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Series 56
From Countdown

Series 56 ran from 2 January to 22 June 2007. The first of four series hosted by Des O'Connor, it was won by Nick Wainwright.
This series featured four octochamps but, for the first time since Series 49, none with over 800 points. #1 seed Aaron Webber snuck through the first quarter-final on an unsolved conundrum (ALONGSIDE). Jean Webby won comfortably and Nick Wainwright saw off the challenge of #6 seed Vivienne Mead. However #4 seed Amey Deshpande couldn't join the top three seeds, losing to 7-time winner Anita Freeland. In the semi-finals Freeland continued her run of upsets by beating #1 seed Aaron Webber on a crucial conundrum, and Nick Wainwright got his highest ever score in beating Jean Webby. This set up a final between #3 seed and #5 seed. No woman had won a 15-round series and no player had ever won a series whilst losing a game in the heats. From Series 46 to Series 55, all the series winners were unbeaten. The game was very close with a few mistakes which lead to a low scoring finish with Freeland leading 85 – 79. The conundrum OYFUSSPOT was revealed and it was Wainwright that solved PUSSYFOOT in 1.5 seconds to become Countdown's 56th champion. Freeland was relegated to the runner's-up spot, only the second woman to reach a 15-round series final after Grace Page, but she returned for the Championship of Champions XIII tournament.
Contents |
Seed table
Rank | Name | Wins | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Webber | 8 | 773 |
2 | Jean Webby | 8 | 738 |
3 | Nick Wainwright | 8 | 726 |
4 | Amey Deshpande | 8 | 718 |
5 | Anita Freeland | 7 | 742 |
6 | Vivienne Mead | 7 | 682 |
7 | Dundas Keating | 7 | 661 |
8 | Stewart Gordon | 5 | 553 |
Finals progress
Aaron Webber (1) vs Stewart Gordon (8) | Aaron Webber (1) vs Anita Freeland (5) | Anita Freeland (5) vs Nick Wainwright (3) |
Anita Freeland (5) vs Amey Deshpande (4) | ||
Nick Wainwright (3) vs Vivienne Mead (6) | Nick Wainwright (3) vs Jean Webby (2) | |
Dundas Keating (7) vs Jean Webby (2) |
Episodes
# | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Guest | Lex | Max |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4263 | 2/01/2007 | P | Anita Freeland | 80 – 56 | Gill Glass | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 132 |
4264 | 3/01/2007 | P | Anita Freeland | 103 – 45 | Pete Liggett | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 122 |
4265 | 4/01/2007 | P | Anita Freeland | 101 – 93 | Paul Richards | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 131 |
4266 | 5/01/2007 | P | Anita Freeland | 83 – 86 | Jon Young | Tom O'Connor | Susie Dent | 140 |
4267 | 8/01/2007 | P | Jon Young | 59 – 82 | Bradley Cates | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 131 |
4268 | 9/01/2007 | P | Bradley Cates | 105 – 68 | Katie Gibbins | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 120 |
4269 | 10/01/2007 | P | Bradley Cates | 83 – 72 | Adrian Lutman | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 142 |
4270 | 11/01/2007 | P | Bradley Cates | 63 – 78 | Ian Volante | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 117 |
4271 | 12/01/2007 | P | Ian Volante | 94 – 64 | Lee Collingham | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 131 |
4272 | 15/01/2007 | P | Ian Volante | 102 – 93 | George Rhodes | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 144 |
4273 | 16/01/2007 | P | Ian Volante | 79 – 91 | Amey Deshpande | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 118 |
4274 | 17/01/2007 | P | Amey Deshpande | 86 – 75 | Mandy Bill | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 120 |
4275 | 18/01/2007 | P | Amey Deshpande | 79 – 71 | Joe McCoy | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 131 |
4276 | 19/01/2007 | P | Amey Deshpande | 80 – 66 | Mike Smith | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 130 |
4277 | 22/01/2007 | P | Amey Deshpande | 98 – 75 | Mary Jennings | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 138 |
4278 | 23/01/2007 | P | Amey Deshpande | 87 – 50 | Sylvia De Rozario | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 131 |
4279 | 24/01/2007 | P | Amey Deshpande | 102 – 54 | Gareth Evans | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 137 |
4280 | 25/01/2007 | P | Amey Deshpande | 95 – 47 | Oliver Brennan | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 131 |
4281 | 26/01/2007 | P | Jonathan Rathbone | 33 – 84 | Leigh Brook | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 115 |
4282 | 29/01/2007 | P | Leigh Brook | 67 – 86 | Martin May | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 129 |
4283 | 30/01/2007 | P | Martin May | 95 – 84 | Daniel Giddings | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 141 |
4284 | 31/01/2007 | P | Judith Mills | 48 – 87 | Mick Barnewell | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 113 |
4285 | 1/02/2007 | P | Mick Barnewell | 77 – 58 | David Watson | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 134 |
4286 | 2/02/2007 | P | Mick Barnewell | 78 – 85 | Paddy Izod | Jeremy Hardy | Susie Dent | 133 |
4287 | 5/02/2007 | P | Paddy Izod | 94 – 63 | Eoin O'Connell | Jeremy Hardy | Susie Dent | 118 |
4288 | 6/02/2007 | P | Paddy Izod | 71 – 62 | Margaret Lee | Jeremy Hardy | Susie Dent | 134 |
4289 | 7/02/2007 | P | Paddy Izod | 79 – 82 | Vivienne Mead | Jeremy Hardy | Susie Dent | 143 |
4290 | 8/02/2007 | P | Vivienne Mead | 95 – 69 | Clive McClelland | Jeremy Hardy | Susie Dent | 129 |
4291 | 9/02/2007 | P | Vivienne Mead | 82 – 44 | Nick Gray | Rick Wakeman | Susie Dent | 132 |
4292 | 12/02/2007 | P | Vivienne Mead | 83 – 58 | Marie Pegg | Rick Wakeman | Susie Dent | 130 |
4293 | 13/02/2007 | P | Vivienne Mead | 76 – 57 | Will Howells | Rick Wakeman | Susie Dent | 132 |
4294 | 14/02/2007 | P | Vivienne Mead | 106 – 58 | Paul Daly | Rick Wakeman | Susie Dent | 132 |
4295 | 15/02/2007 | P | Vivienne Mead | 90 – 55 | Rosemary Macmullen | Rick Wakeman | Susie Dent | 116 |
4296 | 16/02/2007 | P | Vivienne Mead | 68 – 76 | Ganesh (Subrahmanyam) | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 153 |
4297 | 19/02/2007 | P | Ganesh (Subrahmanyam) | 88 – 63 | Mildred French | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 121 |
4298 | 20/02/2007 | P | Ganesh (Subrahmanyam) | 81 – 85 | David Tuddenham | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 130 |
4299 | 21/02/2007 | P | David Tuddenham | 87 – 89 | Pauline Woodward | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 129 |
4300 | 22/02/2007 | P | Pauline Woodward | 82 – 76 | Mike Swift | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 131 |
4301 | 23/02/2007 | P | Pauline Woodward | 94 – 61 | Jan Rawlings | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 129 |
4302 | 26/02/2007 | P | Pauline Woodward | 81 – 96 | Jean Webby | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 130 |
4303 | 27/02/2007 | P | Jean Webby | 94 – 60 | Dorothy Wardle | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 114 |
4304 | 28/02/2007 | P | Jean Webby | 98 – 71 | Serena Halpin | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 120 |
4305 | 1/03/2007 | P | Jean Webby | 96 – 66 | Bob Mulholland | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 145 |
4306 | 2/03/2007 | P | Jean Webby | 112 – 40 | Nicola Crowley | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 119 |
4307 | 5/03/2007 | P | Jean Webby | 79 – 66 | Barbara Howe | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 131 |
4308 | 6/03/2007 | P | Jean Webby | 87 – 45 | Richard Murrin | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 129 |
4309 | 7/03/2007 | P | Jean Webby | 76 – 55 | Beryl Taylor | Ann Widdecombe | Susie Dent | 127 |
4310 | 8/03/2007 | P | Elizabeth Anderson | 54 – 75 | Raj Kailasam | Ann Widdecombe | Susie Dent | 131 |
4311 | 9/03/2007 | P | Raj Kailasam | 63 – 60 | Crispin Salfarlie | Ann Widdecombe | Susie Dent | 129 |
4312 | 12/03/2007 | P | Raj Kailasam | 85 – 79 | Janet Rauch | Ann Widdecombe | Susie Dent | 122 |
4313 | 19/03/2007 | P | Raj Kailasam | 66 – 77 | Sara Kingdom | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 132 |
4314 | 20/03/2007 | P | Sara Kingdom | 82 – 50 | Steve Gallazzi | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 131 |
4315 | 21/03/2007 | P | Sara Kingdom | 73 – 70 | Simon Donlan | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 131 |
4316 | 22/03/2007 | P | Sara Kingdom | 69 – 83 | Judith Carn | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 118 |
4317 | 23/03/2007 | P | Judith Carn | 94 – 64 | Neil Champs | Keith Barron | Susie Dent | 121 |
4318 | 26/03/2007 | P | Judith Carn | 81 – 95 | Sarah Milsom | Johnnie Casson | Susie Dent | 132 |
4319 | 27/03/2007 | P | Sarah Milsom | 77* – 67 | Brian Kent | Johnnie Casson | Susie Dent | 117 |
4320 | 28/03/2007 | P | Sarah Milsom | 64 – 79 | John Verlaque | Johnnie Casson | Susie Dent | 127 |
4321 | 29/03/2007 | P | John Verlaque | 79 – 53 | Richard Shadbolt | Johnnie Casson | Susie Dent | 118 |
4322 | 30/03/2007 | P | John Verlaque | 79 – 85 | Sheila Booth | Johnnie Casson | Susie Dent | 143 |
4323 | 2/04/2007 | P | Sheila Booth | 61 – 100 | Cathy Cooper | Dennis Taylor | Susie Dent | 126 |
4324 | 3/04/2007 | P | Cathy Cooper | 79 – 71 | Tony King | Dennis Taylor | Susie Dent | 115 |
4325 | 4/04/2007 | P | Cathy Cooper | 74 – 62 | Ian MacKillop | Dennis Taylor | Susie Dent | 132 |
4326 | 5/04/2007 | P | Cathy Cooper | 71 – 84 | Kate McNulty | Dennis Taylor | Susie Dent | 122 |
4327 | 6/04/2007 | P | Kate McNulty | 56 – 88 | Chris Dufton | Dennis Taylor | Susie Dent | 139 |
4328 | 9/04/2007 | P | Chris Dufton | 74 – 75 | Norma Fisher | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 120 |
4329 | 10/04/2007 | P | Norma Fisher | 50 – 89 | Robin Scott | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 128 |
4330 | 11/04/2007 | P | Robin Scott | 81 – 54 | Kim Green | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 105 |
4331 | 12/04/2007 | P | Robin Scott | 87 – 63 | Wayne Swan | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 124 |
4332 | 13/04/2007 | P | Robin Scott | 86 – 63 | Wendy Woodward | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 143 |
4333 | 16/04/2007 | P | Robin Scott | 76 – 82 | Pam Smith | Kaye Adams | Susie Dent | 128 |
4334 | 17/04/2007 | P | Pam Smith | 70 – 67 | Michael Batty | Kaye Adams | Susie Dent | 154 |
4335 | 18/04/2007 | P | Pam Smith | 79 – 61 | Jeff Lomax | Kaye Adams | Susie Dent | 128 |
4336 | 19/04/2007 | P | Pam Smith | 98 – 74 | Tamsin Johnston | Kaye Adams | Susie Dent | 124 |
4337 | 20/04/2007 | P | Pam Smith | 82 – 56 | Joe Burge | Kaye Adams | Susie Dent | 119 |
4338 | 23/04/2007 | P | Pam Smith | 75 – 111 | Aaron Webber | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 135 |
4339 | 24/04/2007 | P | Aaron Webber | 96 – 47 | Christina Dow | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 132 |
4340 | 25/04/2007 | P | Aaron Webber | 93 – 40 | Richard Wakefield | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 118 |
4341 | 26/04/2007 | P | Aaron Webber | 86 – 47 | Nina Walters | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 127 |
4342 | 27/04/2007 | P | Aaron Webber | 98 – 45 | Ken Hudson | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 116 |
4343 | 30/04/2007 | P | Aaron Webber | 104 – 51 | Dorothy Massey | Thelma Barlow | Susie Dent | 140 |
4344 | 1/05/2007 | P | Aaron Webber | 75 – 28 | David Butler | Thelma Barlow | Susie Dent | 127 |
4345 | 2/05/2007 | P | Aaron Webber | 110 – 39 | Bill Blades | Thelma Barlow | Susie Dent | 132 |
4346 | 3/05/2007 | P | Madeleine Hicks | 96 – 49 | Linda Jackson | Thelma Barlow | Susie Dent | 122 |
4347 | 4/05/2007 | P | Madeleine Hicks | 53 – 90 | Rob Waters | Thelma Barlow | Susie Dent | 133 |
4348 | 7/05/2007 | P | Rob Waters | 94 – 99 | Nick Wainwright | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 124 |
4349 | 8/05/2007 | P | Nick Wainwright | 90 – 64 | Sue Faulkner | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 131 |
4350 | 9/05/2007 | P | Nick Wainwright | 91 – 65 | Matthew Dixon | Richard Digance | Michael Wylie | 140 |
4351 | 10/05/2007 | P | Nick Wainwright | 76 – 33 | David Senior | Richard Digance | Michael Wylie | 122 |
4352 | 11/05/2007 | P | Nick Wainwright | 99 – 83 | Eileen Organ | Richard Digance | Michael Wylie | 118 |
4353 | 14/05/2007 | P | Nick Wainwright | 99 – 46 | Michala Stabbins | Ricky Tomlinson | Susie Dent | 136 |
4354 | 15/05/2007 | P | Nick Wainwright | 91 – 88 | Michael Lord | Ricky Tomlinson | Susie Dent | 133 |
4355 | 16/05/2007 | P | Nick Wainwright | 81 – 58 | Helen Miller | Ricky Tomlinson | Susie Dent | 141 |
4356 | 17/05/2007 | P | Stuart Watts | 75 – 79 | Rob Bennie | Ricky Tomlinson | Susie Dent | 133 |
4357 | 18/05/2007 | P | Rob Bennie | 50 – 82 | Chris Walledge | Ricky Tomlinson | Susie Dent | 121 |
4358 | 21/05/2007 | P | Chris Walledge | 74 – 95 | Stewart Gordon | Paul Zenon | Susie Dent | 142 |
4359 | 22/05/2007 | P | Stewart Gordon | 106 – 76 | Andrew Sweet | Paul Zenon | Susie Dent | 131 |
4360 | 23/05/2007 | P | Stewart Gordon | 93 – 67 | Matt Watts | Paul Zenon | Susie Dent | 122 |
4361 | 24/05/2007 | P | Stewart Gordon | 96 – 47 | Julie Gellatly | Paul Zenon | Susie Dent | 146 |
4362 | 25/05/2007 | P | Stewart Gordon | 94 – 58 | Dave Fay | Paul Zenon | Susie Dent | 120 |
4363 | 28/05/2007 | P | Stewart Gordon | 69 – 79 | Dundas Keating | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 129 |
4364 | 29/05/2007 | P | Dundas Keating | 71 – 68 | Fliss Carlton | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 131 |
4365 | 30/05/2007 | P | Dundas Keating | 99 – 83 | Darren Gleave | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 134 |
4366 | 31/05/2007 | P | Dundas Keating | 88 – 54 | Pam Linington | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 123 |
4367 | 1/06/2007 | P | Dundas Keating | 70 – 68 | Dave Tilley | Ken Bruce | Susie Dent | 119 |
4368 | 4/06/2007 | P | Dundas Keating | 101 – 68 | Ian Hartley | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 131 |
4369 | 5/06/2007 | P | Dundas Keating | 92 – 55 | Christine Hunt | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 122 |
4370 | 6/06/2007 | P | Dundas Keating | 61 – 92 | John Holland | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 132 |
4371 | 7/06/2007 | P | John Holland | 67 – 121 | James Hurrell | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 141 |
4372 | 8/06/2007 | P | James Hurrell | 100 – 75 | Kathleen McAulay | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 129 |
4373 | 11/06/2007 | P | James Hurrell | 113 – 48 | Phil Robertshaw | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 120 |
4374 | 12/06/2007 | P | James Hurrell | 88 – 34 | Eileen Blackburn | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 121 |
4375 | 13/06/2007 | P | James Hurrell | 101 – 60 | Peter Palfrey | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 131 |
4376 | 14/06/2007 | QF | Stewart Gordon | 81 – 85 | Aaron Webber | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 129 |
4377 | 15/06/2007 | QF | Dundas Keating | 58 – 84 | Jean Webby | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 140 |
4378 | 18/06/2007 | QF | Nick Wainwright | 104 – 74 | Vivienne Mead | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 124 |
4379 | 19/06/2007 | QF | Amey Deshpande | 71 – 86 | Anita Freeland | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 127 |
4380 | 20/06/2007 | SF | Anita Freeland | 97 – 86 | Aaron Webber | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 128 |
4381 | 21/06/2007 | SF | Jean Webby | 74 – 107 | Nick Wainwright | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 134 |
4382 | 22/06/2007 | GF | Nick Wainwright | 89 – 85 | Anita Freeland | Jo Brand | Susie Dent | 116 |