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Series 33

From Countdown
Allan Saldanha and Harvey Freeman with Michael Bishop, chair of Channel 4 at the time.

Series 33 ran from September to December 1996, and consisted of Championship of Champions VIII followed by the Supreme Championship. In some TV listings, episodes in this series were billed as "Countdown: Search for the Supreme Champion". The thirty-third of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley, it featured many of the best contestants from the previous thirty-two series, and was won by previous Series 10 and CoC III winner Harvey Freeman.

The entrants comprised 26 series champions, three Championship of Champions winners who were not regular series champions and 25 other finalists drawn from 30 of the first 32 series, the exceptions being Series 3 and Series 14. The three champions of the first 32 series not to compete in the Supreme Championship were Andrew Guy, Nic Brown and Rajaretnam Yogasagarar. The Championship of Champions winners that didn't participate were Nic Brown and Mark Nyman – Nyman was the producer of the show at the time, thus making him ineligible to be a contestant. Likewise, Michael Wylie, the runner-up of the first ever series, could not participate as he was also working for Countdown at the time.

Unlike a normal series, the Supreme Championship operated on a strict knock-out basis. The contestants were organised into seven groups, labelled A through G, with all games of each individual group being played before the next one began. The winners of each group then went through to the finals. Most groups had eight contestants and were based on the obvious three-round knockout, while groups C, D and F had only seven and gave first-round byes to Harvey Freeman, Joyce Cansfield and Wayne Summers respectively. Chris Rogers qualified for the quarter-finals by virtue of having won Championship of Champions VIII, which had immediately preceded the championship proper, and doubled up as qualifying group for the main draw.

Participants

The participants are listed by the series that they are most commonly associated with (including the participants in the Championship of Champions VIII). The letters after the names represent the groups to which each player was assigned, with "CoC" used for Championship of Champions VIII participants. Series champions are listed in bold.

Progress (Group semi-finals and beyond only)

Chris Rogers (29) vs David Acton (31) Chris Rogers vs Kenneth Michie Chris Rogers
vs
John Clarke
John Clarke
vs
Harvey Freeman
Harvey Freeman
vs
Allan Saldanha
Kenneth Michie (31) vs Darren Shacklady (29)
Don Reid (25) vs Dick Green (15) Don Reid vs John Clarke
John Clarke (11) vs Andy Bodle (13)
Clive Freedman (7) vs Evan Simpson (17) Clive Freedman vs Andrew Perry Andrew Perry
vs
Harvey Freeman
Chris Waddington (22) vs Andrew Perry (26)
Ian Bebbington (7) vs Harvey Freeman (10) Harvey Freeman vs Barry Grossman
Barry Grossman (21) vs Brian Hudson (4)
Stephen Balment (12) vs Joyce Cansfield (1) Joyce Cansfield vs Jackie McLeod Joyce Cansfield
vs
Allan Saldanha
Allan Saldanha
vs
Tim Morrissey
Jackie McLeod (21) vs Clive Spate (8)
David Trace (9) vs Richard Campbell (27) David Trace vs Allan Saldanha
Darryl Francis (6) vs Allan Saldanha (15)
Hilary Hopper (13) vs Wayne Summers (24) Hilary Hopper vs Damian Eadie Hilary Hopper
vs
Tim Morrissey
Julian Hough (7) vs Damian Eadie (28)
Tim Morrissey (17) vs Kevin Nelson (13) Tim Morrissey vs Tony Vick
Gareth Williams (23) vs Tony Vick (16)
The winner of each game is displayed in bold.
The numbers refer to the series in which each contestant originally played in the finals.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
30 September–8 October 1996: Championship of Champions VIII
Group A
1855 9/10/1996 aQF Don Reid 57 – 40 Olivia Lloyd-Potts Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Susie Dent 74
1856 10/10/1996 aQF Dick Green 56 – 35 Fiona Davies Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Susie Dent 69
1857 11/10/1996 aQF John Clarke 58 – 52 Derek Coombs Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Susie Dent 72
1858 14/10/1996 aQF Andy Bodle 55 – 51 Phil Jordan Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Susie Dent 67
1859 15/10/1996 aSF Don Reid 59 – 56 Dick Green Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 73
1860 16/10/1996 aSF John Clarke 55 – 39 Andy Bodle Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 73
1861 17/10/1996 aF John Clarke 63* – 53 Don Reid Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 73
Group B
1862 18/10/1996 bQF Clive Freedman 67 – 50 Mick Keeble Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 73
1863 21/10/1996 bQF Pete Evans 28 – 50 Evan Simpson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 71
1864 22/10/1996 bQF Chris Waddington 58 – 41 Christine Hunt Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 72
1865 23/10/1996 bQF David Elias 43 – 60 Andrew Perry Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 83
1866 24/10/1996 bSF Clive Freedman 68* – 58 Evan Simpson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman June Whitfield Susie Dent 71
1867 25/10/1996 bSF Chris Waddington 37 – 43 Andrew Perry Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman June Whitfield Susie Dent 71
1868 28/10/1996 bF Clive Freedman 43 – 71 Andrew Perry Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman June Whitfield Susie Dent 74
Group C
1869 29/10/1996 cQF Ian Bebbington 45 – 36 James Sinclair Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman June Whitfield Susie Dent 73
1870 30/10/1996 cQF Barry Grossman 48 – 42 Robert Violett Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman June Whitfield Susie Dent 84
1871 31/10/1996 cQF Brian Hudson 58* – 48 Mandi Hale Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman June Whitfield Susie Dent 83
1872 1/11/1996 cSF Ian Bebbington 54 – 72 Harvey Freeman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 85
1873 4/11/1996 cSF Barry Grossman 52 – 51 Brian Hudson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 70
1874 5/11/1996 cF Barry Grossman 37 – 44 Harvey Freeman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 73
Group D
1875 6/11/1996 dQF Stephen Balment 52 – 44 Gino Corr Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 72
1876 7/11/1996 dQF Lawrence Pearse 45 – 47 Jackie McLeod Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 81
1877 8/11/1996 dQF Clive Spate 63 – 23 David Reid Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 73
1878 11/11/1996 dSF Stephen Balment 48 – 57 Joyce Cansfield Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 71
1879 12/11/1996 dSF Jackie McLeod 49 – 46 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 74
1880 13/11/1996 dF Jackie McLeod 42 – 50 Joyce Cansfield Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 70
Group E
1881 14/11/1996 eQF David Trace 68 – 63 Russell Byers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 82
1882 15/11/1996 eQF Liz Barber 37 – 59 Richard Campbell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 76
1883 18/11/1996 eQF Darryl Francis 60 – 31 Mike Percik Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 75
1884 19/11/1996 eQF Michael Wareham 20 – 69 Allan Saldanha Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 75
1885 20/11/1996 eSF David Trace 46 – 36 Richard Campbell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 72
1886 21/11/1996 eSF Darryl Francis 24 – 83 Allan Saldanha Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 85
1887 22/11/1996 eF David Trace 34 – 45 Allan Saldanha Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 70
Group F
1888 25/11/1996 fQF Hilary Hopper 56 – 23 Anthony Butcher Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 70
1889 26/11/1996 fQF Janet McRae 38 – 62 Damian Eadie Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 72
1890 27/11/1996 fQF Ash Haji 58 – 65 Julian Hough Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tom O'Connor Catherine Stokes 94
1891 28/11/1996 fSF Hilary Hopper 59 – 39 Wayne Summers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance David Swarbrick 71
1892 29/11/1996 fSF Julian Hough 46 – 52 Damian Eadie Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance David Swarbrick 80
1893 2/12/1996 fF Hilary Hopper 59 – 40 Damian Eadie Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance David Swarbrick 73
Group G
1894 3/12/1996 gQF Tim Morrissey 60 – 51 Nita Marr Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance David Swarbrick 82
1895 4/12/1996 gQF Verity Joubert 35 – 43 Kevin Nelson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance David Swarbrick 72
1896 5/12/1996 gQF Gareth Williams 59 – 55 Wayne Kelly Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance David Swarbrick 72
1897 6/12/1996 gQF Tony Vick 63 – 30 Robert Teuton Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jenny Hanley Susie Dent 70
1898 9/12/1996 gSF Tim Morrissey 57 – 41 Kevin Nelson Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jenny Hanley Susie Dent 69
1899 10/12/1996 gSF Gareth Williams 41 – 51 Tony Vick Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jenny Hanley Susie Dent 69
1900 11/12/1996 gF Tim Morrissey 73 – 41 Tony Vick Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jenny Hanley Susie Dent 74
Finals
1901 12/12/1996 SQF John Clarke 56 – 41 Chris Rogers Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jenny Hanley Susie Dent 82
1902 13/12/1996 SQF Andrew Perry 44 – 54 Harvey Freeman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Jenny Hanley Susie Dent 72
1903 16/12/1996 SQF Joyce Cansfield 50 – 67 Allan Saldanha Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Catherine Clarke 67
1904 17/12/1996 SQF Hilary Hopper 49 – 56 Tim Morrissey Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Catherine Clarke 75
1905 18/12/1996 SSF John Clarke 48 – 65 Harvey Freeman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Catherine Clarke 72
1906 19/12/1996 SSF Allan Saldanha 61 – 57 Tim Morrissey Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Catherine Clarke 71
1907 20/12/1996 SGF Allan Saldanha 79 – 82 Harvey Freeman Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nigel Rees Catherine Clarke 127
* includes 10 points from a tie-break conundrum

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