Countdown

Countdown is a game show that is presented currently by Des O'Connor and Carol Vorderman. It was the first programme to be shown on Channel 4, and is still shown today at 3:15pm every weekday. The programme was presented by Richard Whiteley for over twenty years, until his death in 2005. A celebrity guest also features in every programme, who finds words in the dictionary and talks briefly before the first adbreak.

Although popular to students who have no afternoon lectures (or are just lazy enough not to attend them), Countdown has a special mention here as on the 23rd September 2004, Bedlam sound techie & then techincial director of Improverts Chris Stephen was a contestant on the show.

The Show

The show was recorded during the end of the summer break in 2004. Chris travelled down to Leeds where he was to be filmed for the 4th in a series of 5 programmes for transmission on 20th - 24th September.

He progressed in the shows rounds with varying degrees of success:

• Letters - Managed some eight letter words in early rounds, but struggled later on, and eventually couldn't come up with one in the final round.
• Numbers - Scored 10 for all three rounds.

Tiles for each round were as follows: 1: MSRAUICTE; 2: DIESNUZBA; 3: GPLTIEUSO; 4: LAWITCESF; 5: 6 2 3 10 2 50 (Chris's pick) Target: 620; 6: MOTASLEPU; 7: EAMENVRTO; 8: ANHOSRECI; 9: OEAGJDRTP; 10: 3 4 2 10 3 100 (Opponent's pick) Target: 574; 11: EUOBLMNAS; 12: KEHIMLROA; 13: OEICTNFAP; 14: 2 4 10 3 7 50 (Chris's Pick) Target: 585.

His performance meant that going into the final round, his score was 76 & his opponent's was 67.

However, his opponent managed to solve the conundrum, ANNESGIFT, in 3 seconds, pipping Chris to the post by one point.

Suitably humbled, Chris travelled back from Leeds to Edinburgh the next day, and went straight to Greyfriar's Bobby, goody bag in hand!

The Premiere & Afterwards

On the transmission date, Bobbys agreed to show the episode on the then large screen TV in the bar, and several Bedlam faithfuls turned out to watch it, Chris included.

Also, Chris's name plaque from the show (displayed on his buzzer) was exhibited (i.e. LX-taped) in the tech box, firstly outside beside a severed head prop from a previous play, then under the PFL speakers, and today is attached to a smoking sign, reading "This is a CHRIS STEPHEN zone".

Chris remains jovial about his experience, although is known to have panic attacks whenever anyone says the words COUNTDOWN, CONUNDRUM or FASTENING, or whenever the Countdown clock music is played (ironic, due to the fact he found and left the clock SFX in the tech box on his collection of MP3 CDs). So do try and mention them as much as possible if you see him.

Links

• Countdown Review - 23/09/2004 - A full rundown of each round, including what the contestants got & best words available (note: external site, not run by anyone in EUTC, or for that matter anyone I know)