Series 18

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Carol posing unaware with part of the problematic new colour scheme

This series marked the debut of the wooden set, which was only used for two years. The Countdown clock music also changed to its present version.

Series 18 ran from July 1989 to October 1989. The eighteenth of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley, it was won by Rajaretnam Yogasagarar.

This series was notable for the letter and number tiles changing to a red and white colour scheme. In conjunction with this, a new set was issued for the first time. After several episodes had been recorded using the new tiles, someone pointed out that they would be problematic for photosensitive epileptics. An attempt was made to record all the shows again with the original contestants, but this caused issues as some of them were no longer available. This resulted in some episodes, notably in the series finals, still having to be screened with the unsuitable tiles. Those episodes that were rerecorded had the tiles reverted to the blue and white configuration introduced in Series 11.

This series was also the first to feature Carol Vorderman as the letters hostess; previously, she had only been the arithmetician.

Seed table

Rank	Name	Wins	Points
1	Jonathan Anstey	8+1	540
2	Richard Evans	8	433
3	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	6	333
4	Derek Stuart-Clark	6	325
5	Mandi Hale	5	257
6	Shirley Scott	5	251
7	Mark St. John London	4	237
8	Margaret Budden	3	165

Numbers after "+" signs in the Wins column represent drawn games. Between Series 3 and Series 20, players were ranked by total number of points, including winning and drawing scores, but not losing ones.

Derek Stuart-Clark was undefeated before retiring after his sixth game.

Finals progress

Jonathan Anstey (1) vs Margaret Budden (8)	Jonathan Anstey (1) vs Mandi Hale (5)	Mandi Hale (5) vs Rajaretnam Yogasagarar (3)
Mandi Hale (5) vs Derek Stuart-Clark (4)
Rajaretnam Yogasagarar (3) vs Shirley Scott (6)	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar (3) vs Richard Evans (2)
Mark St. John London (7) vs Richard Evans (2)

The winner of each game is displayed in bold.

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
868	10/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	59 – 36	Monica Kirby	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	73
869	11/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	64 – 37	Brian Clarke	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	??
870	12/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	49 – 37	Margaret Jones	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	69
871	13/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	58 – 20	Bob Holland	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	83
872	15/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	47 – 18	Graham Owen	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	73
873	17/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	56 – 25	Win Strange	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ned Sherrin	Della Thompson	71
874	18/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	37 – 44	Shirley Scott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ned Sherrin	Della Thompson	69
875	19/07/1989	P	Reg Jones	45 – 57	Shirley Scott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ned Sherrin	Della Thompson	71
876	20/07/1989	P	Ron Smith	43 – 46	Shirley Scott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ned Sherrin	Della Thompson	73
877	21/07/1989	P	Joan Gray	31 – 57	Shirley Scott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ned Sherrin	Della Thompson	83
878	24/07/1989	P	Christine Stallybrass	44 – 47	Shirley Scott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Della Thompson	80
879	25/07/1989	P	Derek Stuart-Clark	61 – 41	Shirley Scott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Della Thompson	73
880	26/07/1989	P	Derek Stuart-Clark	46 – 30	Valia Hedley	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Della Thompson	74
881	27/07/1989	P	Derek Stuart-Clark	63 – 39	Anne Cox	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Della Thompson	84
882	28/07/1989	P	Derek Stuart-Clark	49 – 37	John Gough-Cooper	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Della Thompson	84
883	31/07/1989	P	Derek Stuart-Clark	39 – 29	Garry Preston	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Della Thompson	71
884	1/08/1989	P	Derek Stuart-Clark	67 – 34	Karen Hazell	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Della Thompson	84
885	2/08/1989	P	Tom Dudley	43 – 39	Win Blackborow	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Simon Mason	72
886	3/08/1989	P	Tom Dudley	35 – 54	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Simon Mason	71
887	4/08/1989	P	Keith Pottage	12 – 66	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Simon Mason	82
888	7/08/1989	P	Sue Hall	61 – 61	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Simon Mason	86
889	8/08/1989	P	Sue Hall	37 – 46	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Simon Mason	73
890	9/08/1989	P	Neil Barlow	40 – 81	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Simon Mason	84
891	10/08/1989	P	John Feetenby	42 – 62	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Simon Mason	73
892	11/08/1989	P	Eileen Meghen	24 – 53	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lance Percival	Simon Mason	71
893	14/08/1989	P	Ian Whitcombe	33 – 59	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lance Percival	Simon Mason	74
894	15/08/1989	P	Elizabeth Rennie	41 – 58	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lance Percival	Simon Mason	71
895	16/08/1989	P	Leslie Martin	41 – 32	Steve Tidbury	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lance Percival	Simon Mason	71
896	17/08/1989	P	Leslie Martin	52 – 39	Anne Maclachlan	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lance Percival	Simon Mason	75
897	18/08/1989	P	Leslie Martin	44 – 53	Mark Pont	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lance Percival	Simon Mason	82
898	21/08/1989	P	Debbie Williams	45 – 65	Mark Pont	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Brian Johnston	Della Thompson	83
899	22/08/1989	P	Andrew Balkin	40 – 44	Mark Pont	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Brian Johnston	Della Thompson	71
900	23/08/1989	P	Ann Rutter	63 – 59	Mark Pont	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Brian Johnston	Della Thompson	76
901	24/08/1989	P	Ann Rutter	38 – 40	David Ware	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Brian Johnston	Della Thompson	74
902	25/08/1989	P	Tony Diball	23 – 39	David Ware	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Brian Johnston	Della Thompson	81
903	28/08/1989	P	Jan Whitfield	46 – 51	David Ware	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Della Thompson	74
904	29/08/1989	P	Clive Everill	50 – 43	David Ware	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Della Thompson	71
905	30/08/1989	P	Clive Everill	70 – 60	Chris Magill	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Della Thompson	87
906	31/08/1989	P	Clive Everill	27 – 50	Bill Taylor	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Della Thompson	73
907	1/09/1989	P	Mark St. John London	50 – 42	Bill Taylor	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Della Thompson	73
908	4/09/1989	P	Mark St. John London	60 – 55	Alex McClimens	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Della Thompson	73
909	5/09/1989	P	Mark St. John London	70 – 26	John Slade	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	83
910	6/09/1989	P	Mark St. John London	57 – 51	Patrick Kavanagh	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	85
911	7/09/1989	P	Mark St. John London	48 – 64	Margaret Budden	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	71
912	8/09/1989	P	Christopher Alexander	34 – 43	Margaret Budden	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	83
913	11/09/1989	P	Patrick Lindfield	30 – 58	Margaret Budden	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	72
914	12/09/1989	P	Diane Pratesi	57 – 45	Margaret Budden	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	95
915	13/09/1989	P	Diane Pratesi	59 – 34	Christopher Quartermaine	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Clement Freud	Freda Thornton	71
916	14/09/1989	P	Diane Pratesi	48 – 60	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Clement Freud	Freda Thornton	83
917	15/09/1989	P	Mary Mullins	32 – 50	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Clement Freud	Freda Thornton	65
918	18/09/1989	P	Fraser McLeod	49 – 63	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Clement Freud	Freda Thornton	84
919	19/09/1989	P	Avril Goldsworthy	29 – 50	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Clement Freud	Freda Thornton	74
920	20/09/1989	P	Brian Porter	30 – 45	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dinah Sheridan	Freda Thornton	74
921	21/09/1989	P	Garry Thomas	44 – 49	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dinah Sheridan	Freda Thornton	70
922	22/09/1989	P	Brendan Meghan	51 – 68	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dinah Sheridan	Freda Thornton	73
923	25/09/1989	P	Chris Tesseras	45 – 48	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dinah Sheridan	Freda Thornton	77
924	26/09/1989	P	Mandi Hale	51 – 27	Rosemary Tame	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dinah Sheridan	Freda Thornton	73
925	27/09/1989	P	Mandi Hale	41 – 30	Brian Burrows	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dinah Sheridan	Freda Thornton	72
926	28/09/1989	P	Mandi Hale	46 – 27	Julian Bloom	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nigel Rees	Freda Thornton	83
927	29/09/1989	P	Mandi Hale	54 – 36	Doris Beckerlegge	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nigel Rees	Freda Thornton	70
928	2/10/1989	P	Mandi Hale	65 – 29	David Dillner	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nigel Rees	Freda Thornton	71
929	3/10/1989	P	Mandi Hale	32 – 48	Mark Cooper	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nigel Rees	Freda Thornton	70
930	4/10/1989	P	Mark Cooper	41 – 33	Robin Robinson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	95
931	5/10/1989	QF	Jonathan Anstey	45 – 33	Margaret Budden	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	86
932	6/10/1989	QF	Mark St. John London	12 – 45	Richard Evans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	74
933	9/10/1989	QF	Shirley Scott	39 – 46	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	77
934	10/10/1989	QF	Mandi Hale	53 – 47	Derek Stuart-Clark	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	70
935	11/10/1989	SF	Mandi Hale	48 – 36	Jonathan Anstey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Catherine Clarke	73
936	12/10/1989	SF	Richard Evans	46 – 56	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Catherine Clarke	72
937	13/10/1989	GF	Mandi Hale	73 – 92	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Frazer Hines, Eve Pollard	Catherine Clarke	128

External Links

• Series 18 on The Countdown Database.
• Series 18 on The Countdown Page.