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Series 3

From Countdown

Series 3 ran from September 1983 to December 1983, and was broadcast on Mondays to Thursdays. Episodes were mainly broadcast at 5:00pm, with Tuesday episodes shown at 4:45pm, but several episodes were moved. This was also the first series to introduce the modern eight-way knockout tournament for the finals. The third of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley was won by Andrew Guy.

This series also saw future Scrabble star Mark Nyman, who would rise through the ranks to win Championship of Champions I. He would then serve as one of the show’s lexicographers, as well as become the show’s former producer.

Seed table

Rank Name Wins Points
1 Mark Nyman 8 427
2 William Bradford 8 399
3 Allan Simmons 7+1 385
4 Harry Venet 6 303
5 Esther Byers 4 216
6 Andrew Guy 2 118
7 David Brook 2 104
8 Ted Wiles 1 55
Numbers after "+" signs in the Wins column represent drawn games.

NOTE: Matthew Wright, with 2 wins and 100 points, would have been the #8 seed, but for unknown reasons, he didn't return for the finals, so Ted Wiles took his place.

Between Series 3 and Series 20, players were ranked by total number of points, including winning and drawing scores, but not losing ones.

Finals progress

Mark Nyman (1) vs Ted Wiles (8) Mark Nyman (1) vs Esther Byers (5) Mark Nyman (1)
vs
Andrew Guy (6)
Esther Byers (5) vs Harry Venet (4)
Allan Simmons (3) vs Andrew Guy (6) Andrew Guy (6) vs William Bradford (2)
David Brook (7) vs William Bradford (2)
The winner of each game is displayed in bold.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
81 19/09/1983 P Harry Venet 36 – 26 David Drake-Brockman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 68
82 20/09/1983 P Harry Venet 56 – 40 Len Daniels Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 81
83 21/09/1983 P Madge Newall 12 – 57 Harry Venet Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 72
84 22/09/1983 P Isabel Bagley 45 – 47 Harry Venet Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 71
85 26/09/1983 P Ron Hendra 40 – 42 Harry Venet Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 68
86 27/09/1983 P Trish Scott 23 – 65 Harry Venet Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 72
87 28/09/1983 P Jackie Nathan 46 – 45 Harry Venet Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 71
88 29/09/1983 P Jackie Nathan 47 – 55 Ted Wiles Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Yvonne Warburton 81
89 03/10/1983 P Allan Simmons 41 – 35 Ted Wiles Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 69
90 04/10/1983 P Allan Simmons 47 – 37 George France Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 70
91 05/10/1983 P Allan Simmons 36 – 36 Alan Walker Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 70
92 06/10/1983 P Allan Simmons 61 – 42 Alan Walker Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 70
93 10/10/1983 P Allan Simmons 61 – 18 Pat Williams Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 73
94 11/10/1983 P Peter Dean 21 – 47 Allan Simmons Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 72
95 12/10/1983 P John Rusted 40 – 47 Allan Simmons Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 70
96 13/10/1983 P Eric Shaw 19 – 45 Allan Simmons Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 73
97 17/10/1983 P Allan Simmons 31 – 38 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 72
98 18/10/1983 P Andrew Long 40 – 47 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 70
99 19/10/1983 P Pat Bowlas 40 – 50 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 68
100 20/10/1983 P David Coss 40 – 50 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 73
101 24/10/1983 P Christine Williams 24 – 42 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 70
102 25/10/1983 P Adrian Yonace 42 – 50 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 70
103 26/10/1983 P Pat Flowers 16 – 53 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 72
104 27/10/1983 P Jane Kestin 34 – 69 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 83
105 31/10/1983 P Andrew Guy 57 – 32 Christopher Tunnah Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 74
106 01/11/1983 P Andrew Guy 61 – 39 Phil Slade Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 70
107 02/11/1983 P Andrew Guy 50 – 51 Syd Spilsbury Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 71
108 03/11/1983 P David Brook 53 – 35 Syd Spilsbury Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 67
109 07/11/1983 P Bernard Oakes 33 – 51 David Brook Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 71
110 08/11/1983 P Matthew Wright 42 – 36 David Brook Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 73
111 09/11/1983 P Matthew Wright 58 – 50 Alan Cross Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 71
112 10/11/1983 P Matthew Wright 32 – 39 David Lawton Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 70
113 14/11/1983 P David Lawton 23 – 59 Mark Nyman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Yvonne Warburton 71
114 15/11/1983 P Mark Nyman 54 – 44 Alan Morris Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 71
115 16/11/1983 P Mark Nyman 57 – 4 Fred Jean Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 69
116 17/11/1983 P David Hughes 33 – 57 Mark Nyman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 68
117 21/11/1983 P Roy Davenport 36 – 43 Mark Nyman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Beverley Isherwood Cathy Hytner William Rushton Yvonne Warburton 73
118 22/11/1983 P Heather Twidle 22 – 62 Mark Nyman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 66
119 23/11/1983 P Mark Nyman 40 – 35 Myra Mayor Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 70
120 24/11/1983 P Peter Richardson 46 – 55 Mark Nyman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 69
121 28/11/1983 P Leonard Moore 53 – 42 Susan Boulter Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 67
122 29/11/1983 P Leonard Moore 28 – 57 Esther Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 70
123 30/11/1983 P George McGee 43 – 49 Esther Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 70
124 01/12/1983 P Susan Hands 26 – 56 Esther Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 74
125 05/12/1983 P Pamela Barrie 26 – 54 Esther Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 71
126 06/12/1983 QF Mark Nyman 79 – 18 Ted Wiles Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 83
127 07/12/1983 QF David Brook 37 – 51 William Bradford Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 72
128 08/12/1983 QF Andrew Guy 62 – 35 Allan Simmons Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 70
129 12/12/1983 QF Harry Venet 38 – 50 Esther Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 71
130 13/12/1983 SF Mark Nyman 56 – 51 Esther Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 72
131 14/12/1983 SF William Bradford 42 – 65 Andrew Guy Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin Julia Swannell 67
132 15/12/1983 GF Andrew Guy 92 – 85 Mark Nyman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Ned Sherrin, Gyles Brandreth Julia Swannell 114

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