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Series 41
From Countdown

Series 41 ran from 28 June to 25 December 1999. The forty-first of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley, it was won by Scott Mearns. Richard Whiteley coined the word octochamp in this series, which had six of them — a record for all the series in the 9 round format.
This is known to be one of the best contested series in the 9 round era: an analysis provided by Eoin Jackson and published to c4countdown in 2020 suggested this was the third-best series of all time: between them, the eight finalists achieved a 79% raw score, which not only is the highest in the 9 round era, but the highest prior to the establishment of Apterous and other training aids. This is further indicated by Simon Cooper's octotal of 482 only being good enough for third seed: in almost every other series, this would have been high enough for the number one seeding position. Cooper, Lucy Roberts, and Mearns also made it into the 480 club: this being the only series where two people, let alone three, made it into that club. Sanjay Mazumder and Melvin Hetherington, with 479 and 478 points respectively, only just missed out.
In the first quarter-final, Mearns pulled out a big lead over Rory Dunlop to take a 21-point lead after round five, and therein Dunlop was able to match Mearns, before spotting TOMPIEMAN in 20 seconds to leave the winning margin of 11 points closer than the game suggested. A major shock took place in the second quarter-final when Gary "Carol's toyboy" Woodward defeated number two seed Lucy Roberts by 7 points, in a tight see-sawing match. Woodward started the stronger with EXPLOIT and AUDITED allowing him to pull out a 14-point lead at the break, before Roberts halved the deficit with ENIGMAS, before Woodward was able to win the game before the conundrum by spotting the final numbers game. Roberts was able to spot the conundrum in under three seconds, but Woodward had prevailed to knock out the number-two seed and then third-highest scoring octochamp of all time. In the third quarter-final, Simon Cooper was able to defeat Margaret Foster thanks mainly down to picking up 14 points off the numbers games to Foster's 0. Although Foster was able to beat Cooper on a letters round and take the game to a crucial conundrum, Cooper unravelled LASTMINUT in anything but the last minute to move into the semi-finals. The fourth quarter-final was a game of two halves, as starting with the nine IMPLANTED led to a half-time score of 41 – 35, with Mazumder having played a perfect first half. Hetherington, however, stole the lead immediately after the break with CHAPERONS and extending that lead with ENERGY to win the game without the need of a crucial conundrum.
This meant Mearns played Hetherington in the first semi-final. Mearns was able to take an early 7-point lead with BOATING, but therein each round was matched, and with the gap still at 7 points going into the conundrum, a major upset was potentially on the cards, but Mearns unscrambled HOTWARMER in two seconds to book his place in the Christmas Day final. In the other semi-final, between Cooper and Woodward, Woodward took an early lead with PATIO, but Cooper's nine-letter-word GELATINES suddenly gave him a 13-point lead, which he extended to 23 points following the first numbers game. The rest of the match was largely uneventful, allowing Cooper to take his place in the final.
A promising letters selection in the first round of the final prompted Mearns to risk MORTALISE ☓, thus giving Cooper an early 8-point lead in the 14-round final, but this deficit was almost instantly overturned when Mearns was able to score the first numbers game spot on. Mearns extended this lead with REMOTE in round four and spotting the first conundrum, PIESNMASH, to lead by 18 points at the halfway stage. Whilst the other four letters games were largely uneventful, Mearns took a further 7 points out of Cooper on the round 10 numbers game, and whilst Cooper mounted a late comeback with 7 points on the final numbers and spotting PARTYNITE, it was too little too late and Mearns won by 81 – 73. Both Mearns and Cooper would return for the Championship of Champions X the following week, but sadly no one from the series would return for the 30th Birthday Championship.
Contents |
Seed table
Rank | Name | Wins | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Scott Mearns | 8 | 510 |
2 | Lucy Roberts | 8 | 504 |
3 | Simon Cooper | 8 | 482 |
4 | Sanjay Mazumder | 8 | 479 |
5 | Melvin Hetherington | 8 | 478 |
6 | Margaret Foster | 8 | 448 |
7 | Gary Woodward | 6 | 418 |
8 | Rory Dunlop | 6 | 408 |
Finals progress
Scott Mearns (1) vs Rory Dunlop (8) | Scott Mearns (1) vs Melvin Hetherington (5) | Scott Mearns (1) vs Simon Cooper (3) |
Melvin Hetherington (5) vs Sanjay Mazumder (4) | ||
Simon Cooper (3) vs Margaret Foster (6) | Simon Cooper (3) vs Gary Woodward (7) | |
Gary Woodward (7) vs Lucy Roberts (2) |
Episodes
# | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Guest | Lex | Max |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2553 | 28/06/1999 | P | Bobby Johnson | 12 – 80 | Scott Mearns | Jan Harvey | Damian Eadie | 86 |
2554 | 29/06/1999 | P | Scott Mearns | 67 – 35 | Bill Rose | Jan Harvey | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2555 | 30/06/1999 | P | Scott Mearns | 76 – 39 | Sarah Houchin | Jan Harvey | Damian Eadie | 85 |
2556 | 1/07/1999 | P | Scott Mearns | 74 – 32 | Michael Forster | Jan Harvey | Damian Eadie | 78 |
2557 | 2/07/1999 | P | Scott Mearns | 55 – 43 | Gareth Mort | Jan Harvey | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2558 | 5/07/1999 | P | Scott Mearns | 63 – 14 | Tony Allen | Barry Cryer | Damian Eadie | 84 |
2559 | 6/07/1999 | P | Scott Mearns | 34 – 30 | William Brewer | Barry Cryer | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2560 | 7/07/1999 | P | Scott Mearns | 61 – 27 | Lesley Millar | Barry Cryer | Damian Eadie | 83 |
2561 | 8/07/1999 | P | Andy Conner | 40 – 50 | Kevill Davies | Barry Cryer | Damian Eadie | 71 |
2562 | 9/07/1999 | P | Kevill Davies | 20 – 59 | Kay Powick | Barry Cryer | Damian Eadie | 86 |
2563 | 12/07/1999 | P | Kay Powick | 71 – 53 | Derek Harrison | Barry Cryer | Damian Eadie | 83 |
2564 | 13/07/1999 | P | Kay Powick | 55 – 44 | Will Drever | Don Black | Susie Dent | 73 |
2565 | 14/07/1999 | P | Kay Powick | 52 – 18 | Marjorie Turner | Don Black | Susie Dent | 74 |
2566 | 15/07/1999 | P | Kay Powick | 45 – 41 | Alistair Macpherson | Don Black | Susie Dent | 80 |
2567 | 16/07/1999 | P | Kay Powick | 36 – 40 | Jack Waley-Cohen | Don Black | Susie Dent | 73 |
2568 | 19/07/1999 | P | Jack Waley-Cohen | 50 – 46 | Susan Priestley | Don Black | Susie Dent | 75 |
2569 | 20/07/1999 | P | Jack Waley-Cohen | 56 – 35 | Malcolm Roberts | Don Black | Susie Dent | 72 |
2570 | 21/07/1999 | P | Jack Waley-Cohen | 45 – 49 | Tricia Malone | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 82 |
2571 | 27/07/1999 | P | Tricia Malone | 38 – 65 | Steve Way | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 74 |
2572 | 29/07/1999 | P | Steve Way | 43 – 60 | Christopher Wade | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 74 |
2573 | 30/07/1999 | P | Christopher Wade | 42 – 34 | Jill Strangward | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 82 |
2574 | 2/08/1999 | P | Christopher Wade | 44 – 49 | Dennis Raishbrook | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 83 |
2575 | 3/08/1999 | P | Dennis Raishbrook | 61 – 46 | Caroline Andrews | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 92 |
2576 | 4/08/1999 | P | Dennis Raishbrook | 39 – 69 | Graham Bucknall | Terry Wogan | Mark Nyman | 75 |
2577 | 10/08/1999 | P | Graham Bucknall | 59 – 25 | Yasmin Wells | Terry Wogan | Mark Nyman | 76 |
2578 | 11/08/1999 | P | Graham Bucknall | 60 – 39 | Miles Hudson | Terry Wogan | Mark Nyman | 74 |
2579 | 12/08/1999 | P | Graham Bucknall | 65 – 29 | Caroline Wheatley | Terry Wogan | Mark Nyman | 73 |
2580 | 13/08/1999 | P | Graham Bucknall | 37 – 60 | Barrie Debbage | Terry Wogan | Mark Nyman | 83 |
2581 | 16/08/1999 | P | Barrie Debbage | 46* – 36 | Iain Cadogan | Terry Wogan | Mark Nyman | 73 |
2582 | 17/08/1999 | P | Barrie Debbage | 29 – 51 | Angus Walker | Siân Lloyd | Mark Nyman | 73 |
2583 | 18/08/1999 | P | Angus Walker | 36 – 59 | Rory Dunlop | Siân Lloyd | Mark Nyman | 75 |
2584 | 24/08/1999 | P | Rory Dunlop | 59 – 50 | Alix Lee | Siân Lloyd | Mark Nyman | 74 |
2585 | 25/08/1999 | P | Rory Dunlop | 57 – 33 | Corryne Robertson | Siân Lloyd | Mark Nyman | 74 |
2586 | 26/08/1999 | P | Rory Dunlop | 62 – 38 | Gillian Wild | Siân Lloyd | Mark Nyman | 84 |
2587 | 27/08/1999 | P | Rory Dunlop | 56 – 51 | Kristian Saether | Siân Lloyd | Mark Nyman | 72 |
2588 | 30/08/1999 | P | Rory Dunlop | 60 – 38 | John Fairhurst | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Mark Nyman | 75 |
2589 | 31/08/1999 | P | Rory Dunlop | 55 – 66 | Mickie O'Neill | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Mark Nyman | 73 |
2590 | 1/09/1999 | P | Mickie O'Neill | 62 – 23 | Alistair Miller | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Mark Nyman | 74 |
2591 | 2/09/1999 | P | Mickie O'Neill | 41 – 53 | Geraldine Curran | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Mark Nyman | 69 |
2592 | 3/09/1999 | P | Geraldine Curran | 51 – 39 | Hilary Lawrence | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Mark Nyman | 74 |
2593 | 6/09/1999 | P | Geraldine Curran | 54 – 35 | Denise Smith | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Mark Nyman | 73 |
2594 | 7/09/1999 | P | Geraldine Curran | 45 – 53 | Susan Eardley | Rick Wakeman | Mark Nyman | 94 |
2595 | 8/09/1999 | P | Susan Eardley | 27 – 40 | John Bolton | Rick Wakeman | Mark Nyman | 72 |
2596 | 9/09/1999 | P | John Bolton | 43 – 54 | Angela Sheffield | Rick Wakeman | Mark Nyman | 86 |
2597 | 10/09/1999 | P | Angela Sheffield | 39 – 27 | Bill Leslie | Rick Wakeman | Mark Nyman | 73 |
2598 | 13/09/1999 | P | Angela Sheffield | 49 – 51 | Steve Clark | Rick Wakeman | Mark Nyman | 75 |
2599 | 14/09/1999 | P | Steve Clark | 40 – 47 | Simon Cooper | Rick Wakeman | Mark Nyman | 69 |
2600 | 15/09/1999 | P | Simon Cooper | 51 – 28 | Lisa Eyers | Tom O'Connor | Damian Eadie | 84 |
2601 | 16/09/1999 | P | Simon Cooper | 69 – 55 | Niall Spooner-Harvey | Tom O'Connor | Damian Eadie | 85 |
2602 | 17/09/1999 | P | Simon Cooper | 72 – 14 | Raymond Ogilvie | Tom O'Connor | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2603 | 20/09/1999 | P | Simon Cooper | 65 – 43 | Ola Odutola | Tom O'Connor | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2604 | 21/09/1999 | P | Simon Cooper | 61 – 37 | Lynne Savin-Smith | Tom O'Connor | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2605 | 22/09/1999 | P | Simon Cooper | 55 – 31 | John Grisdale | Tom O'Connor | Damian Eadie | 74 |
2606 | 23/09/1999 | P | Simon Cooper | 62 – 51 | Andrew Fenton | Angela Rippon | Damian Eadie | 84 |
2607 | 24/09/1999 | P | Jean O'Neill | 47 – 54 | Christine Silverwood | Angela Rippon | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2608 | 27/09/1999 | P | Christine Silverwood | 44 – 56 | Billy Davidson | Angela Rippon | Damian Eadie | 84 |
2609 | 28/09/1999 | P | Billy Davidson | 68 – 48 | Jacqui Darby | Angela Rippon | Damian Eadie | 75 |
2610 | 29/09/1999 | P | Billy Davidson | 47 – 54 | Tony Manwani | Angela Rippon | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2611 | 30/09/1999 | P | Tony Manwani | 56 – 43 | Julie Smithies | Angela Rippon | Damian Eadie | 74 |
2612 | 1/10/1999 | P | Tony Manwani | 28 – 44 | Rob Watson | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 72 |
2613 | 4/10/1999 | P | Rob Watson | 56 – 33 | Frances Dewar | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 82 |
2614 | 5/10/1999 | P | Rob Watson | 37 – 67 | Gary Woodward | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 74 |
2615 | 6/10/1999 | P | Gary Woodward | 60 – 44 | Debbie Jones | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 72 |
2616 | 7/10/1999 | P | Gary Woodward | 60 – 22 | Brian Scobie | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 74 |
2617 | 8/10/1999 | P | Gary Woodward | 67 – 34 | Patricia Corrigan | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 83 |
2618 | 11/10/1999 | P | Gary Woodward | 65 – 47 | Jonathan Mearns | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 73 |
2619 | 12/10/1999 | P | Gary Woodward | 48 – 42 | John Lawes | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 73 |
2620 | 13/10/1999 | P | Gary Woodward | 51 – 55 | Edward Mundell | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 71 |
2621 | 14/10/1999 | P | Edward Mundell | 42 – 54 | Alix Anderson | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 70 |
2622 | 15/10/1999 | P | Alix Anderson | 56 – 46 | Mick Hoare | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 74 |
2623 | 18/10/1999 | P | Alix Anderson | 52 – 59 | Dee Voce | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 73 |
2624 | 19/10/1999 | P | Dee Voce | 60 – 39 | Chris Phipps | Toyah Willcox | Mark Nyman | 84 |
2625 | 20/10/1999 | P | Dee Voce | 59 – 20 | Lewis Mackay | Toyah Willcox | Mark Nyman | 71 |
2626 | 21/10/1999 | P | Dee Voce | 58 – 35 | Duncan Bloomfield | Toyah Willcox | Mark Nyman | 81 |
2627 | 22/10/1999 | P | Dee Voce | 62 – 34 | Liz Ireland | Toyah Willcox | Mark Nyman | 75 |
2628 | 25/10/1999 | P | Dee Voce | 58 – 62 | Sanjay Mazumder | Toyah Willcox | Mark Nyman | 72 |
2629 | 26/10/1999 | P | Sanjay Mazumder | 58 – 40 | Jennie Booth | Toyah Willcox | Mark Nyman | 85 |
2630 | 27/10/1999 | P | Sanjay Mazumder | 65 – 25 | Mark Murray | Marc Freden | Mark Nyman | 73 |
2631 | 28/10/1999 | P | Sanjay Mazumder | 67 – 35 | John Blaker | Marc Freden | Mark Nyman | 84 |
2632 | 29/10/1999 | P | Sanjay Mazumder | 62 – 40 | Lesley Sutton | Marc Freden | Mark Nyman | 75 |
2633 | 1/11/1999 | P | Sanjay Mazumder | 56 – 28 | Ian Scott | Marc Freden | Mark Nyman | 72 |
2634 | 2/11/1999 | P | Sanjay Mazumder | 49 – 24 | Andrea Bates | Marc Freden | Mark Nyman | 67 |
2635 | 3/11/1999 | P | Sanjay Mazumder | 60 – 42 | Alan Hill | Marc Freden | Mark Nyman | 83 |
2636 | 4/11/1999 | P | Anthony Moorhouse | 53 – 52 | Olive Martin | Lionel Blair | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2637 | 5/11/1999 | P | Anthony Moorhouse | 51 – 55 | Lucy Roberts | Lionel Blair | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2638 | 8/11/1999 | P | Lucy Roberts | 66 – 23 | Michael West | Lionel Blair | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2639 | 9/11/1999 | P | Lucy Roberts | 69 – 43 | Barry Soden | Lionel Blair | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2640 | 10/11/1999 | P | Lucy Roberts | 67 – 24 | Alison Mooney | Lionel Blair | Damian Eadie | 75 |
2641 | 11/11/1999 | P | Lucy Roberts | 82 – 46 | Derek Taylor | Alastair Stewart | Damian Eadie | 88 |
2642 | 12/11/1999 | P | Lucy Roberts | 55 – 35 | Stanley Melrose | Alastair Stewart | Damian Eadie | 75 |
2643 | 15/11/1999 | P | Lucy Roberts | 49 – 35 | Andrew Playle | Alastair Stewart | Damian Eadie | 71 |
2644 | 16/11/1999 | P | Lucy Roberts | 61 – 44 | Elizabeth Evans | Alastair Stewart | Damian Eadie | 71 |
2645 | 17/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 47 – 37 | Jeremy Barton | Alastair Stewart | Damian Eadie | 74 |
2646 | 18/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 62 – 20 | Harry Driver | Alastair Stewart | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2647 | 19/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 69 – 31 | Steven Shepherd | Vijay Amritraj | Susie Dent | 85 |
2648 | 22/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 50 – 46 | Jackie Stevenson | Vijay Amritraj | Susie Dent | 72 |
2649 | 23/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 58 – 27 | Bill Malloy | Vijay Amritraj | Susie Dent | 74 |
2650 | 24/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 57 – 38 | Joan Tranter | Vijay Amritraj | Susie Dent | 72 |
2651 | 25/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 60 – 43 | Sheila Bailey | Vijay Amritraj | Susie Dent | 74 |
2652 | 26/11/1999 | P | Margaret Foster | 45 – 44 | Neil Bird | Vijay Amritraj | Susie Dent | 72 |
2653 | 29/11/1999 | P | Mandy Brazier | 50 – 56 | Perry Poole | Jo Brand | Damian Eadie | 74 |
2654 | 30/11/1999 | P | Perry Poole | 48 – 69 | Melvin Hetherington | Jo Brand | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2655 | 1/12/1999 | P | Melvin Hetherington | 61 – 31 | William Cussen | Jo Brand | Damian Eadie | 82 |
2656 | 2/12/1999 | P | Melvin Hetherington | 58 – 36 | Steve Dannell | Jo Brand | Damian Eadie | 83 |
2657 | 3/12/1999 | P | Melvin Hetherington | 45 – 34 | Richard Egerton | Jo Brand | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2658 | 6/12/1999 | P | Melvin Hetherington | 62 – 40 | Derek Willan | Jo Brand | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2659 | 7/12/1999 | P | Melvin Hetherington | 64 – 47 | Deborah Weddell | Keith Barron | Damian Eadie | 77 |
2660 | 8/12/1999 | P | Melvin Hetherington | 61 – 37 | Arthur Cote | Keith Barron | Damian Eadie | 84 |
2661 | 9/12/1999 | P | Melvin Hetherington | 58 – 48 | Carole Dunlop | Keith Barron | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2662 | 10/12/1999 | P | Peter Goodwin | 43 – 52 | Muslim Salamat | Keith Barron | Damian Eadie | 83 |
2663 | 13/12/1999 | P | Muslim Salamat | 37 – 39 | Lorraine Behrens | Keith Barron | Damian Eadie | 83 |
2664 | 14/12/1999 | P | Lorraine Behrens | 31 – 38 | Duncan Kay | Carol Barnes | Damian Eadie | 72 |
2665 | 15/12/1999 | P | Duncan Kay | 31 – 57 | Howard Parker | Carol Barnes | Damian Eadie | 71 |
2666 | 16/12/1999 | P | Howard Parker | 30 – 42 | Helen Wrigglesworth | Carol Barnes | Damian Eadie | 83 |
2667 | 17/12/1999 | QF | Scott Mearns | 59 – 48 | Rory Dunlop | Carol Barnes | Damian Eadie | 73 |
2668 | 20/12/1999 | QF | Lucy Roberts | 46 – 53 | Gary Woodward | Carol Barnes | Damian Eadie | 74 |
2669 | 21/12/1999 | QF | Simon Cooper | 57 – 40 | Margaret Foster | Carol Barnes | Damian Eadie | 83 |
2670 | 22/12/1999 | QF | Sanjay Mazumder | 58 – 69 | Melvin Hetherington | Rick Wakeman | Catherine Clarke | 94 |
2671 | 23/12/1999 | SF | Scott Mearns | 68 – 51 | Melvin Hetherington | Rick Wakeman | Catherine Clarke | 72 |
2672 | 24/12/1999 | SF | Gary Woodward | 41 – 64 | Simon Cooper | Rick Wakeman | Catherine Clarke | 84 |
2673 | 25/12/1999 | GF | Scott Mearns | 81 – 73 | Simon Cooper | Rick Wakeman | Catherine Clarke | 116 |