Liz Barber

Liz Barber

Liz Barber in uniform.

Liz Barber was the Series 20 champion, and a participant in Championship of Champions V and the Supreme Championship.

She made her debut in the first show of Series 20. She won her first four games before losing to Andrea Parker 43 – 30, but these four wins were enough to earn her a spot in the final rounds as #7 seed. She beat Billy Ward and Fiona Willis on her way to a grand final showdown with #1 seed, octochamp Derek Coombs. With the score 67 – 66 in Barber's favour going into the crucial conundrum, it looked to have slipped away from her when Coombs buzzed in on 18 seconds. However, his guess was incorrect, and when Barber's guess on 26 seconds also proved incorrect, the final score was confirmed at 67 – 66, and Barber became the twentieth champion of Countdown, and only the third woman to do so. At the time of her victory, Barber was 60 years old, also making her the oldest Countdown series champion to date.

Barber returned at the end of 1990 for Championship of Champions V, but was beaten by Tim Morrissey in the first round.

Barber also returned in 1996 for the Supreme Championship, but was again defeated in the first round, this time by Series 27's Richard Campbell. She took the lead briefly after spotting MASTERY, but Campbell beat her in the next letters game to even up the score. However, Barber messed up her solution in the final numbers game and Campbell unravelled SILVERCUE, leaving him to beat her 59 – 37.

Barber's Countdown adventure was not over, however, as she returned one last time in 2003 for the Ladies' Championship. She lost to Hilary Hopper 45 – 35.

Barber's great nephew, Lewis Mackay later appeared in Series 41 in 1999. Both are competitive Scrabble players, though Mackay plays at a significantly higher level.

Preceded by Michael Wareham

Series winner Series 20

Followed by Barry Grossman

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
1004	3/07/1990	P	Liz Barber	58 – 33	David Morris	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	73
1005	4/07/1990	P	Liz Barber	54 – 29	Bill Giles	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	74
1006	5/07/1990	P	Liz Barber	46 – 32	Sue Goodworth	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	70
1007	6/07/1990	P	Liz Barber	33 – 23	Anne Duncan	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	73
1008	9/07/1990	P	Liz Barber	30 – 43	Andrea Parker	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson	73
1062	21/09/1990	QF	Billy Ward	28 – 61	Liz Barber	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Simon Mason	83
1066	27/09/1990	SF	Fiona Willis	37 – 50	Liz Barber	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Tim Rice	Simon Mason	70
1067	28/09/1990	GF	Derek Coombs	66 – 67	Liz Barber	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Tim Rice, Gyles Brandreth	Simon Mason	124
1068	31/12/1990	CQF	Tim Morrissey	55 – 54	Liz Barber	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	69
M93	7/01/1991-11/01/1991	M	Robert Violett	71 – 70	Liz Barber	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					none	Freda Thornton	134
1882	15/11/1996	eQF	Liz Barber	37 – 59	Richard Campbell	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Barry Cryer	Susie Dent	76
3436	11/03/2003	LSF	Hilary Hopper	45 – 35	Liz Barber	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Rick Wakeman	Alison Heard	85