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From Countdown

See also: 2020 COVID-19 hiatus

Series 82 is the current series of Countdown and the seventeenth series presented by Nick Hewer. It began on 2 January 2020 and was suspended on 1 May due to the COVID-19 pandemic preventing the recording of any new programmes. In its place, repeats were broadcast from 4 May to 7 August. The series resumed on 10 August after 100 days off air, with social distancing observed in Dictionary Corner and no studio audience for the foreseeable future, and will end on 18 December; as such, this series will therefore be the longest in history by both calendar span and number of episodes. In addition, three special episodes featuring past contestants are planned, and will air from 21 to 23 December. [1]

The episode due to be broadcast on 24 March 2020 – the first full day of lockdown in the UK – was not shown due to an unedited comment made by Hewer in the show which could have been deemed insensitive in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic; it remains unaired and thus its seating arrangements remain unknown, but what is known is that Mike Nevins won 63 – 60 against an unknown contestant. Since the withdrawal, a handful of new episodes and repeats shown in 2020 have had anecdotes, teatime teasers and conundrums having any relation to the pandemic excised in editing so that they can still be broadcast.

Among other amendments made to the show on its return on 10 August to comply with social distancing guidelines include: table-top microphones in front of the contestants instead of wearable clip-on microphones; the practice of contestants showing notes at shoulder height when declaring identical words or numerical solutions instead of handing them across the table; clipboards to hold notes in place; repositioned Dictionary Corner guest monitor and buzzer for the challenger's chair; and most notably, the curved wedge on the audience's left side of the studio table has been removed to facilitate social distancing between Susie Dent and the guest, and whiteboard pens were used in the first few shows.

In addition, digital, CGI-animated conundrum scrambles and solutions replacing the long-lasting mechanical counterparts were introduced to reduce time and people required to make the conundrums and prevent letters from being upside-down or falling off. Unlike the other changes, the new conundrum makeover is expected to be permanent. From its introduction to 27 October, a narrower, thicker typeface was used for the conundrums. Due to its apparent reading difficulty, the typeface reverted back on 28 October to the traditional "Futura" letters with their width and thickness identical to the letters cards.

Apterites who have participated in this series so far are: Luke Johnson-Davies (the rollover contestant from the previous series), Ian Volante, Maria Chandler, Phil Hulme, Sanjiv Rana, Barry French, John Doherty, David Kempshall, Sam Cappleman-Lynes, David O'Donnell and Damien Doughty, though it is noted that Chandler, Hulme, Doherty, Kempshall and Doughty joined after their recordings. Apterite Martyn Simpson is set to make an appearance.

This series saw the regular show's debut of a letters and numbers pattern lit on the floor of the studio in front of the circular platform, although it was first seen in the opening two episodes of the revived Celebrity Countdown on More4 in 2019.

Current Standings

Episodes

External Links

• Series 82 on The Countdown Database.