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Series 53
From Countdown
Series 53 ran from 4 January to 1 July 2005, and was the last series hosted by Richard Whiteley due to his sad death on 26 June. It was won by John Mayhew.
Six players qualified for the series' finals as Octochamps with very little to choose between the top four players – just 27 points separated them. John Brackstone won a tight but low scoring game against Fred Reynolds, and John Mayhew beat Chris Hunt. Jon O'Neill used all his skill on the numbers to beat Judith Young, and Richard Heald triumphed against Ross Allatt meaning that the top four seeds, 3 of them with 800 points had made it through. Heald held Brackstone to a crucial conundrum thanks to words like RABBITS and DEMERITS, but it was the #1 seed that solved the conundrum in 10 seconds to win the game. #2 seed John Mayhew also triumped against O'Neill, Mayhew lead by 1 point after 13 rounds and controversially O'Neill didn't choose four large numbers, which meant it was a crucial conundrum. Neither player could solve CONCIERGE meaning that Mayhew won the game by a single point.
With just 11 points separating them, the final promised to be a close game. Mayhew beat Brackstone with TASTEFUL, RELENTS, and UNSEATED, but Brackstone struck back with the second numbers game spot on. The game was poised 76 – 76 going into the conundrum, but neither player managed to solve ARTGENIUS (SIGNATURE). Therefore we needed a second conundrum, and Mayhew solved FALSIFIED in two seconds, and became Countdown's 53rd champion. Brackstone, Mayhew and O'Neill returned for Championship of Champions XII.
An award was given in this series for the best viewer correspondence.
Contents |
Seed table
Rank | Name | Wins | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | John Brackstone | 8 | 822 |
2 | John Mayhew | 8 | 811 |
3 | Jon O'Neill | 8 | 804 |
4 | Richard Heald | 8 | 795 |
5 | Ross Allatt | 8 | 741 |
6 | Judith Young | 8 | 707 |
7 | Chris Hunt | 6 | 715 |
8 | Fred Reynolds | 6 | 599 |
NOTE: Due to his offering of ZANDERS ☓ being wrongly allowed in his fourth game, John Mayhew's total should have been 804 points, which would have positioned him 3rd in the seed table below Jon O'Neill by virtue of O'Neill's higher personal best score of 114.
Finals progress
John Brackstone (1) vs Fred Reynolds (8) | John Brackstone (1) vs Richard Heald (4) | John Brackstone (1) vs John Mayhew (2) |
Ross Allatt (5) vs Richard Heald (4) | ||
Jon O'Neill (3) vs Judith Young (6) | Jon O'Neill (3) vs John Mayhew (2) | |
Chris Hunt (7) vs John Mayhew (2) |
Episodes
# | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Guest | Lex | Max |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3841 | 4/01/2005 | P | Fred Reynolds | 91 – 55 | Dawn Shepherd | Jan Ravens | Susie Dent | 128 |
3842 | 5/01/2005 | P | Fred Reynolds | 89 – 38 | Peter May | Jan Ravens | Susie Dent | 152 |
3843 | 6/01/2005 | P | Fred Reynolds | 95 – 78 | Dave Urwin | Jan Ravens | Susie Dent | 128 |
3844 | 7/01/2005 | P | Fred Reynolds | 90 – 65 | Terry Young | Jan Ravens | Susie Dent | 122 |
3845 | 10/01/2005 | P | Fred Reynolds | 62 – 87 | Toni Ryan | Michael Fish | Susie Dent | 128 |
3846 | 11/01/2005 | P | Toni Ryan | 90 – 72 | Alex Menzies | Michael Fish | Susie Dent | 143 |
3847 | 12/01/2005 | P | Toni Ryan | 86 – 71 | James Iles | Michael Fish | Susie Dent | 130 |
3848 | 13/01/2005 | P | Toni Ryan | 92 – 40 | Rachel Mason | Michael Fish | Susie Dent | 132 |
3849 | 14/01/2005 | P | Toni Ryan | 69 – 81 | Brian Roles | Michael Fish | Susie Dent | 119 |
3850 | 17/01/2005 | P | Brian Roles | 80 – 68 | Stephen Paterson | Russell Watson | Susie Dent | 124 |
3851 | 18/01/2005 | P | Brian Roles | 60 – 51 | Pat Rawlings | Russell Watson | Susie Dent | 120 |
3852 | 19/01/2005 | P | Brian Roles | 72 – 59 | George Holmes | Russell Watson | Susie Dent | 122 |
3853 | 20/01/2005 | P | Brian Roles | 78 – 52 | Robert Stone | Russell Watson | Susie Dent | 160 |
3854 | 21/01/2005 | P | Brian Roles | 56 – 82 | Judith Young | Russell Watson | Susie Dent | 142 |
3855 | 24/01/2005 | P | Judith Young | 80 – 70 | Jan Clark | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 121 |
3856 | 25/01/2005 | P | Judith Young | 92 – 53 | Ernie Aust | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 141 |
3857 | 26/01/2005 | P | Judith Young | 71 – 55 | Eric Hunter | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 119 |
3858 | 27/01/2005 | P | Judith Young | 90 – 49 | Vernon Young | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 129 |
3859 | 28/01/2005 | P | Judith Young | 101 – 74 | Joy Walters | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 131 |
3860 | 31/01/2005 | P | Judith Young | 95 – 49 | Dennis Poore | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 121 |
3861 | 1/02/2005 | P | Judith Young | 96 – 66 | Enid Holmes | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 151 |
3862 | 2/02/2005 | P | Geoff King | 56 – 98 | Sonia Cordas | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 140 |
3863 | 3/02/2005 | P | Sonia Cordas | 79 – 85 | Nicky Lyons | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 130 |
3864 | 4/02/2005 | P | Nicky Lyons | 68 – 72 | Peter Berridge | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 122 |
3865 | 7/02/2005 | P | Peter Berridge | 68 – 96 | Frank Mulvey | Jennie Bond | Susie Dent | 133 |
3866 | 8/02/2005 | P | Frank Mulvey | 90 – 41 | Maggie Insh | Jennie Bond | Susie Dent | 136 |
3867 | 9/02/2005 | P | Frank Mulvey | 77 – 63 | Lee Burrows | Jennie Bond | Susie Dent | 134 |
3868 | 10/02/2005 | P | Frank Mulvey | 72 – 55 | Bob Woods | Jennie Bond | Susie Dent | 117 |
3869 | 11/02/2005 | P | Frank Mulvey | 133 – 86 | Kevin Warner | Jennie Bond | Susie Dent | 152 |
3870 | 14/02/2005 | P | Margaret Roper | 64 – 62 | Lily Macintosh | Lesley Garrett | Susie Dent | 120 |
3871 | 15/02/2005 | P | Margaret Roper | 56 – 68 | Rose Benson | Lesley Garrett | Susie Dent | 122 |
3872 | 16/02/2005 | P | Rose Benson | 58 – 96 | Gary Buxton | Lesley Garrett | Susie Dent | 132 |
3873 | 17/02/2005 | P | Gary Buxton | 58 – 106 | John Mayhew | Lesley Garrett | Susie Dent | 124 |
3874 | 18/02/2005 | P | John Mayhew | 102 – 76 | Pete Dance | Lesley Garrett | Susie Dent | 116 |
3875 | 21/02/2005 | P | John Mayhew | 91 – 48 | Jean MacLachlan | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 135 |
3876 | 22/02/2005 | P | John Mayhew | 118 – 42 | Cliff Pettifor | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 141 |
3877 | 23/02/2005 | P | John Mayhew | 99 – 63 | Gus Aaron | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 121 |
3878 | 24/02/2005 | P | John Mayhew | 92 – 57 | Stuart Wright | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 132 |
3879 | 25/02/2005 | P | John Mayhew | 93 – 54 | Hedy Beecham | Geoffrey Durham | Susie Dent | 130 |
3880 | 28/02/2005 | P | John Mayhew | 110 – 59 | Joe O'Brien | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 118 |
3881 | 1/03/2005 | P | John Hardie | 65 – 108 | Chris Hunt | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 128 |
3882 | 2/03/2005 | P | Chris Hunt | 103 – 59 | Margaret Goodlad | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 126 |
3883 | 3/03/2005 | P | Chris Hunt | 113 – 37 | Daniel Monaghan | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 143 |
3884 | 4/03/2005 | P | Chris Hunt | 108 – 86 | Maire Williams | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 144 |
3885 | 7/03/2005 | P | Chris Hunt | 106 – 91 | Jane Hoskyn | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 122 |
3886 | 8/03/2005 | P | Chris Hunt | 96 – 54 | Gwilym Williams | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 122 |
3887 | 9/03/2005 | P | Chris Hunt | 81 – 87 | Sue Drinkwater | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 131 |
3888 | 10/03/2005 | P | Sue Drinkwater | 80 – 78 | Gordon Robson | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 131 |
3889 | 11/03/2005 | P | Sue Drinkwater | 62 – 54 | Neil Kelly | Richard Stilgoe | Susie Dent | 134 |
3890 | 14/03/2005 | P | Sue Drinkwater | 85 – 73 | Jess Clark | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 126 |
3891 | 21/03/2005 | P | Sue Drinkwater | 71 – 85 | Tanmay Dixit | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 119 |
3892 | 22/03/2005 | P | Tanmay Dixit | 95 – 59 | Isabel Fennemore | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 132 |
3893 | 23/03/2005 | P | Tanmay Dixit | 82 – 87 | Mike Meakin | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 120 |
3894 | 24/03/2005 | P | Mike Meakin | 87 – 77 | Jim Handley | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 144 |
3895 | 29/03/2005 | P | Mike Meakin | 88 – 84 | Eric Harrison | Mitch Murray | Susie Dent | 132 |
3896 | 30/03/2005 | P | Mike Meakin | 57 – 75 | Jillian Tidman | Mitch Murray | Susie Dent | 121 |
3897 | 31/03/2005 | P | Jillian Tidman | 39 – 66 | Steve Smith | Mitch Murray | Susie Dent | 127 |
3898 | 1/04/2005 | P | Steve Smith | 67 – 87 | Jon O'Neill | Mitch Murray | Susie Dent | 143 |
3899 | 4/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 96 – 72 | Peter Wallis | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent | 120 |
3900 | 5/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 106 – 54 | William Moore | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent | 140 |
3901 | 6/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 102 – 46 | Ola Odutola | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent | 124 |
3902 | 7/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 101 – 61 | Gill Johns | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent | 133 |
3903 | 8/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 104 – 66 | Phil Squires | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent | 119 |
3904 | 11/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 114 – 43 | Theresa Turrell | Julia McKenzie | Susie Dent | 132 |
3905 | 12/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 94 – 58 | Gary McEnaney | Julia McKenzie | Susie Dent | 118 |
3906 | 13/04/2005 | P | Peter Danks | 75 – 76 | Mansoor Ditta | Julia McKenzie | Susie Dent | 128 |
3907 | 14/04/2005 | P | Mansoor Ditta | 70 – 87 | Ross Allatt | Julia McKenzie | Susie Dent | 144 |
3908 | 15/04/2005 | P | Ross Allatt | 100 – 50 | Eunice Stride | Julia McKenzie | Susie Dent | 125 |
3909 | 18/04/2005 | P | Ross Allatt | 110 – 74 | Mike Brailsford | Lionel Blair | Susie Dent | 150 |
3910 | 19/04/2005 | P | Ross Allatt | 83 – 80 | David Hutton | Lionel Blair | Susie Dent | 140 |
3911 | 20/04/2005 | P | Ross Allatt | 96 – 50 | Janet Mattingley | Lionel Blair | Susie Dent | 122 |
3912 | 21/04/2005 | P | Ross Allatt | 81 – 54 | Wayne Porter | Lionel Blair | Susie Dent | 130 |
3913 | 22/04/2005 | P | Ross Allatt | 86 – 60 | Thomas Leeming | Lionel Blair | Susie Dent | 119 |
3914 | 25/04/2005 | P | Ross Allatt | 98 – 67 | John Caddick | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 118 |
3915 | 26/04/2005 | P | Jenny Scudamore | 83 – 86 | David Ryan | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 116 |
3916 | 27/04/2005 | P | David Ryan | 91 – 102 | Kieran Coppinger | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 143 |
3917 | 28/04/2005 | P | Kieran Coppinger | 101 – 85 | Ian Laming | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 122 |
3918 | 29/04/2005 | P | Kieran Coppinger | 92 – 75 | Gerry Montague | Kathryn Apanowicz | Susie Dent | 122 |
3919 | 3/05/2005 | P | Kieran Coppinger | 72 – 82 | Sally Bassinder | Darren Jordon | Susie Dent | 127 |
3920 | 4/05/2005 | P | Sally Bassinder | 93 – 72 | Len Cazaly | Darren Jordon | Susie Dent | 128 |
3921 | 5/05/2005 | P | Sally Bassinder | 84 – 90 | Bob Beckett | Darren Jordon | Susie Dent | 120 |
3922 | 6/05/2005 | P | Bob Beckett | 73 – 84 | Michael Edwards | Darren Jordon | Susie Dent | 129 |
3923 | 9/05/2005 | P | Michael Edwards | 79 – 71 | Jim Anderson | Esther Rantzen | Susie Dent | 115 |
3924 | 10/05/2005 | P | Michael Edwards | 84 – 85 | Rick Hughes | Esther Rantzen | Susie Dent | 150 |
3925 | 11/05/2005 | P | Rick Hughes | 63 – 79 | Caroline Ambrose | Esther Rantzen | Susie Dent | 122 |
3926 | 12/05/2005 | P | Caroline Ambrose | 73 – 115 | John Brackstone | Esther Rantzen | Susie Dent | 132 |
3927 | 13/05/2005 | P | John Brackstone | 81 – 48 | Richard Ellis | Esther Rantzen | Susie Dent | 113 |
3928 | 16/05/2005 | P | John Brackstone | 103 – 68 | Mark Leopold | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 154 |
3929 | 17/05/2005 | P | John Brackstone | 101 – 75 | Raymond Quirk | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 140 |
3930 | 18/05/2005 | P | John Brackstone | 98 – 72 | Christine Skeer | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 120 |
3931 | 19/05/2005 | P | John Brackstone | 110 – 68 | Ken Ryder | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 133 |
3932 | 20/05/2005 | P | John Brackstone | 119 – 35 | Joanna Allardice | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 124 |
3933 | 23/05/2005 | P | John Brackstone | 95 – 44 | Frank Cowsill | Michael Aspel | Susie Dent | 131 |
3934 | 24/05/2005 | P | Anna Hillis | 67 – 92 | Dominic Marsh | Michael Aspel | Susie Dent | 133 |
3935 | 25/05/2005 | P | Dominic Marsh | 73 – 102 | Anthony Endsor | Michael Aspel | Susie Dent | 143 |
3936 | 31/05/2005 | P | Anthony Endsor | 65 – 66 | Amy McMaster | Michael Aspel | Susie Dent | 145 |
3937 | 1/06/2005 | P | Amy McMaster | 108 – 66 | Daljit Gharial | Michael Aspel | Susie Dent | 123 |
3938 | 2/06/2005 | P | Amy McMaster | 58 – 92 | Richard Heald | Peter Baldwin | Susie Dent | 125 |
3939 | 3/06/2005 | P | Richard Heald | 115 – 36 | Michael Chidwick | Peter Baldwin | Susie Dent | 136 |
3940 | 6/06/2005 | P | Richard Heald | 93 – 58 | Anne Hardy | Peter Baldwin | Susie Dent | 116 |
3941 | 7/06/2005 | P | Richard Heald | 104 – 58 | Ross Gibson | Peter Baldwin | Susie Dent | 117 |
3942 | 8/06/2005 | P | Richard Heald | 89 – 73 | Beryl Lawford | Peter Baldwin | Susie Dent | 120 |
3943 | 9/06/2005 | P | Richard Heald | 104 – 57 | Karen Pearson | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | 118 |
3944 | 10/06/2005 | P | Richard Heald | 102 – 57 | Alan Hicks | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | 117 |
3945 | 13/06/2005 | P | Richard Heald | 96 – 84 | Paul Lyne | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | 116 |
3946 | 14/06/2005 | P | Magda Greensmith | 90 – 74 | William Sutherland | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | 132 |
3947 | 15/06/2005 | P | Magda Greensmith | 64 – 80 | Rod Barry | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | 132 |
3948 | 16/06/2005 | P | Rod Barry | 90 – 52 | Joe Penn | Bob Bevan | Susie Dent | 117 |
3949 | 17/06/2005 | P | Rod Barry | 64 – 84 | John Pitt | Bob Bevan | Susie Dent | 143 |
3950 | 20/06/2005 | P | John Pitt | 100 – 44 | Harry Smith | Bob Bevan | Susie Dent | 131 |
3951 | 21/06/2005 | P | John Pitt | 70 – 88 | Helen Mathieson | Bob Bevan | Susie Dent | 121 |
3952 | 22/06/2005 | P | Helen Mathieson | 88 – 82 | Leslie Ritchings | Bob Bevan | Susie Dent | 130 |
3953 | 23/06/2005 | QF | Fred Reynolds | 58 – 75 | John Brackstone | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 126 |
3954 | 24/06/2005 | QF | Chris Hunt | 73 – 97 | John Mayhew | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 120 |
3955 | 28/06/2005 | QF | Judith Young | 74 – 90 | Jon O'Neill | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 122 |
3956 | 29/06/2005 | QF | Richard Heald | 100 – 90 | Ross Allatt | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 117 |
3957 | 30/06/2005 | SF | Richard Heald | 75 – 89 | John Brackstone | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 119 |
3958 | 30/06/2005 | SF | John Mayhew | 89 – 88 | Jon O'Neill | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 117 |
3959 | 1/07/2005 | GF | John Mayhew | 86* – 76 | John Brackstone | Philip Franks | Susie Dent | 143 |