Episode Cats171

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Episode Cats171, billed as 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 28, Episode 4 in the UK and Series 17, Episode 2 in international markets, was a special episode broadcast on 15 August 2025, as part of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 28.

The team captains were Roisin Conaty and Joe Wilkinson, their teammates were Phil Wang and Lou Sanders respectively, while Jimmy Carr reprised his role as the presenter.

The match saw Joe Wilkinson, with the assistance of Lou Sanders, winning by 40 – 39 in a 7-rounder thanks to the conundrum being worth 25 points, and they won a Countdown dartboard.

Rachel Riley was, as ever, the arithmetician. The Dictionary Corner guest was David O'Doherty, and the lexicographer was Susie Dent.

Just before Round 5, Phil and Lou took part in a spelling bee. If they got so much as even a single letter wrong, Roisin and Joe respectively would be jolted with an electric shock via pads attached to them. Phil was asked to spell FLOWER, COCCYX and CHLAMYDIA while Lou was asked to spell THEIR, PERINEUM and PHLEGM. The score was tied at 1 – 1, hence a tiebreaker was required where OESOPHAGUS was to be spelt out one letter at a time starting with Lou until someone made a mistake (which she did by saying O instead of A as the seventh letter). Therefore, Phil's team won the game and were awarded five bonus points.

Interesting and notable moments from the episode are listed below:

1) During the Introduction, the celebrities all gave a standing ovation after Susie mentioned the German word Backpfeifengesicht to describe Jimmy having a face worthy of a slap.

2) In Round 3, Joe's selection was CVCVCCVVV (where C is a consonant and V is a vowel), but Rachel ended up giving CVCVCCVCC instead. Later on, Jimmy made and "baked" a croissant using a cookbook, with various huge bread shapes presented to all the celebrities (except for Lou and Rachel who ended up with a miniature croissant and a broccoli with a picture of a croissant respectively as they were vegan) and with some portions of the bread being transferred via the Countdown mugs across the studio table.

3) In Round 4, Phil did not show Lou that he had the same solution as her.

4) In Round 6, the clock music was replaced with a string rendition of it with Susie, Rachel and Jimmy on the Cello, Viola and Violin respectively. Halfway through the time, Fabio, the show's permanent male host, marched in strumming a guitar, used his mouth to play a harmonica and carried drums, cymbals and wind chimes behind his back. The arrangement then ended with Fabio blowing into a duck whistle.

NOTE 1: In this version, both players' declarations were allowed, although points were only awarded for the best answer.

NOTE 2: The solution in Round 2 was provided by David.

NOTE 3: During the conundrum, despite Roisin having buzzed in first the second time round, Lou gave the correct answer almost immediately after it sounded. This caused a fight for the buzzer to break out in which both of them furiously pressed it non-stop, forcing Jimmy to adjudicate and intervene. Only Lou's team timing is reflected for the second instance on the basis of her winning.

Rounds

Rnd	Selection	Phil & Roisin	Score	Joe & Lou	Others	Max.
1	WHASOMUTL	MOUTHS SHOT/LAST	6 – 0	WHAMS HAULS	MAHOUTS*, OUTLAWS, OUTWASH*, WASHOUT	7
2	100 5 10 6 4 1 → 283	284 1000 (4 − 1) × 100 − (10 + 6)	13 – 0	284 ☓ —	RR: 283 = (100 − (10 − 6)) × (4 − 1) − 5	17
TTT	SOFTPHIL	Keep your hands where I can see them.			SHOPLIFT
Rnd	Selection	Roisin Conaty	Score	Joe Wilkinson	Others	Max.
3	NERIFGERL	fingerer ☓	13 – 0	fingerer ☓	FLEERING*, LINGERER	25
Rnd	Selection	Phil Wang	Score	Lou Sanders	Others	Max.
4	25 75 2 3 8 4 → 336	336 75 × 4 + 25 + 8 + 3*	23 – 10	336 75 × 4 + 25 + 8 + 3		35
TTT	ALOTITTY	It's everything to me.			TOTALITY
Rnd	Selection	Phil & Roisin	Score	Joe & Lou	Others	Max.
5	KAONAUSLT	KOALAS anusslak ☓	34 – 10	SAT STALK	SALAKOT*, SULTANA*, TALUKAS	47
TTT	NERDTUSH	I hear it rumbling.			THUNDERS
6	CLOMTDECI	declot ☓ MODEL	39 – 15	LIMED MEDIC/MOTEL	COMEDIC, DEMOTIC*, MELODIC	54
7	LIKESWANG	swansong ☓ (8.5 seconds)	39 – 40	WEAKLINGS (22.25 seconds)		79