Richard Priest

Richard Priest competing at CoNot 2008.

Richard Priest was the runner-up of Series 58 and a participant in Championship of Champions XIII.

Priest won his first game on 24 March 2008 with a century against Tony Durrant. Priest followed this with five more wins, including a run of three centuries on the trot, before losing his seventh game to Nigel Davies. However, Priest's 6 wins and 697 points were enough to secure a place in the finals as No. 6 seed.

Priest took on No. 3-ranked Tim Reypert in the third quarter-final. Priest came out the winner with ease, winning by 37 points. In the semi-final, Priest beat Peter Davies 100 – 70 in a game that was notable because Carol allowed 6 − 3 = 2 in the final numbers game. In the grand final, Priest had to take on the No. 1 prospect David O'Donnell, and went 13 – 0 down after two rounds, and never recovered. He did beat the No. 1 seed with MIRADOR but it wasn't enough to win the game, ultimately losing by 30 points.

Priest returned for the Championship of Champions XIII, but lost to Kai Laddiman on a crucial conundrum in the first round. Priest buzzed in with CAFETERIA which was wrong, only to realise a few seconds later that the answer was CAFETIERE. However it was too late, and he lost by 8 points.

Priest's own record of his experience on the show can be read on The Countdown Page here.

Priest continues to play Countdown, and compete in unofficial tournaments, including CoNot 2008, CoLei 2008, COLIN 2009, CoNot 2009, CoLei2, COLIN 2010, Co:Lon 2010, CoLei3, COLIN 2011, CoLei4, CoNot 2011, Co:Lon 2011, CoChest, COLIN 2012, CoLei5, COHUD and CoChest2. In 2010, he won the CoLei Summer Special.

In November 2012 Priest, along with Nita Marr and Mike Brown, co-organised COEDI, the first Countdown in Edinburgh tournament, and he also participated in it.

Priest appeared on The Weakest Link on 28 April 2010, coming second. He then appeared on The Chase on 18 February 2011, making it to the final chase, but the money evaded him. He then appeared on Eggheads with fellow Countdown fan James Robinson on 1 November 2022 and professional darts players Glen Durrant and Keegan Brown

Priest returned to the Countdown community on 11 March 2021, participating in Series 3 of ZoomDown.

Preceded by Jeffrey Hansford

Series runner-up Series 58

Followed by Charlie Reams

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
4563	24/03/2008	P	Tony Durrant	87 – 110	Richard Priest	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	131
4564	25/03/2008	P	Richard Priest	91 – 75	Gill Ford	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	130
4565	26/03/2008	P	Richard Priest	109 – 59	Angus McGregor	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	135
4566	27/03/2008	P	Richard Priest	105 – 60	Sandra Gray	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	118
4567	28/03/2008	P	Richard Priest	101 – 25	Matt Wate	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	123
4568	31/03/2008	P	Richard Priest	98 – 20	Richard Wilson	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lynda Baron	Susie Dent	120
4569	1/04/2008	P	Richard Priest	83 – 85	Nigel Davies	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Lynda Baron	Susie Dent	120
4623	16/06/2008	QF	Tim Reypert	53 – 90	Richard Priest	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dr Phil Hammond	Susie Dent	116
4626	19/06/2008	SF	Richard Priest	100 – 70	Peter Davies	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dr Phil Hammond	Susie Dent	124
4627	20/06/2008	GF	David O'Donnell	91 – 61	Richard Priest	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Dr Phil Hammond	Susie Dent	118
4736	15/01/2009	CP	Kai Laddiman	93 – 85	Richard Priest	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley				Lucy Summers	Andrew Sachs	Susie Dent	117