Elliott Mellor
| Elliott Mellor octochamp statistics | |
|---|---|
| Final position | Runner-up |
| Seeding | 1 |
| Points total | 1,061 |
| Conundrums solved | 8 |
Elliott Mellor was an octochamp in and the runner-up of Series 80, and a quarter-finalist in Championship of Champions XVI. As of his Series 80 appearances, he was a maths student from Oldham in Greater Manchester studying at Manchester Metropolitan University. Arguably the greatest player to not win a series – he currently has the highest octotal: 1,061. He is an Apterite who peaked at No. 1 in the Pro Ranks on Apterous, less than twelve months after joining the site. He is also a member of c4countdown. He also enjoys tennis.
Appearances on the show
In the audience
Mellor made his TV debut on 9 November 2018 as the audience member who solved the conundrum, after a failed attempt from both contestants.
Heat games
He then debuted on 16 May 2019 against Arran Cleminson, maxing thirteen rounds and setting one of the highest debut scores: 131. He found impressive word spots like TAIAPURE and NEOTERISM, while Cleminson only scored in all four numbers games. This was the start of, undoubtedly, the greatest octorun in Countdown history.
The following day: NODALIZES, ANIMATEUR and INFRACTED helped Mellor card the then-highest ever score of 152 (toppling Zarte Siempre's four-month-old record of 150). Mellor's record stood until Tom Stevenson bettered it by two points. Clips of Mellor's record-breaking game were later shown on Gogglebox.
A third consecutive thirteen-max performance followed in his third game, which also marked the first ever consecutive hat trick of scores over 130.
During his fifth match – Mellor shattered yet another record by defeating Kieran Matley by 133 points, overcoming the previous record winning margin by 21. He was so dominant that five of his eight wins were over by 100 points, and reduced opponents to scores of just ten points twice on the trot.
He also dropped just three points from one of his 32 numbers rounds, giving him an aggregate score of a record 317 points (out of 320) from the numbers rounds alone in an octorun.
Mellor wrapped up with a record cumulative score of 1,061 points (132.625 on average) – the first ever of over 1,000 – overhauling Dylan Taylor's record by 87 points, as well as overtaking Taylor's record for the most rounds maxed in an octorun with 102 maxes out of 120. He scored a massive 97.5% of available points in an octorun by far and away, the highest ever percentage. He also became only the eleventh person ever to have solved all eight conundrums in their preliminary games.
Finals
In his quarter-final, Mellor faced Mark Decouto. Although Mellor never went behind in the game, he undoubtedly faced his toughest opposition to date. Decouto reduced Mellor by 109 – 73, having beaten him with PROCLAIM. Nevertheless, Mellor comfortably beat Decouto (although Decouto was only thirteen points behind by Round 12).
In his semi-final, Mellor defeated Maggie Barlow with a commanding performance of thirteen maxed rounds that included the darrenics of CAJEPUT and MELODION plus a sub-second solution on the tricky conundrum of IBURPTOOL.
Grand final
In the grand final against Dinos Sfyris, the game was close under pressure. Mellor lost out on a potential eighteen points in the first round, after deciding not to risk FILATURES. Sfyris then defeated Mellor in the first numbers game, in which Mellor chose six small to take the lead.
Throughout the game, Mellor clawed his way back to near distance of Sfyris with his plays of COALISED and DEFROST whilst Sfyris beat him with findings of TREASURE and GOATISH to retain the lead despite a failed attempt to wing it with forestudy ☓.
Ultimately, Sfyris solved a very difficult crucial conundrum – ending Mellor's run of ten solved conundrums in a row – and won the series by twenty points to relegate Mellor to the runner-up position. But Mellor broke yet another record set by Zarte Siempre, two series ago – the highest cumulative score – 1,373 points – across a single series (this was bettered by eleven points from Luke Johnson-Davies). Clips of the grand final were shown on Celebrity Gogglebox on 5 July 2019.
Championship of Champions XVI
Mellor returned in January 2023 for Championship of Champions XVI.
His first game was a rematch against Dinos Sfyris. But Mellor was one step ahead this time with word spots like REGIMENS, GOURMET and ATONIES to help him establish an unbeatable lead before the final numbers game and an eleventh century.
In his quarter-final against Dan Byrom, both players levelled in the first two letters games before Byrom took a ten-point lead after the first numbers round. But Mellor later reduced the gap to four points after Byrom had onlier ☓ disallowed, to force a crucial conundrum. But both players incorrectly guessed, meaning that Byrom progressed to the semi-finals with 106 points to Mellor's 102.
Elliott's overall points total is 1,585 points with him accruing twelve centuries, eleven wins and two losses over thirteen games.
Along with James Haughton, he is one of two non-returnees to appear in editions with an audience pre-Championship of Champions XVI.
Appearances on ZoomDown
Series 1
In 2020, Mellor appeared in Series 1 of ZoomDown – first playing against Zubair Patel and won by 98 – 70. He then beat Eddy Byrne by 120 – 113, before losing to Dan McColm by 98 – 111.
Fortunately, his two wins and 316 points booked him the No. 8 seed spot – this posed a rematch against McColm in his quarter-final. Both players matched each other in the first eleven rounds before Mellor gave McColm the slip with the latter having airgates ☓ disallowed, and Mellor solving a crucial conundrum to leave the scores at 123 – 105. He then faced off against No. 4 seed Conor Travers in his semi-final, and only beat Travers on a tricky numbers round of six small. After that, they matched each other all the way to the conundrums. Unfortunately for Mellor, Travers solved ISCAPRINE and THIRTYSEC in a combined time of 5.5 seconds to give Travers the win.
Series 3
In 2021, he reappeared on the third series. This time, he pulled out all the stops as he rocketed up to becoming the No. 1 seed with 509 points.
After making quick business with No. 8 seed Ruth Cappleman in his quarter-final, Mellor was set up with No. 4 seed Graeme Cole in his semi-final. In the beginning, each player matched up with one another. But word spots of VENTAILS, TATAMIS, HEDONIC and AILUROID helped Mellor almost pull off a max game – no one could unscramble FOURSTART into ASTROTURF, that denied it.
Mellor was then left to face Tom Cappleman, the No. 6 seed, in the grand final. Despite Mellor beating Cappleman with ARRIEROS, both players kept side by side with one another with the scoreline being at 125 – 117 before the conundrum. But history repeated itself as not only neither could solve the tricky conundrum of TITPRANKS, but it also denied Mellor of another max game. Regardless, Mellor won the series after the very close match.
Numberists specials
In 2020, Mellor was the winner of the inaugural ZoomDown Numberists special. In 2021, he won the second Numberists series.
Championship of Champions
He then appeared in the ZoomDown Championship of Champions in March 2022, where he started with a 114 – 77 win over Adam Dexter. He then beat Jack Worsley in his quarter-final and Rob Foster in his semi-final on both occasions, solving crucial conundrums to progress.
This led to the grand final against Conor Travers. In a rematch of their ZoomDown Series 1 semi-final – Mellor forced another crucial conundrum, being only one point behind. However, history once again repeated itself as Travers was the one who solved it to leave Mellor as the ZoomDown Champion of Champions runner-up after a thoroughly gripping contest.
Series 5
In 2025, he came back for the fifth series of its revival and managed to defeat Tom Carey and James Robinson after two crucial conundrum solves. He was unable to return for Episode ZD140, but it was agreed that he could return in the next game. In the aforementioned next episode, he survived another tight game against George Armstrong before securing victory against Dan Byrom in the final numbers round to become the second tetrachamp of the series and achieve the feat for the second time. His final points tally of 504 put him top of the seeding table.
He ultimately returned as the No. 1 seed against No. 8 seed, Steven Grady; in an upset result – the latter came out on top with thanks to a couple of letters round victories and a quick conundrum solve, to knock out Mellor out of Series 5.
Co-events
Mellor made his Co-event debut at Co-Blackpool 2021, finishing in 12th place.
| Preceded by Martin May |
Series runner-up Series 80 |
Followed by Jamie Wing |
Episodes
| # | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Presenters | Guest | Lex | Max | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7076 | 16/05/2019 | P | Arran Cleminson | 40 – 131 | Elliott Mellor | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 133 | ||
| 7077 | 17/05/2019 | P | Elliott Mellor | 152 – 40 | John Hadfield | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 154 | ||
| 7078 | 20/05/2019 | P | Elliott Mellor | 133 – 38 | Dave Trotter | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 136 | ||
| 7079 | 21/05/2019 | P | Elliott Mellor | 118 – 16 | Sam Ashworth | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Jon Culshaw | Susie Dent | 125 | ||
| 7080 | 22/05/2019 | P | Elliott Mellor | 143 – 10 | Kieran Matley | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Jon Culshaw | Susie Dent | 145 | ||
| 7081 | 23/05/2019 | P | Elliott Mellor | 126 – 10 | Monica Quadri | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Jon Culshaw | Susie Dent | 127 | ||
| 7082 | 24/05/2019 | P | Elliott Mellor | 125 – 11 | Saul Rothwell | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Jon Culshaw | Susie Dent | 134 | ||
| 7083 | 27/05/2019 | P | Elliott Mellor | 133 – 42 | Sam Hendry | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Jon Culshaw | Susie Dent | 134 | ||
| 7101 | 20/06/2019 | QF | Elliott Mellor | 109 – 73 | Mark Decouto | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Rufus Hound | Susie Dent | 119 | ||
| 7105 | 26/06/2019 | SF | Elliott Mellor | 120 – 80 | Maggie Barlow | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Richard Arnold | Susie Dent | 124 | ||
| 7107 | 28/06/2019 | GF | Elliott Mellor | 83 – 103 | Dinos Sfyris | Nick Hewer | Rachel Riley | Richard Arnold | Susie Dent | 131 | ||
| 7923 | 03/01/2023 | CP | Dinos Sfyris | 88 – 110 | Elliott Mellor | Colin Murray | Rachel Riley | Richard Osman | Susie Dent | 122 | ||
| 7931 | 13/01/2023 | CQF | Elliott Mellor | 102 – 106 | Dan Byrom | Colin Murray | Rachel Riley | Heather Small | Susie Dent | 124 | ||
