specific meaning.
10:38It is a person outside China
10:40who buys goods on behalf of people living in China.
10:42So that is excellent
10:44and roguish.
10:46Brilliant word, also in the dictionary.
10:4840 points each, then.
10:50A chance for half a century after six rounds
10:52as we get the next numbers.
10:54And, Viraj, you're choosing.
10:56Sixth mole.
10:58Is this going to separate the boys from the boys?
11:00Let's have a look.
11:02Ten, seven,
11:04two, three,
11:06six, and another two.
11:08Let's see if this one's going to be possible.
11:10674.
11:12Six, seven, four. Numbers up.
11:14MUSIC PLAYS
11:28MUSIC CONTINUES
11:44674, the target.
11:46Viraj?
11:48674. Got it. Harry?
11:50Just 670.
11:52This is a moment. Viraj?
11:54Two times three is six.
11:56Plus ten for 16.
11:58Times six.
12:00Times seven.
12:02Times seven is 672.
12:04And add the two.
12:06674. Well done.
12:08APPLAUSE
12:10The sixth mole.
12:12That's what we know him for, Rich.
12:14And it's paid dividends.
12:16So a ten-point lead for Viraj
12:18in our season 88 grand final.
12:20And I feel like this is your
12:22last Christmas conversation of the week.
12:24It's a bit like an early Christmas address, isn't it?
12:26Just like you get from the King this Christmas Day.
12:28Yes.
12:30So what are you saying?
12:32Well, as it's pantomime,
12:34and, you know, we're doing pantomime at the moment,
12:36and we're very excited.
12:38We're in Southampton.
12:40And we're at the Mayflower Theatre,
12:42which is a gorgeous theatre.
12:44We're doing Snow White, which is a lovely subject.
12:46We've got myself playing the man in the mirror.
12:48And we've also got Ashley Banjo and Diversity.
12:50So I want to go to your one
12:52just to see the dance routine that you do with Diversity.
12:54Oh, it's fantastic.
12:56My tumbling is something to be seen.
12:58LAUGHTER
13:00I love it.
13:02That must be amazing with them, though,
13:04because with pantomime, I suppose we might think
13:06of quite traditional,
13:08and then you've got Diversity and what they can do.
13:10Do they pull out all the stops?
13:12Oh, they are fantastic.
13:14I mean, I think there's, like, 12 of them.
13:16And they are unbelievable.
13:18I mean, you stand in the wings
13:20and you cannot believe what you're seeing.
13:22I mean, the energy that they have
13:24and the vitality is just wonderful.
13:26Yeah, it's amazing what you can do with all your hips.
13:28Oh, yeah!
13:30Sensational.
13:32Christopher, thank you so much.
13:34APPLAUSE
13:36Just ten points in it.
13:38Harry, in an unusual situation,
13:40having to make up ground, but not too much at all.
13:42Let's get your letters.
13:44Can I start with a consonant, please?
13:46Thank you, Harry.
13:48C
13:50And another one, please.
13:52W
13:54Another consonant.
13:56S
13:58And one more.
14:00N
14:02And a vowel.
14:04E
14:06Another vowel.
14:08I
14:10Another vowel.
14:12E
14:14E
14:18E
14:22E
14:26E
14:30E
14:34E
14:38E
14:40E
14:42Harry?
14:44Six.
14:46Tight one, that, with those letters. Harry?
14:48Winces.
14:50And the same.
14:52Yeah, same word this time.
14:54Thankfully, that jumped out rather early.
14:56Forensic examination now
14:58from Christopher Biggins and Susie Dent.
15:00What can we add?
15:02Cosine.
15:04Cosine. Yep.
15:06Another six.
15:08If you know your trigonometry, you know about the cosine.
15:10Still six.
15:12Let's move on, then, round it.
15:14So, we're at the midway point.
15:16Veeraj, in your choosing.
15:18A consonant, please. Thank you, Veeraj.
15:20D
15:22A vowel.
15:24U
15:26A consonant.
15:28L
15:30Another consonant.
15:32D
15:34A vowel.
15:36A
15:38I
15:40Another vowel.
15:42U
15:44And a consonant, please.
15:46Another pretty awful round.
15:48Final G.
15:50Absolutely. Start the clock.
16:08CLOCK TICKS
16:20Time's up. Veeraj?
16:22Five. And Harry?
16:24I think a six. He thinks a six.
16:26Veeraj? Audit.
16:28What are you thinking? Aidful.
16:30It's in. Well done. Helpful.
16:32Aidful.
16:34Which gets you back to within four points.
16:36Is there even another six there?
16:38Yes. Yes, go on, Biggins.
16:40When you've finished your Christmas lunch,
16:42you have a gutful.
16:44Really? Yes.
16:46Gutful is in there. Yes.
16:48Only one L.
16:50Well, just the one L. Gutful and aidful.
16:54And that word has come to Harry's aid.
16:56Back within four points.
16:58Let's switch to the numbers.
17:00In your choosing, Mr Savage.
17:02I'm just going to stick to one large, please.
17:04I'm not making any sudden moves.
17:06One large, five little.
17:08It's worked for you all this time, so let's see.
17:10Once more. Five littles.
17:12Five, three,
17:14two, four,
17:16eight, and a large one, 50.
17:18And the target?
17:20681.
17:22681. Numbers up.
17:34MUSIC PLAYS
17:54681 the target.
17:56Harry? 680.
17:58One away. Viraj? I lost it.
18:00Lost it! Huge seven points.
18:02Three times 50.
18:04Three times 50. 150.
18:06Take away four, eight, and two.
18:08So, two,
18:10eight, four,
18:1214. Take that away for 136.
18:14And times by five?
18:16And times by five. Yep.
18:18680. Seesaw battle.
18:20681 reach.
18:22Tactics paid off there.
18:24You could have said eight plus five
18:26is 13.
18:2850 plus three, 53.
18:30Times those together for 689.
18:32And then two times four is eight.
18:34Take off 681.
18:36Yes. Brilliant.
18:38APPLAUSE
18:40What a game.
18:42I'm getting a stress headache here, Biggins.
18:44How are you holding up? It's not good.
18:46You all right? It's not good.
18:48They're wearing pools of sweat over here.
18:50Let's have a bit of fun, then, with this tea time teaser.
18:52Which is red undies.
18:54Red undies.
18:56I gave Santa a pair for Christmas, but he didn't want them.
18:58I gave Santa a pair for Christmas,
19:00but he didn't want them.
19:10APPLAUSE
19:18Hello again. I gave Santa a pair for Christmas,
19:20but he didn't want them.
19:22He didn't want the red undies because they were undesired.
19:24And from undesired
19:26to the most desired thing
19:28in the Countdown studio right now.
19:30It is, of course, polished, cleaned and prepared.
19:32The Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy.
19:34And it has changed hands
19:36several times already
19:38in this final.
19:40So let's get back to it.
19:42Six rounds to go.
19:44And, Veeraj, it's your letters.
19:46Start with a consonant, please. Thank you, Veeraj.
19:48S.
19:50Another one. P.
19:52A vowel.
19:54E. A consonant.
19:56C.
19:58Another one.
20:00N. A vowel.
20:02O. Another vowel.
20:04I.
20:06A consonant.
20:08M. And a vowel, please.
20:10And lastly,
20:12A. Good luck.
20:24MUSIC PLAYS
20:44Veeraj.
20:46Eight. Harry.
20:48A nine.
20:50What a moment.
20:52What have you got? The eight, Veeraj.
20:54Canopies. What have you seen, Harry?
20:56Companies.
20:58Four of six. Companies.
21:00APPLAUSE
21:02Wow, what a moment, Susie.
21:04Yes, I was positive Veeraj had it, actually.
21:06I was watching his body movement.
21:08But canopies is excellent, you know,
21:10any other day, but well done.
21:12Yeah, companies, brilliant.
21:14Absolutely brilliant.
21:1677 plus 56. Harry, you're picking these letters.
21:18Can I start with a consonant, please?
21:20Thank you, Harry. R.
21:22And another consonant.
21:24T. Another one.
21:26G. And one more, please.
21:28W.
21:30And a vowel.
21:32E. Another vowel.
21:34I. Another vowel.
21:36A. Another vowel, please.
21:38U.
21:40And a final consonant, please.
21:42And a final K.
21:44Let's play.
21:46MUSIC PLAYS
21:50MUSIC CONTINUES
22:14Harry?
22:16Seven, I think. Veeraj?
22:18But he only thinks, Veeraj, he only thinks.
22:20He doesn't know.
22:22What's the six? Guitar.
22:24Guitar. Will you gently weep? Let's find out.
22:26Gorkia?
22:28Oh, I hadn't even seen that one.
22:30It's specified. Well done.
22:32APPLAUSE
22:34Goodness me. What did you have, Christopher?
22:36Guitar.
22:38You see, we think alike.
22:40It's a good one, but not good enough.
22:42I was looking at gut wire,
22:44which you might need after your Christmas dinner.
22:46No such luck. No such luck.
22:48All right, four rounds still to play.
22:50Never over till it's over.
22:52And let's get over to Dictionary Corner.
22:54The last origins of words of this series,
22:57before we're back, of course, on January 2nd.
23:00Well, given that we are all Countdown family here,
23:02I thought it would be nice to bring in one more member
23:04who actually was on in a previous series,
23:07Jonathan Roebuck, who has sent in a question.
23:09And he says he'd like to know the origin of the phrase
23:12dressed up to the nines.
23:14He's always baffled me, says he loved being on the show
23:17and this current series is excellent here.
23:20So, originally, if you go back to the early 1700s,
23:23to the nines on its own meant to perfection.
23:27And it survives today in dressed to the nines, as Jonathan says,
23:32which emerged a good century later, around the 1850s.
23:35And there are various theories about its origin.
23:38One is that tailors would use nine yards of material
23:42to make a very expensive suit,
23:44because the more cloth that was used, the more kudos you had,
23:47although nine yards is a lot of material.
23:50Another theory, which lots of people like,
23:52is the 99th Wiltshire Regiment had an incredibly smart uniform
23:57and they were known as the nines.
23:59So, the idea is if you dressed to the nines,
24:01you were always dressed as impeccably as this regiment.
24:04But the dates really don't work for that
24:06because that unit was only assembled in the 1850s,
24:08so quite a long time after to the nines appeared.
24:11But there's one more intriguing theory that comes into play here
24:15and that is that it began with dressed to thine eyes.
24:19In other words, you're a vision of beauty
24:22or you're sort of dressed, you know, beautifully,
24:25right up to your head, which is lovely.
24:28Again, not enough evidence to support it.
24:31It's a lovely example of how the detective work will go on.
24:35But to the nines, I think, to perfection, absolutely.
24:38Describes our competitors today.
24:40Perfect time.
24:41APPLAUSE
24:45And a nine is probably what Veeraj might need defined
24:49in the next two rounds after Harry's companies
24:52has really separated Harry and Veeraj in the scores.
24:55But we know you're capable of it, young man, so let's do it.
24:58Start with a consonant, please.
25:00Thank you, Veeraj. R
25:02A vowel.
25:04O
25:05Consonant.
25:06N
25:07A vowel.
25:08E
25:09A consonant.
25:10G
25:11A vowel.
25:13A
25:14A consonant.
25:16P
25:17A vowel.
25:19E
25:20And a consonant, please.
25:22And finally, V.
25:24Kind of.
25:34MUSIC PLAYS
25:55Veeraj?
25:56A seven.
25:57Well done. Harry?
25:58A seven as well.
25:59Seven, too. That's all you need to do is keep pace.
26:01Veeraj?
26:02Overage.
26:03And Harry?
26:04Tarango.
26:05So, it's P-E-R...
26:07P-A-R-E-N-G-O.
26:09OK, other way round.
26:10I haven't heard of it.
26:11As you can tell, in New Zealand, it is a common edible red seaweed.
26:15Beautiful. I love the words he comes up with.
26:17I know. Perfect.
26:18They're so beautiful. Seven points each.
26:20Well done.
26:21Christopher, is that our maximum?
26:23No, I've got one which, of course, the boys wouldn't realise
26:26because it was a huge TV series.
26:28It was The Avengers, but it was Avenger.
26:30Yes.
26:32Avengers, there.
26:33Very nice indeed. Very nice indeed.
26:35Harry, you might have to buy Susie a new computer
26:38for the amount of tapping she's had to do.
26:40That's the bad news for you.
26:42Well, you're on the cusp of becoming the Series 88 champion,
26:46but there could still be a sting in the tail.
26:48It could come down to this round, Harry.
26:50Your letters.
26:51Can I start with a consonant, please?
26:53Thank you, Harry. T.
26:54And another consonant?
26:56F.
26:57Another consonant?
26:59S.
27:00And one more, please.
27:01R.
27:02And a vowel?
27:03U.
27:04Another vowel?
27:05I.
27:06Another vowel?
27:08E.
27:09Another vowel?
27:10I.
27:12I'll go for a final consonant, please.
27:14A final L.
27:15Last letters.
27:30MUSIC PLAYS
27:48Harry.
27:49Seven.
27:50Viraj.
27:51Seven.
27:52No!
27:53The seven.
27:54Trifles.
27:55Trifles.
27:56And Viraj?
27:57Fluster.
27:58Fluster.
27:59And he has been unflustered.
28:00And Harry Savage is our Countdown champion!
28:07Anything else?
28:08Yes, we did get an eight.
28:10Fusilier is there, which is a great word.
28:14But you've been fantastic, both of you.
28:16Just wonderful.
28:17So, so clever.
28:18Well spotted, though.
28:19Credit to you two for Fusilier.
28:21It's few and far between when you get the better of Harry and Viraj.
28:24So, 98 plus 70, what a standard.
28:27Last numbers.
28:28Oh, this is going to be emotional, cos I know what you're going to pick.
28:31Viraj?
28:32I'm going to take 6-1 again.
28:33Yay!
28:34APPLAUSE
28:35For auld time's sake.
28:37The final numbers of the year, and the final.
28:40And they are...
28:51499.
28:52Last numbers.
28:53MUSIC
29:24499.
29:25Viraj?
29:26500.
29:27Harry?
29:28Yeah, 500 is one.
29:29Yes, it was a bit annoying, this one.
29:30Viraj, for seven points?
29:31Three over three is one.
29:32Yeah.
29:33Plus nine.
29:34Ten.
29:35Times ten, times five.
29:36Times ten, times five.
29:38500.
29:39Harry?
29:40Slightly different.
29:41I did nine, add three and take two for the ten.
29:43Yeah.
29:44And again, times by ten and five.
29:45Same again.
29:47So, 499.
29:49Well, the boy's probably a little bit tired after all this work.
29:53No, that was the best you could have done.
29:55Oh!
29:56Seven points.
29:57APPLAUSE
30:00Oh, you had me there.
30:02OK, one more round to go.
30:04What a joy it has been.
30:06We have a trophy to hand out.
30:08But first of all, Harry, Viraj, once more, for auld time's sake,
30:13with these two young men, let's reveal today's Countdown Conundrum.
30:22CLOCK TICKS
30:48Viraj.
30:49Testagram.
30:50Let's have a look.
30:51No!
30:52You have 0.5 of a second.
30:54Here we go.
30:55Three, two, one.
30:56BUZZER
30:57He's buzzed.
30:58Stragmate.
30:59No idea what he's saying, but let's have a look.
31:03It's not, he's just making up words for fun.
31:08That's what thesaurus does.
31:10Come on, Rach, no, I didn't get it.
31:13Nobody.
31:14I'm guessing it's Christmassy, cos I'm thinking a producer, Damien,
31:18would maybe make it Christmassy.
31:20Nobody has it here, so if you got this at home, you win the series.
31:23We're sending the trophy to you.
31:25Let's take a look.
31:26Stratagem!
31:27That's really Christmassy.
31:29BUZZER
31:33I think I speak for everybody, that's ruined the entire series for me.
31:39My goodness me.
31:40Viraj Silam, absolute special, special young lad.
31:44But have you found the whole experience right through to the final?
31:48It's been a great experience,
31:50and I would recommend that anyone who wants to come
31:53should definitely sign up for it.
31:55Well, listen, as you work your way through university
31:58and you work out exactly what you want to do,
32:00if it's TV or if it's radio, which we also work in as well,
32:03I just want to let you know we're going to keep in touch,
32:06and if we can help you with work experience,
32:08if we can bring you in and show you how it all works,
32:10we'd like to extend you that invitation.
32:12We'd love to have you back in and help you out
32:14as you go on in your career, if that's OK.
32:16Lovely. Thank you very much, Viraj.
32:22Wow, the font tried to write you off,
32:25and you had to pull out the most unbelievable rounds
32:29to beat this young lad.
32:31Wow, you must be so proud.
32:33Yes, I had a fantastic time.
32:35Viraj has been an incredible contestant as well,
32:38and has really rattled me today, so I'm feeling a bit shaky now,
32:41but it's been brilliant.
32:43Well, well done to both of you.
32:45There's one more thing we have to do, though.
32:51Right, here we are, such a special moment,
32:53but I want to mark a bizarre thing,
32:55which is this is series 88.
32:57Christopher Biggins, you've been on our TV screens
32:59for as long as Countdown,
33:01and it's so special that it still is so special.
33:03It is fantastic, and I think what is great
33:06about this particular final is it's two young guys,
33:09and that is great, because it's usually older people
33:12who have that more knowledge.
33:14Yeah. But these are real champions here.
33:17Series 89, Susie, I want an OAP champion.
33:22That's what I'm looking for.
33:24Come on, we had the Hurricane, he was, what, 12, something like that?
33:28He hasn't even started shaving.
33:30And we need more women to apply. Yes.
33:32More women apply, please, because we would love to have more of you.
33:35Yeah, that's good.
33:37Our series 88 champion is the brilliant Harry Savage.
33:40Not just because of his scores, Rachel,
33:42not just because of his words, but the whole darn thing.
33:44And as you say as well, we talk about the words,
33:46but the number is so important.
33:48We never have a champion that isn't brilliant.
33:50You've both been fantastic, and I can't believe we've got two finalists
33:53that don't know a time before I was on this programme.
33:55It's absolutely ridiculous, but you've both been brilliant.
33:57You know, you're our number one seed,
33:59and you did it all the way through to the final, so Harry Savage,
34:02champion of series 88.
34:04Yeah.
34:10Well, all that is left is for us to wish you a very Merry Christmas
34:14and a Happy New Year, and the most important thing is to say
34:17a huge thank you to all of you for tuning in to series 88 of Countdown
34:21in such ridiculous numbers.
34:23We're truly, truly humbled by it.
34:25We can't wait for the next series, Tuesday, January 2nd.
34:28Rachel, Susie and I will be here waiting for you,
34:31because you know you can count on us.
34:34You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:39You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
35:09.