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Series 47
From Countdown
Series 47 ran from 26 December 2001 to 28 June 2002, reverting back to the 6-month calendar span used since Series 38. The forty-seventh of 53 series presented by Richard Whiteley, it was the second series to use the 15 round format and was won by Chris Wills.
Series 47 was the first series in which eight contestants became octochamps. This record would be held for 15 years until Series 77 in 2017; however, Series 47 remains the only series in which all eight contestants entered the finals unbeaten, because in all series that have had eight or more octochamps since then, at least one of them has been a returnee who was defeated in a previous appearance.
The series also contained three seven-time winners who therefore did not appear in the series finals: David Franks, Peter Coutts, and Julia Wilkinson. Almost three-quarters of Series 47 preliminaries involved either an octochamp or a seven-time winner. Wilkinson won her seventh heat game on the day immediately prior to the first quarter-final, and therefore chose to continue her run in Series 48, where she qualified for the series finals as #5 seed.
Wills played Jolley in the first quarter-final of Series 47, and whilst both scored 30 out of 30 on the numbers rounds Wills beat Jolley in two letters rounds and unravelled the conundrum CELERYFIT to win 110 – 86. In the second quarter-final between Pullin and Hargreaves, the lead changed hands three times before Hargreaves won on a crucial conundrum. Two further crucial conundrums enabled Thurlow to defeat Hartley, and Stokoe to win against Roe. Stokoe returned the following day to play Wills in the first semi-final, but he lost three consecutive letters rounds to go 22 points behind by round 7, with Wills winning comfortably by 118 points to 78. In the second semi-final, Hargraves dropped just three points across the first 14 rounds, and dispatched Thurlow despite failing to solve the conundrum OUTERSUNS. In the series final, Hargraves had roadsail ☓ disallowed in round 4 and by the second commercial break he had fallen 25 points behind. Both players missed the nine-letter word VIDEOTAPE in round 11, effectively ending Hargreaves chances as Wills ran out the ENDVICTOR by 110 – 67.
In March 2002, approximately halfway through Series 47, there was a three day break from the main competition to make way for the Junior Championship. This three day mini-tournament featured four contestants who were aged between 8-12 years old upon their original appearance. The four contestants were Perry Fung from Series 40, Amey Deshpande and Andrew Hulme from Series 42, and Bruce Lambert from Series 43. Hulme beat Fung in the final by 53 points to 41 after a crucial conundrum. He returned to Countdown as an adult, becoming the runner-up of Series 61 and participating in the 30th Birthday Championship.
Seed table
Rank | Name | Wins | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Chris Wills | 8 | 875 |
2 | Tom Hargreaves | 8 | 850 |
3 | Lee Hartley | 8 | 811 |
4 | Wendy Roe | 8 | 781 |
5 | Rupert Stokoe | 8 | 776 |
6 | Kevin Thurlow | 8 | 769 |
7 | Mike Pullin | 8 | 756 |
8 | Brenda Jolley | 8 | 718 |
Finals progress
Chris Wills (1) vs Brenda Jolley (8) | Chris Wills (1) vs Rupert Stokoe (5) | Chris Wills (1) vs Tom Hargreaves (2) |
Rupert Stokoe (5) vs Wendy Roe (4) | ||
Lee Hartley (3) vs Kevin Thurlow (6) | Kevin Thurlow (6) vs Tom Hargreaves (2) | |
Mike Pullin (7) vs Tom Hargreaves (2) |
Episodes
# | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Guest | Lex | Max |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3153 | 26/12/2001 | P | Terance Carey | 67 – 110 | Tom Hargreaves | Geoffrey Durham | Clare Pemberton | 132 |
3154 | 27/12/2001 | P | Tom Hargreaves | 111 – 73 | Terry McHugh | Geoffrey Durham | Clare Pemberton | 123 |
3155 | 28/12/2001 | P | Tom Hargreaves | 110 – 64 | Alan Wright | Geoffrey Durham | Clare Pemberton | 120 |
3156 | 31/12/2001 | P | Tom Hargreaves | 106 – 83 | Lindy Moffat | Joan Bakewell | Richard Samson | 134 |
3157 | 1/01/2002 | P | Tom Hargreaves | 103 – 92 | Elfie Winterton | Joan Bakewell | Richard Samson | 121 |
3158 | 2/01/2002 | P | Tom Hargreaves | 101 – 44 | Terry Thomas | Joan Bakewell | Richard Samson | 123 |
3159 | 3/01/2002 | P | Tom Hargreaves | 111 – 82 | Carol Merchant | Joan Bakewell | Richard Samson | 142 |
3160 | 4/01/2002 | P | Tom Hargreaves | 98 – 50 | Janet Bernstein | Joan Bakewell | Richard Samson | 120 |
3161 | 7/01/2002 | P | Daniel Leonard | 46 – 101 | Shubeer Chaudhuri | Don Black | Richard Samson | 120 |
3162 | 8/01/2002 | P | Shubeer Chaudhuri | 57 – 81 | Hazel Khan | Don Black | Richard Samson | 129 |
3163 | 9/01/2002 | P | Hazel Khan | 69 – 88 | Jeremy Slaney | Don Black | Richard Samson | 123 |
3164 | 10/01/2002 | P | Jeremy Slaney | 74 – 43 | Pat Collins | Don Black | Richard Samson | 123 |
3165 | 11/01/2002 | P | Jeremy Slaney | 81 – 77 | Tracey Mills | Don Black | Richard Samson | 137 |
3166 | 14/01/2002 | P | Jeremy Slaney | 66 – 107 | Chris Wills | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 153 |
3167 | 15/01/2002 | P | Chris Wills | 118 – 44 | Floraidh Campbell | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 127 |
3168 | 16/01/2002 | P | Chris Wills | 103 – 68 | Jeff Baines | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 123 |
3169 | 17/01/2002 | P | Chris Wills | 129 – 77 | April Carlin | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 131 |
3170 | 18/01/2002 | P | Chris Wills | 103 – 47 | David Shaw | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 120 |
3171 | 21/01/2002 | P | Chris Wills | 120 – 107 | Terry Rattle | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 152 |
3172 | 22/01/2002 | P | Chris Wills | 103 – 48 | Len Barker | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 139 |
3173 | 23/01/2002 | P | Chris Wills | 92 – 52 | Agnes Budis | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 140 |
3174 | 24/01/2002 | P | Geoffrey Lawrance | 90 – 75 | Scott Hunter | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 123 |
3175 | 25/01/2002 | P | Geoffrey Lawrance | 53 – 91 | Deanne Meeres | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 129 |
3176 | 28/01/2002 | P | Deanne Meeres | 72 – 123 | Kevin Thurlow | Tom O'Connor | Phiona Stanley | 130 |
3177 | 29/01/2002 | P | Kevin Thurlow | 100 – 60 | Shelagh Addis | Tom O'Connor | Phiona Stanley | 132 |
3178 | 30/01/2002 | P | Kevin Thurlow | 113 – 64 | Norman Schofield | Tom O'Connor | Phiona Stanley | 122 |
3179 | 31/01/2002 | P | Kevin Thurlow | 75 – 57 | Sheila Riley | Tom O'Connor | Phiona Stanley | 119 |
3180 | 1/02/2002 | P | Kevin Thurlow | 78 – 68 | Philip Jarvis | Tom O'Connor | Phiona Stanley | 117 |
3181 | 4/02/2002 | P | Kevin Thurlow | 108 – 93 | Peter Lee | Barry Cryer | Richard Samson | 122 |
3182 | 5/02/2002 | P | Kevin Thurlow | 72 – 51 | Jean Smith | Barry Cryer | Richard Samson | 130 |
3183 | 6/02/2002 | P | Kevin Thurlow | 100 – 67 | Tony Painter | Barry Cryer | Richard Samson | 120 |
3184 | 7/02/2002 | P | Maureen Taylor | 30 – 90 | David Franks | Barry Cryer | Richard Samson | 131 |
3185 | 8/02/2002 | P | David Franks | 102 – 70 | Zena Gooding | Barry Cryer | Richard Samson | 128 |
3186 | 11/02/2002 | P | David Franks | 90 – 38 | Virginia Fraser | Roger McGough | Richard Samson | 150 |
3187 | 12/02/2002 | P | David Franks | 95 – 56 | Jeremy Kimber | Roger McGough | Richard Samson | 120 |
3188 | 13/02/2002 | P | David Franks | 108 – 73 | Tony McManus | Roger McGough | Richard Samson | 118 |
3189 | 14/02/2002 | P | David Franks | 99 – 74 | Jillian Shorthose | Roger McGough | Richard Samson | 120 |
3190 | 15/02/2002 | P | David Franks | 91 – 25 | Julie Cotton | Roger McGough | Richard Samson | 119 |
3191 | 18/02/2002 | P | David Franks | 69 – 117 | Lee Hartley | Melvyn Hayes | Kay Celtel | 122 |
3192 | 19/02/2002 | P | Lee Hartley | 72 – 42 | Beryl Ridehalgh | Melvyn Hayes | Kay Celtel | 118 |
3193 | 20/02/2002 | P | Lee Hartley | 114 – 68 | Liz Roper | Melvyn Hayes | Kay Celtel | 129 |
3194 | 21/02/2002 | P | Lee Hartley | 117 – 54 | Peter Dimond | Melvyn Hayes | Kay Celtel | 121 |
3195 | 22/02/2002 | P | Lee Hartley | 93 – 46 | Andy Cooper | Melvyn Hayes | Kay Celtel | 120 |
3196 | 25/02/2002 | P | Lee Hartley | 93 – 50 | Jane Williams | Jan Harvey | Susie Dent | 117 |
3197 | 26/02/2002 | P | Lee Hartley | 100 – 41 | Philip Whitehead | Jan Harvey | Susie Dent | 123 |
3198 | 27/02/2002 | P | Lee Hartley | 105 – 42 | Bob Sainsbury | Jan Harvey | Susie Dent | 129 |
3199 | 28/02/2002 | P | Terry Matthewman | 81 – 57 | Wendy Barker | Jan Harvey | Susie Dent | 122 |
3200 | 1/03/2002 | P | Terry Matthewman | 78 – 85 | Brenda Jolley | Jan Harvey | Susie Dent | 120 |
3201 | 4/03/2002 | P | Brenda Jolley | 95 – 47 | Janet Arnold | Raj Persaud | Phiona Stanley | 128 |
3202 | 5/03/2002 | P | Brenda Jolley | 99 – 80 | Gillian Clements | Raj Persaud | Phiona Stanley | 142 |
3203 | 6/03/2002 | P | Brenda Jolley | 101 – 64 | Michael Clewett | Raj Persaud | Phiona Stanley | 117 |
3204 | 7/03/2002 | P | Brenda Jolley | 89 – 56 | Barbara Harris | Raj Persaud | Phiona Stanley | 131 |
3205 | 8/03/2002 | P | Brenda Jolley | 77 – 45 | Robbie Robertson | Raj Persaud | Phiona Stanley | 139 |
3206 | 11/03/2002 | P | Brenda Jolley | 85 – 69 | Peter Brinkley | Andi Peters | Phiona Stanley | 131 |
12–14 March 2002: Junior Championship | ||||||||
3210 | 15/03/2002 | P | Brenda Jolley | 87 – 69 | Geoff Baker | Andi Peters | Phiona Stanley | 133 |
3211 | 18/03/2002 | P | Stuart Robertshaw | 64 – 90 | Tony Harding | Patrick Mower | Susie Dent | 119 |
3212 | 19/03/2002 | P | Tony Harding | 87 – 83 | Paul Burlinson | Patrick Mower | Susie Dent | 129 |
3213 | 20/03/2002 | P | Tony Harding | 80 – 79 | Gordon Innes | Patrick Mower | Susie Dent | 123 |
3214 | 21/03/2002 | P | Tony Harding | 86 – 53 | Hazel Mell | Patrick Mower | Susie Dent | 121 |
3215 | 22/03/2002 | P | Tony Harding | 92 – 63 | Beryl Tuck | Patrick Mower | Susie Dent | 143 |
3216 | 25/03/2002 | P | Tony Harding | 93 – 117 | Rupert Stokoe | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 133 |
3217 | 26/03/2002 | P | Rupert Stokoe | 105 – 48 | Dennis Brown | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 123 |
3218 | 27/03/2002 | P | Rupert Stokoe | 94 – 69 | Margaret Sambrooks | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 129 |
3219 | 28/03/2002 | P | Rupert Stokoe | 82 – 60 | Alex Rossiter | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 114 |
3220 | 29/03/2002 | P | Rupert Stokoe | 93 – 80 | Rebecca Pine | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 125 |
3221 | 1/04/2002 | P | Rupert Stokoe | 86 – 47 | Judi Boutle | Keith Barron | Tania Styles | 119 |
3222 | 2/04/2002 | P | Rupert Stokoe | 97 – 80 | Joe Radcliffe | Keith Barron | Tania Styles | 131 |
3223 | 3/04/2002 | P | Rupert Stokoe | 102 – 88 | Julian Lyons | Keith Barron | Tania Styles | 143 |
3224 | 4/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 74 – 61 | Erica Hamer | Keith Barron | Tania Styles | 120 |
3225 | 5/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 82 – 79 | Andrew Alden | Keith Barron | Tania Styles | 121 |
3226 | 8/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 102 – 37 | Lee Fisher | Simon Hoggart | Richard Samson | 130 |
3227 | 9/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 68 – 55 | Karen Meredith | Simon Hoggart | Richard Samson | 122 |
3228 | 10/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 81 – 67 | Chris Young | Simon Hoggart | Richard Samson | 118 |
3229 | 11/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 94 – 55 | Liz Johnson | Simon Hoggart | Richard Samson | 121 |
3230 | 12/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 85 – 76 | Billy Whitehead | Simon Hoggart | Richard Samson | 141 |
3231 | 15/04/2002 | P | Peter Coutts | 76 – 78 | David Stainer | Lionel Blair | Richard Samson | 131 |
3232 | 16/04/2002 | P | David Stainer | 100 – 73 | Leslie Ellison | Lionel Blair | Richard Samson | 130 |
3233 | 17/04/2002 | P | David Stainer | 102 – 35 | Margaret Shephard | Lionel Blair | Richard Samson | 127 |
3234 | 18/04/2002 | P | David Stainer | 100 – 39 | Sheila Mackay | Lionel Blair | Damian Eadie | 117 |
3235 | 19/04/2002 | P | David Stainer | 80 – 96 | Cyril Cohen | Lionel Blair | Damian Eadie | 117 |
3236 | 22/04/2002 | P | Cyril Cohen | 66 – 74 | Jim Page | Esther Rantzen | Phiona Stanley | 131 |
3237 | 23/04/2002 | P | Jim Page | 42 – 123 | Wendy Roe | Esther Rantzen | Phiona Stanley | 128 |
3238 | 24/04/2002 | P | Wendy Roe | 79 – 72 | Nick Morley | Esther Rantzen | Phiona Stanley | 121 |
3239 | 25/04/2002 | P | Wendy Roe | 96 – 56 | Alastair Smith | Esther Rantzen | Phiona Stanley | 126 |
3240 | 26/04/2002 | P | Wendy Roe | 93 – 67 | Gill Lyons | Esther Rantzen | Phiona Stanley | 143 |
3241 | 29/04/2002 | P | Wendy Roe | 103 – 68 | John Povey | Alastair Stewart | Tania Styles | 130 |
3242 | 30/04/2002 | P | Wendy Roe | 98 – 54 | Julie Bennett | Alastair Stewart | Tania Styles | 118 |
3243 | 1/05/2002 | P | Wendy Roe | 92 – 66 | Gerard Askins | Alastair Stewart | Tania Styles | 114 |
3244 | 2/05/2002 | P | Wendy Roe | 97 – 68 | Audrey Rumney | Alastair Stewart | Tania Styles | 131 |
3245 | 3/05/2002 | P | John Daly | 75 – 80 | Damian Cook | Alastair Stewart | Tania Styles | 118 |
3246 | 6/05/2002 | P | Damian Cook | 71 – 103 | Alistair Baker | Anna Raeburn | Tania Styles | 129 |
3247 | 7/05/2002 | P | Alistair Baker | 68 – 51 | Becca Dobson | Anna Raeburn | Tania Styles | 121 |
3248 | 8/05/2002 | P | Alistair Baker | 71 – 97 | Tony Lawford | Anna Raeburn | Tania Styles | 129 |
3249 | 9/05/2002 | P | Tony Lawford | 69 – 66 | Trevor Douglas | Anna Raeburn | Tania Styles | 120 |
3250 | 10/05/2002 | P | Tony Lawford | 76 – 98 | Mike Pullin | Anna Raeburn | Tania Styles | 131 |
3251 | 13/05/2002 | P | Mike Pullin | 92 – 49 | Peter Slack | Tim Brooke-Taylor | Phiona Stanley | 129 |
3252 | 14/05/2002 | P | Mike Pullin | 95 – 74 | Tudor Radcliffe | Tim Brooke-Taylor | Phiona Stanley | 135 |
3253 | 15/05/2002 | P | Mike Pullin | 88 – 41 | Christina Walmsley | Tim Brooke-Taylor | Phiona Stanley | 118 |
3254 | 21/05/2002 | P | Mike Pullin | 76 – 54 | Eric Grace | Tim Brooke-Taylor | Phiona Stanley | 118 |
3255 | 22/05/2002 | P | Mike Pullin | 89 – 53 | Alan Sowter | Tim Brooke-Taylor | Phiona Stanley | 142 |
3256 | 23/05/2002 | P | Mike Pullin | 114 – 61 | Gary Eaglestone | Barry Norman | Kay Celtel | 132 |
3257 | 24/05/2002 | P | Mike Pullin | 104 – 58 | Andrew Griffiths | Barry Norman | Kay Celtel | 133 |
3258 | 27/05/2002 | P | Susan Moore | 59 – 86 | Alan Swift | Barry Norman | Kay Celtel | 126 |
3259 | 28/05/2002 | P | Alan Swift | 110 – 34 | Mary Duffy | Barry Norman | Kay Celtel | 130 |
3260 | 29/05/2002 | P | Alan Swift | 80 – 94 | Alan Galt | Barry Norman | Kay Celtel | 123 |
3261 | 30/05/2002 | P | Alan Galt | 93 – 88 | Barry Kibble | Martin Jarvis | Damian Eadie | 124 |
3262 | 31/05/2002 | P | Alan Galt | 85 – 67 | Jane Kempton | Martin Jarvis | Damian Eadie | 121 |
3263 | 3/06/2002 | P | Alan Galt | 35 – 103 | John Mitchell | Martin Jarvis | Damian Eadie | 119 |
3264 | 4/06/2002 | P | John Mitchell | 92 – 39 | Tryphena Barnes | Martin Jarvis | Damian Eadie | 121 |
3265 | 5/06/2002 | P | John Mitchell | 92 – 83 | Steve Gamble | Martin Jarvis | Damian Eadie | 111 |
3266 | 6/06/2002 | P | John Mitchell | 82 – 90 | Julia Wilkinson | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 141 |
3267 | 7/06/2002 | P | Julia Wilkinson | 91 – 72 | David Coombs | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 118 |
3268 | 10/06/2002 | P | Julia Wilkinson | 96 – 86 | Alan Cooper | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 129 |
3269 | 11/06/2002 | P | Julia Wilkinson | 80 – 78 | Moira Bulcraig | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 131 |
3270 | 12/06/2002 | P | Julia Wilkinson | 88 – 41 | Geoff Daniel | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 133 |
3271 | 18/06/2002 | P | Julia Wilkinson | 96 – 35 | Shirley Light | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 131 |
3272 | 19/06/2002 | P | Julia Wilkinson | 81 – 77 | Roger Johnson | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 141 |
3273 | 20/06/2002 | QF | Chris Wills | 110 – 86 | Brenda Jolley | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 120 |
3274 | 21/06/2002 | QF | Mike Pullin | 89 – 106 | Tom Hargreaves | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 118 |
3275 | 24/06/2002 | QF | Kevin Thurlow | 106 – 93 | Lee Hartley | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 145 |
3276 | 25/06/2002 | QF | Rupert Stokoe | 99 – 80 | Wendy Roe | Richard Digance | Damian Eadie | 130 |
3277 | 26/06/2002 | SF | Rupert Stokoe | 78 – 118 | Chris Wills | Richard Digance | Damian Eadie | 130 |
3278 | 27/06/2002 | SF | Kevin Thurlow | 93 – 109 | Tom Hargreaves | Richard Digance | Damian Eadie | 122 |
3279 | 28/06/2002 | GF | Tom Hargreaves | 67 – 110 | Chris Wills | Richard Digance | Damian Eadie | 129 |