Countdown Specials
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33 Countdown Specials have now been recorded, of which 25 were recorded in 2002 and 2003 (during Series 49), 4 were recorded in 2010 (during Series 62) and 4 were recorded in 2011 (the first during Series 64, the rest during Series 65).
All games were played using the fifteen-round format and feature contestants who have taken part in previous games (with the exception of Tony Brooks, who had not previously appeared).
Guest, lexicographer and host appearances for the first 31 games below are included in the statistics on the Dictionary Dwellers Page, the Lexicographers Page and the Hosts Page. The abbreviations used below can also be found on these pages.
Programmes S6, S7, S9 to S14 and S20 to S22 were scheduled broadcasts; S1 to S5, S8, S15 to S19 and S23 were shown in place of cricket and are also mentioned on the Countdown Cricket Page; S24 and S25 were never shown, following the death of Richard Whiteley in 2005; S26 to S31 were shown on a Monday, when Channel 4 were showing horse racing or repeats for the rest of the week; S32 and S33 were originally scheduled for broadcast on 15/08/11 and 16/08/11, but have been postponed indefinitely.
S26 and S29 featured a variation on the usual numbers game (with different large numbers, viz. 12, 37, 62 and 87).
Programmes S1 and S2 were also repeated as scheduled broadcasts on 21/12/04 and 22/12/04 respectively.
S1 to S25 were presented by Richard Whiteley with Carol Vorderman; S26 to S33 were presented by Jeff Stelling with Rachel Riley.
To list the programmes in the order they were recorded, please click here.
Rec No Date Ord Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Guest Lex Theme --- -- -------- --- ------------------------ - --- --- - --------------------------- ----- --- ---------------------- S1 Mo 26/05/03 3 Stuart Barker 98 78 Daphne Barker AW SD Husband & Wife S2 Fr 25/07/03 2 Terence English 92 57 Glynn Leaney " " Replayed Final S3 Mo 04/08/03 5 Terry Rattle 94 78 Elfie Winterton " " High Scoring Losers S4 Mo 18/08/03 8 Mark Roper 95 68 Ruth Atkin GDu " Maths Teachers S5 Mo 25/08/03 6 Simon Cobb 88 93 David Stainer " " Solicitors S6 Tu 02/09/03 9 Alan Wright 71 97 John Povey " " Clergymen S7 We 03/09/03 12 Brett Smitheram 87 101 H. Lamabadusuriya RSt DE Scrabble Masters S8 Mo 08/09/03 11 David Acton 70 104 Kenneth Michie " " Replayed Final S9 Tu 09/09/03 18 Scott Mearns 100 109 Natascha Kearsey BB AH Champions of Champions S10 We 10/09/03 14 Debbie Haycock 81 61 Peter Brinkley RSt SD Police Officers S11 Th 11/09/03 25 Melanie Beaumont 83 126 Linda Dawe BI AH High Scoring Losers S12 Fr 12/09/03 20 Julian Fell 100 92 Chris Wills BB " Series Champions S13 Mo 15/03/04 22 Paul Burlinson 66 84 Pamela Roud BI " Publicans S14 Fr 19/03/04 13 Sally Hutchings 104 87 Peter Hutchings RSt SD Father & Daughter S15 Mo 14/06/04 7 Pete Cashmore 66 107 Dag Griffiths GDu " Replayed Final S16 Mo 26/07/04 10 Richard Saldanha 83 92 Kate Ogilvie " " Replayed Final S17 Mo 02/08/04 15 Mike Brown 113 70 Nita Marr RSt " Aficionados S18 Fr 13/08/04 4 Ray McPhie 104 89 Christine White AW " Replayed Final S19 Mo 23/08/04 16 Margaret Sambrooks 95 47 Tony Brooks BB AH Mother & Son S20 Mo 30/08/04 19 Lucy Guile 66 76 James Robinson " " Starlets S21 Mo 20/12/04 1 Sandeep Mazumder 72 67 Sanjay Mazumder AW SD Brothers S22 Fr 25/03/05 21 John Marlowe 56 91 Alf Berry BI AH Cabaret Entertainers S23 Mo 30/05/05 24 Austin Shin 98 67 Beth Sutton " " Starlets S24 17 Steve Fisher John Ashmore BB " Replayed Final S25 23 Joyce Cansfield 90 56 Dixie Baird BI " Old Countdownians S26 Mo 15/03/10 26 Chris Davies 77 81 Kirk Bevins GO SD Champion of 2009 S27 Mo 26/07/10 27 Micheal Harris 73 105 Lesley Hines " " High Scoring Losers S28 Mo 02/08/10 28 Kai Laddiman 84 90 Dinos Sfyris " " Young Stars S29 Mo 16/08/10 29 Charlie Reams 87 67 Junaid Mubeen " " Replayed Final S30 Mo 14/03/11 30 Nicki Sellars 94 101 Lee Graham JPa " Rematch S31 Mo 25/07/11 Claudia Tyson 85 79 Debbi Flack PS " Top Female Players S32 " " S33 " " No games required extra conundrums to be played