Simon Pryde

Simon Pryde was a semi-finalist from Series 36 in 1997.

A 25-year-old newsreader for Metro Radio in his hometown of Newcastle-upon-Tyne at the time, he beat Ann Franklin in his first appearance and won a further five games before losing by a single point to Steve Barry after a crucial conundrum. Pryde returned for the final rounds as #3 seed, and beat Philip Logie in the quarter-finals before losing to Maria Boyes on a crucial conundrum in the semis.

Pryde returned for Championship of Champions IX, and pulled off a minor upset by beating Series 34 champion Huw Morgan in the first round to set up a rematch with Maria Boyes in the quarter-finals. This time, Pryde emerged triumphant and progressed to the semi-finals, where he was beaten 47 – 41 by Pete Cashmore, on a crucial conundrum.

Although he was unable to proceed past the semi-finals of Series 36 or Championship of Champions IX, Pryde was one of the most consistent series finalists in the History of Countdown who never either reached or won a series or Championship of Champions grand final, as he was one of only a very few such contenders not to ever face a non-crucial conundrum where he had already lost the game. In all three of his defeats he lost on a crucial conundrum when behind on the scoreboard after neither player was able to solve the conundrum.

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
2076	21/08/1997	P	Simon Pryde	51 – 23	Ann Franklin	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Peter Sweasey	80
2077	22/08/1997	P	Simon Pryde	66 – 29	Geneviève Chan	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Peter Sweasey	74
2078	25/08/1997	P	Simon Pryde	52 – 49	Bill Rodwell	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Peter Sweasey	71
2079	26/08/1997	P	Simon Pryde	64 – 35	Clive Doe	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Peter Sweasey	70
2080	27/08/1997	P	Simon Pryde	55 – 39	Margaret Blott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Derek Nimmo	Peter Sweasey	82
2081	28/08/1997	P	Simon Pryde	54 – 45	Robin Lawson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Derek Nimmo	Peter Sweasey	72
2082	29/08/1997	P	Simon Pryde	42 – 43	Steve Barry	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Derek Nimmo	Peter Sweasey	73
2098	22/09/1997	QF	Simon Pryde	58 – 39	Philip Logie	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nicholas Parsons	Hannah Robertson	71
2101	25/09/1997	SF	Maria Boyes	43 – 40	Simon Pryde	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nicholas Parsons	Hannah Robertson	73
2165	31/12/1997	CP	Huw Morgan	49 – 67	Simon Pryde	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Denis Norden	Mark Nyman	75
2171	8/01/1998	CQF	Simon Pryde	41 – 33	Maria Boyes	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gloria Hunniford	Mark Nyman	76
2175	14/01/1998	CSF	Simon Pryde	41 – 47	Pete Cashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Tom O'Connor	Mark Nyman	73