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Tom Rowell

From Countdown
Tom Rowell
Octochamp Statistics
Final positionQuarter-finalist
Seeding6
Points total774
Conundrums solved3
Tom Rowell in Series 63...
...and about three years later in the 30th Birthday Championship.

Tom Rowell was an octochamp in Series 63, and a participant in the 30th Birthday Championship. He was a prison worker from Husbands Bosworth, South Leicestershire, but born in Solihull in the West Midlands.

Countdown appearances

Series 63 (Heat games)

Rowell first appeared in 2010, beating David O'Flanagan with a score of 65 – 90. He then scored further in his games with solid numbers games and with words like TORSADES, RARITIES, NASALISE, and even the nine INLANDERS. He scored with three centuries and even made a pass-by with a controversial win in his fifth game. Rowell finished his run with 774 points, landing him in the number two seed at the time, as well as becoming the second octochamp of the series.

Series 63 (Finals)

Rowell very much returned for the quarter-finals, this time as the number six seed going up against Daniel Pati, the number three seed. Unfortunately for Rowell, he had three words disallowed and couldn't match Pati in the numbers department. However, he did solve the final numbers game and unravelled ENGLANDFA into FANDANGLE which gave him a very respectable score of 67 versus Pati's 92.

Rowell's final point tally through his full run was 841 points.

30th Birthday Championship

He returned to Countdown in 2013, as one of 41 contestants taking part in the 30th Birthday Championship. After receiving a bye to the first round, he won his first match against Series 66 semi-finalist Peter Lee by a score of 92 – 84, before he lost to the runner-up of Series 66, Jonathan Rawlinson in the second round.

Co-events

Before his televised run in 2010, he attended the unofficial Co:Lon 2010 tournament, and during the time his shows were being televised, he attended the CoLei Summer Special. He has also attended COLIN 2011, CobliviLon in 2012, CobliviLon II in 2013, and COLIN XI and COLIN XI: The Hangover in 2015.

Appearances on quiz shows

On 30 June, 1 and 4 July 2016, Rowell appeared on Fifteen to One, notably in the same episodes as Series 44 and 70 contestant Julie Devine, winning in his final appearance to appear in the grand final on 11 August 2016. Rowell was also part of the victorious Escapologists team on Series 13 of Only Connect in 2017/18.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
5087 22/07/2010 P David O'Flanagan 65 – 90 Tom Rowell Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Sharron Davies Susie Dent 116
5088 23/07/2010 P Tom Rowell 97 – 63 Dave Gawthrope Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Sharron Davies Susie Dent 120
5089 09/08/2010 P Tom Rowell 91 – 64 Paddy O'Connor Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley William Roache Susie Dent 119
5090 10/08/2010 P Tom Rowell 104 – 58 Margaret Alldritt Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley William Roache Susie Dent 119
5091 11/08/2010 P Tom Rowell 92 – 88 Andrew Mossford Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley William Roache Susie Dent 128
5092 12/08/2010 P Tom Rowell 104 – 52 Matt Thorpe Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley William Roache Susie Dent 115
5093 13/08/2010 P Tom Rowell 109 – 57 Joan Wright Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley William Roache Susie Dent 120
5094 23/08/2010 P Tom Rowell 87 – 74 Jean Miles Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Gary Wilmot Susie Dent 128
5174 13/12/2010 QF Daniel Pati 92 – 67 Tom Rowell Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Paul Zenon Susie Dent 123
5624 18/01/2013 30B1 Peter Lee 84 – 92 Tom Rowell Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Martin Lewis Susie Dent 131
5640 11/02/2013 30B2 Tom Rowell 65 – 94 Jonathan Rawlinson Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Ken Bruce Susie Dent 128