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.

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

Between Series 38 and Series 59, players are sorted by number of wins, then by number of points. Points from both wins and losses count. Points from sudden death conundrums are not counted, and players with the same number of wins and points are sorted by highest score.

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)

The winner of each game is displayed in bold.

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Host	Arithmetician	Guest	Lex	Max
3841	4/01/2005	P	Fred Reynolds	91 – 55	Dawn Shepherd	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jan Ravens	Susie Dent	128
3842	5/01/2005	P	Fred Reynolds	89 – 38	Peter May	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jan Ravens	Susie Dent	152
3843	6/01/2005	P	Fred Reynolds	95 – 78	Dave Urwin	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jan Ravens	Susie Dent	128
3844	7/01/2005	P	Fred Reynolds	90 – 65	Terry Young	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jan Ravens	Susie Dent	122
3845	10/01/2005	P	Fred Reynolds	62 – 87	Toni Ryan	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Fish	Susie Dent	128
3846	11/01/2005	P	Toni Ryan	90 – 72	Alex Menzies	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Fish	Susie Dent	143
3847	12/01/2005	P	Toni Ryan	86 – 71	James Iles	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Fish	Susie Dent	130
3848	13/01/2005	P	Toni Ryan	92 – 40	Rachel Mason	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Fish	Susie Dent	132
3849	14/01/2005	P	Toni Ryan	69 – 81	Brian Roles	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Fish	Susie Dent	119
3850	17/01/2005	P	Brian Roles	80 – 68	Stephen Paterson	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Russell Watson	Susie Dent	124
3851	18/01/2005	P	Brian Roles	60 – 51	Pat Rawlings	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Russell Watson	Susie Dent	120
3852	19/01/2005	P	Brian Roles	72 – 59	George Holmes	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Russell Watson	Susie Dent	122
3853	20/01/2005	P	Brian Roles	78 – 52	Robert Stone	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Russell Watson	Susie Dent	160
3854	21/01/2005	P	Brian Roles	56 – 82	Judith Young	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Russell Watson	Susie Dent	142
3855	24/01/2005	P	Judith Young	80 – 70	Jan Clark	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	121
3856	25/01/2005	P	Judith Young	92 – 53	Ernie Aust	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	141
3857	26/01/2005	P	Judith Young	71 – 55	Eric Hunter	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	119
3858	27/01/2005	P	Judith Young	90 – 49	Vernon Young	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	129
3859	28/01/2005	P	Judith Young	101 – 74	Joy Walters	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	131
3860	31/01/2005	P	Judith Young	95 – 49	Dennis Poore	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Tom O'Connor	Susie Dent	121
3861	1/02/2005	P	Judith Young	96 – 66	Enid Holmes	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Tom O'Connor	Susie Dent	151
3862	2/02/2005	P	Geoff King	56 – 98	Sonia Cordas	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Tom O'Connor	Susie Dent	140
3863	3/02/2005	P	Sonia Cordas	79 – 85	Nicky Lyons	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Tom O'Connor	Susie Dent	130
3864	4/02/2005	P	Nicky Lyons	68 – 72	Peter Berridge	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Tom O'Connor	Susie Dent	122
3865	7/02/2005	P	Peter Berridge	68 – 96	Frank Mulvey	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jennie Bond	Susie Dent	133
3866	8/02/2005	P	Frank Mulvey	90 – 41	Maggie Insh	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jennie Bond	Susie Dent	136
3867	9/02/2005	P	Frank Mulvey	77 – 63	Lee Burrows	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jennie Bond	Susie Dent	134
3868	10/02/2005	P	Frank Mulvey	72 – 55	Bob Woods	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jennie Bond	Susie Dent	117
3869	11/02/2005	P	Frank Mulvey	133 – 86	Kevin Warner	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Jennie Bond	Susie Dent	152
3870	14/02/2005	P	Margaret Roper	64 – 62	Lily Macintosh	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lesley Garrett	Susie Dent	120
3871	15/02/2005	P	Margaret Roper	56 – 68	Rose Benson	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lesley Garrett	Susie Dent	122
3872	16/02/2005	P	Rose Benson	58 – 96	Gary Buxton	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lesley Garrett	Susie Dent	132
3873	17/02/2005	P	Gary Buxton	58 – 106	John Mayhew	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lesley Garrett	Susie Dent	124
3874	18/02/2005	P	John Mayhew	102 – 76	Pete Dance	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lesley Garrett	Susie Dent	116
3875	21/02/2005	P	John Mayhew	91 – 48	Jean MacLachlan	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	135
3876	22/02/2005	P	John Mayhew	118 – 42	Cliff Pettifor	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	141
3877	23/02/2005	P	John Mayhew	99 – 63	Gus Aaron	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	121
3878	24/02/2005	P	John Mayhew	92 – 57	Stuart Wright	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	132
3879	25/02/2005	P	John Mayhew	93 – 54	Hedy Beecham	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	130
3880	28/02/2005	P	John Mayhew	110 – 59	Joe O'Brien	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	118
3881	1/03/2005	P	John Hardie	65 – 108	Chris Hunt	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	128
3882	2/03/2005	P	Chris Hunt	103 – 59	Margaret Goodlad	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	126
3883	3/03/2005	P	Chris Hunt	113 – 37	Daniel Monaghan	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	143
3884	4/03/2005	P	Chris Hunt	108 – 86	Maire Williams	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	144
3885	7/03/2005	P	Chris Hunt	106 – 91	Jane Hoskyn	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	122
3886	8/03/2005	P	Chris Hunt	96 – 54	Gwilym Williams	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	122
3887	9/03/2005	P	Chris Hunt	81 – 87	Sue Drinkwater	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	131
3888	10/03/2005	P	Sue Drinkwater	80 – 78	Gordon Robson	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	131
3889	11/03/2005	P	Sue Drinkwater	62 – 54	Neil Kelly	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	134
3890	14/03/2005	P	Sue Drinkwater	85 – 73	Jess Clark	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Ken Bruce	Susie Dent	126
3891	21/03/2005	P	Sue Drinkwater	71 – 85	Tanmay Dixit	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Ken Bruce	Susie Dent	119
3892	22/03/2005	P	Tanmay Dixit	95 – 59	Isabel Fennemore	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Ken Bruce	Susie Dent	132
3893	23/03/2005	P	Tanmay Dixit	82 – 87	Mike Meakin	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Ken Bruce	Susie Dent	120
3894	24/03/2005	P	Mike Meakin	87 – 77	Jim Handley	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Ken Bruce	Susie Dent	144
3895	29/03/2005	P	Mike Meakin	88 – 84	Eric Harrison	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Mitch Murray	Susie Dent	132
3896	30/03/2005	P	Mike Meakin	57 – 75	Jillian Tidman	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Mitch Murray	Susie Dent	121
3897	31/03/2005	P	Jillian Tidman	39 – 66	Steve Smith	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Mitch Murray	Susie Dent	127
3898	1/04/2005	P	Steve Smith	67 – 87	Jon O'Neill	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Mitch Murray	Susie Dent	143
3899	4/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	96 – 72	Peter Wallis	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent	120
3900	5/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	106 – 54	William Moore	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent	140
3901	6/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	102 – 46	Ola Odutola	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent	124
3902	7/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	101 – 61	Gill Johns	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent	133
3903	8/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	104 – 66	Phil Squires	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent	119
3904	11/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	114 – 43	Theresa Turrell	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Julia McKenzie	Susie Dent	132
3905	12/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	94 – 58	Gary McEnaney	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Julia McKenzie	Susie Dent	118
3906	13/04/2005	P	Peter Danks	75 – 76	Mansoor Ditta	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Julia McKenzie	Susie Dent	128
3907	14/04/2005	P	Mansoor Ditta	70 – 87	Ross Allatt	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Julia McKenzie	Susie Dent	144
3908	15/04/2005	P	Ross Allatt	100 – 50	Eunice Stride	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Julia McKenzie	Susie Dent	125
3909	18/04/2005	P	Ross Allatt	110 – 74	Mike Brailsford	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lionel Blair	Susie Dent	150
3910	19/04/2005	P	Ross Allatt	83 – 80	David Hutton	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lionel Blair	Susie Dent	140
3911	20/04/2005	P	Ross Allatt	96 – 50	Janet Mattingley	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lionel Blair	Susie Dent	122
3912	21/04/2005	P	Ross Allatt	81 – 54	Wayne Porter	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lionel Blair	Susie Dent	130
3913	22/04/2005	P	Ross Allatt	86 – 60	Thomas Leeming	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Lionel Blair	Susie Dent	119
3914	25/04/2005	P	Ross Allatt	98 – 67	John Caddick	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Kathryn Apanowicz	Susie Dent	118
3915	26/04/2005	P	Jenny Scudamore	83 – 86	David Ryan	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Kathryn Apanowicz	Susie Dent	116
3916	27/04/2005	P	David Ryan	91 – 102	Kieran Coppinger	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Kathryn Apanowicz	Susie Dent	143
3917	28/04/2005	P	Kieran Coppinger	101 – 85	Ian Laming	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Kathryn Apanowicz	Susie Dent	122
3918	29/04/2005	P	Kieran Coppinger	92 – 75	Gerry Montague	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Kathryn Apanowicz	Susie Dent	122
3919	3/05/2005	P	Kieran Coppinger	72 – 82	Sally Bassinder	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Darren Jordon	Susie Dent	127
3920	4/05/2005	P	Sally Bassinder	93 – 72	Len Cazaly	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Darren Jordon	Susie Dent	128
3921	5/05/2005	P	Sally Bassinder	84 – 90	Bob Beckett	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Darren Jordon	Susie Dent	120
3922	6/05/2005	P	Bob Beckett	73 – 84	Michael Edwards	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Darren Jordon	Susie Dent	129
3923	9/05/2005	P	Michael Edwards	79 – 71	Jim Anderson	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Esther Rantzen	Susie Dent	115
3924	10/05/2005	P	Michael Edwards	84 – 85	Rick Hughes	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Esther Rantzen	Susie Dent	150
3925	11/05/2005	P	Rick Hughes	63 – 79	Caroline Ambrose	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Esther Rantzen	Susie Dent	122
3926	12/05/2005	P	Caroline Ambrose	73 – 115	John Brackstone	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Esther Rantzen	Susie Dent	132
3927	13/05/2005	P	John Brackstone	81 – 48	Richard Ellis	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Esther Rantzen	Susie Dent	113
3928	16/05/2005	P	John Brackstone	103 – 68	Mark Leopold	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	154
3929	17/05/2005	P	John Brackstone	101 – 75	Raymond Quirk	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	140
3930	18/05/2005	P	John Brackstone	98 – 72	Christine Skeer	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	120
3931	19/05/2005	P	John Brackstone	110 – 68	Ken Ryder	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	133
3932	20/05/2005	P	John Brackstone	119 – 35	Joanna Allardice	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Keith Barron	Susie Dent	124
3933	23/05/2005	P	John Brackstone	95 – 44	Frank Cowsill	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Aspel	Susie Dent	131
3934	24/05/2005	P	Anna Hillis	67 – 92	Dominic Marsh	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Aspel	Susie Dent	133
3935	25/05/2005	P	Dominic Marsh	73 – 102	Anthony Endsor	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Aspel	Susie Dent	143
3936	31/05/2005	P	Anthony Endsor	65 – 66	Amy McMaster	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Aspel	Susie Dent	145
3937	1/06/2005	P	Amy McMaster	108 – 66	Daljit Gharial	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Michael Aspel	Susie Dent	123
3938	2/06/2005	P	Amy McMaster	58 – 92	Richard Heald	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Peter Baldwin	Susie Dent	125
3939	3/06/2005	P	Richard Heald	115 – 36	Michael Chidwick	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Peter Baldwin	Susie Dent	136
3940	6/06/2005	P	Richard Heald	93 – 58	Anne Hardy	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Peter Baldwin	Susie Dent	116
3941	7/06/2005	P	Richard Heald	104 – 58	Ross Gibson	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Peter Baldwin	Susie Dent	117
3942	8/06/2005	P	Richard Heald	89 – 73	Beryl Lawford	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Peter Baldwin	Susie Dent	120
3943	9/06/2005	P	Richard Heald	104 – 57	Karen Pearson	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Barry Norman	Susie Dent	118
3944	10/06/2005	P	Richard Heald	102 – 57	Alan Hicks	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Barry Norman	Susie Dent	117
3945	13/06/2005	P	Richard Heald	96 – 84	Paul Lyne	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Barry Norman	Susie Dent	116
3946	14/06/2005	P	Magda Greensmith	90 – 74	William Sutherland	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Barry Norman	Susie Dent	132
3947	15/06/2005	P	Magda Greensmith	64 – 80	Rod Barry	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Barry Norman	Susie Dent	132
3948	16/06/2005	P	Rod Barry	90 – 52	Joe Penn	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Bob Bevan	Susie Dent	117
3949	17/06/2005	P	Rod Barry	64 – 84	John Pitt	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Bob Bevan	Susie Dent	143
3950	20/06/2005	P	John Pitt	100 – 44	Harry Smith	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Bob Bevan	Susie Dent	131
3951	21/06/2005	P	John Pitt	70 – 88	Helen Mathieson	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Bob Bevan	Susie Dent	121
3952	22/06/2005	P	Helen Mathieson	88 – 82	Leslie Ritchings	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Bob Bevan	Susie Dent	130
3953	23/06/2005	QF	Fred Reynolds	58 – 75	John Brackstone	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	126
3954	24/06/2005	QF	Chris Hunt	73 – 97	John Mayhew	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	120
3955	28/06/2005	QF	Judith Young	74 – 90	Jon O'Neill	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	122
3956	29/06/2005	QF	Richard Heald	100 – 90	Ross Allatt	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	117
3957	30/06/2005	SF	Richard Heald	75 – 89	John Brackstone	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	119
3958	30/06/2005	SF	John Mayhew	89 – 88	Jon O'Neill	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	117
3959	1/07/2005	GF	John Mayhew	86* – 76	John Brackstone	{{{10}}}	{{{11}}}	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	143

* includes 10 points from a tie-break conundrum

External Links

Series 53 on The Countdown Database.
Series 53 on The Countdown Page.

Series 53

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Finals progress

Episodes

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