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Series 60
From Countdown
Series 60 ran from 2 February to 19 June 2009, following Championship of Champions XIII in January of that year. It was the first series to feature Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley as presenters, and the start of six series to be presented by Stelling. It was won by Kirk Bevins who, on his third heat game of his series, recorded the first perfect 15-round game in the history of Countdown. This was also the last series to be filmed at the show's original location, Yorkshire Television Studios in Leeds.
The practices of throwing conundrums open to the audience if they went unsolved by the contestants, and giving mugs as prizes to successful audience members, were notably omitted during Series 60. This is thought to have been precipitated by budget cuts.
Contents |
Seed table
Rank | Name | Wins | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Kirk Bevins | 8 | 925 |
2 | Cate Henderson | 8 | 782 |
3 | Jimmy Gough | 8 | 782 |
4 | Shane Roberts | 8 | 766 |
5 | Neil Zussman | 8 | 758 |
6 | James Doohan | 8 | 692 |
7 | Hamish Williamson | 4 | 415 |
8 | Julie Russell | 3 | 356 |
Series finals
Quarter-finals
The first quarter final between Bevins and three-time winner Julie Russell was a surprisingly close affair granted the two players' distance from one another in the seedings. The evenly matched players were separated by only twenty-five points; Bevins beat Russell in two letters games with PARERGON and MEDIANT, and unravelled the conundrum GONNALOAN in one second. The second quarter-final between number 2 seed Cate Henderson and number 7 seed Hamish Williamson went the way of the underdog. Finding a nine-letter word in FRACTIOUS and unscrambling the conundrum BADLYBEAT in five seconds helped Williamson turn a two-point deficit at the end of part two into a victory with 100 points to 74.
The third quarter-final between James Doohan and Jimmy Gough came down to the crucial conundrum NINECARAT. Doohan looked like stealing the match when he buzzed on 29 seconds. However, he failed to declare anything and so the match went the way of Gough by nine points. The final quarter-final between the fourth and fifth seeds should supposedly have been the closest matched of them all. However this was not to be, with Neil Zussman romping home by 82 points to Shane Roberts' 35.
Semi-finals
Zussman returned the very next day, taking on Kirk Bevins for a place in the grand final. Bevins took an early lead, surpassing Zussman's SCABIES with his own SUBSPACE for an eight-point advantage after round 3. However, Zussman pounced in round 8 when Bevins missed the eight-letter POLITEST, bringing the scores to 50 apiece. Thereafter both players scored equally in every round, reaching the conundrum with the scores at 88 – 88. However, it was a visibly relieved Bevins who solved AMSPECIAL in half a second, securing his place in the grand final.
The second semi-final between Jimmy Gough and Hamish Williamson saw Gough establish an early advantage through the eight-letter CORTINAS. Williamson then missed the first numbers game, and when Gough spotted the nine-letter REEDLINGS his lead had climbed to 62 – 33. Williamson stayed in touch, beating Gough with GAVOTTES in round 11 and JOINERY in round 13 when Gough declared the non-existent monetry ☓. This left it all to play for, with the scores at 58 – 78 with just the final numbers and conundrum to play. However, Williamson was unable to come close to the 866 target whereas Gough got it on the nose, and the unsolved conundrum NICEGROOM rounded off the game which went to Gough 88 – 58.
Grand final
The grand final between Kirk Bevins and Jimmy Gough was not a particularly close affair, as Bevins demonstrated his supreme game by scoring the maximum in each of the first thirteen rounds with words including NEPETAS and WAPITI. With the scores at 59 – 95 with just two rounds remaining the game was over for Gough, though Bevins went on to drop thirteen points from the maximum possible score by getting one away from the final numbers target and failing to unscramble the conundrum GRANIVORE. Nevertheless, Bevins had done more than enough to win the series, accumulating his ninth century in the process.
Easter egg
Humourously, series producer Damian Eadie concealed an Easter egg in the final nine games of this series, from the penultimate preliminary game up to the grand final. Following the recording of these episodes it was revealed that taking the initial letters of the conundrums from these games in order - GESTATING, ANTIVENOM, NONAGONAL, DEBATABLY, INCARNATE, SPEAKEASY, ECLAMPSIA, ERGONOMIC and GRANIVORE - spelt out the faux word GANDISEEG.
Finals progress
Kirk Bevins (1) vs Julie Russell (8) | Kirk Bevins (1) vs Neil Zussman (5) | Kirk Bevins (1) vs Jimmy Gough (3) |
Neil Zussman (5) vs Shane Roberts (4) | ||
Jimmy Gough (3) vs James Doohan (6) | Jimmy Gough (3) vs Hamish Williamson (7) | |
Hamish Williamson (7) vs Cate Henderson (2) |
Episodes
# | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Guest | Lex | Max |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12–30 January 2009: Championship of Champions XIII | ||||||||
4748 | 2/02/2009 | P | Zoe Bowman | 83 – 73 | Andrew Hodges | John Inverdale | Susie Dent | 130 |
4749 | 3/02/2009 | P | Zoe Bowman | 57 – 98 | Lisa Thomson | John Inverdale | Susie Dent | 119 |
4750 | 4/02/2009 | P | Lisa Thomson | 77 – 62 | Roy Catley | John Inverdale | Susie Dent | 117 |
4751 | 5/02/2009 | P | Lisa Thomson | 67 – 62 | Anna Sarre | John Inverdale | Susie Dent | 129 |
4752 | 6/02/2009 | P | Lisa Thomson | 80 – 82 | Mike Spellar | John Inverdale | Susie Dent | 118 |
4753 | 9/02/2009 | P | Mike Spellar | 72 – 86 | Janet Scowcroft | John Sergeant | Susie Dent | 121 |
4754 | 10/02/2009 | P | Janet Scowcroft | 85 – 54 | Roy Daniels | John Sergeant | Susie Dent | 125 |
4755 | 11/02/2009 | P | Janet Scowcroft | 50 – 91 | Kate Richardson | John Sergeant | Susie Dent | 129 |
4756 | 12/02/2009 | P | Kate Richardson | 79 – 53 | Phil Baker | John Sergeant | Susie Dent | 120 |
4757 | 13/02/2009 | P | Kate Richardson | 84 – 83 | Audrey Lazenby | John Sergeant | Susie Dent | 119 |
4758 | 16/02/2009 | P | Kate Richardson | 54 – 92 | Neil Zussman | Kate Humble | Susie Dent | 117 |
4759 | 17/02/2009 | P | Neil Zussman | 92 – 37 | Kevin Pidduck | Kate Humble | Susie Dent | 119 |
4760 | 18/02/2009 | P | Neil Zussman | 111 – 94 | Anita Fairhurst | Kate Humble | Susie Dent | 118 |
4761 | 19/02/2009 | P | Neil Zussman | 86* – 76 | Simon Greening | Kate Humble | Susie Dent | 127 |
4762 | 20/02/2009 | P | Neil Zussman | 101 – 55 | Matthew Meads | Kate Humble | Susie Dent | 115 |
4763 | 23/02/2009 | P | Neil Zussman | 108 – 87 | Heather Chidgey | Graham Cole | Susie Dent | 141 |
4764 | 24/02/2009 | P | Neil Zussman | 81 – 77 | Rick Warburton | Graham Cole | Susie Dent | 119 |
4765 | 25/02/2009 | P | Neil Zussman | 97 – 48 | Sheila Box | Graham Cole | Susie Dent | 118 |
4766 | 26/02/2009 | P | Ann Abel | 82 – 80 | Brian Goulding | Graham Cole | Susie Dent | 119 |
4767 | 27/02/2009 | P | Ann Abel | 86 – 56 | Catherine Gillespie | Graham Cole | Susie Dent | 129 |
4768 | 2/03/2009 | P | Ann Abel | 54 – 127 | Kirk Bevins | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 130 |
4769 | 3/03/2009 | P | Kirk Bevins | 97 – 67 | Fiona Shaw | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 116 |
4770 | 4/03/2009 | P | Kirk Bevins | 126 – 47 | Ben Nicholas | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 126 |
4771 | 5/03/2009 | P | Kirk Bevins | 130 – 55 | Peter Bennett | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 150 |
4772 | 6/03/2009 | P | Kirk Bevins | 111 – 39 | Barrie Robinson | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 120 |
4773 | 9/03/2009 | P | Kirk Bevins | 114 – 53 | Anne Adams | Colin Murray | Susie Dent | 129 |
4774 | 16/03/2009 | P | Kirk Bevins | 106 – 71 | Ian Payn | Colin Murray | Susie Dent | 131 |
4775 | 17/03/2009 | P | Kirk Bevins | 114 – 31 | Rosie Owen | Colin Murray | Susie Dent | 129 |
4776 | 18/03/2009 | P | Kezra Shakir | 33 – 93 | Stephen Porritt | Colin Murray | Susie Dent | 118 |
4777 | 19/03/2009 | P | Stephen Porritt | 80 – 67 | Jennie Foster | Colin Murray | Susie Dent | 128 |
4778 | 20/03/2009 | P | Stephen Porritt | 76* – 66 | Tony Robinson | Brian Capron | Susie Dent | 122 |
4779 | 23/03/2009 | P | Stephen Porritt | 86 – 88 | Cate Henderson | Brian Capron | Susie Dent | 118 |
4780 | 24/03/2009 | P | Cate Henderson | 93 – 52 | Sadhana Mehendale | Brian Capron | Susie Dent | 135 |
4781 | 25/03/2009 | P | Cate Henderson | 95 – 35 | Richard Gray | Brian Capron | Susie Dent | 129 |
4782 | 26/03/2009 | P | Cate Henderson | 103 – 55 | Gerald Conley | Jon Gaunt | Susie Dent | 131 |
4783 | 27/03/2009 | P | Cate Henderson | 99 – 63 | Helen Kerr | Jon Gaunt | Susie Dent | 132 |
4784 | 30/03/2009 | P | Cate Henderson | 90 – 58 | Aaron Higgs | Jon Gaunt | Susie Dent | 119 |
4785 | 31/03/2009 | P | Cate Henderson | 113 – 51 | Michael Bryant | Jon Gaunt | Susie Dent | 141 |
4786 | 1/04/2009 | P | Cate Henderson | 101 – 45 | Chantalle Edgley | Jerry Springer | Susie Dent | 115 |
4787 | 2/04/2009 | P | Sandy Kell | 63 – 68 | Joe Caruana | Jerry Springer | Susie Dent | 120 |
4788 | 3/04/2009 | P | Joe Caruana | 81 – 37 | Sue Keable | Jerry Springer | Susie Dent | 119 |
4789 | 6/04/2009 | P | Joe Caruana | 73 – 75 | Fiona Chambers | Jerry Springer | Susie Dent | 133 |
4790 | 7/04/2009 | P | Fiona Chambers | 83 – 56 | Andrew Mitchell | Jonathan Ansell | Susie Dent | 119 |
4791 | 8/04/2009 | P | Fiona Chambers | 68 – 89 | Andrew Pearson | Jonathan Ansell | Susie Dent | 133 |
4792 | 9/04/2009 | P | Andrew Pearson | 83 – 87 | Shane Roberts | Jonathan Ansell | Susie Dent | 139 |
4793 | 10/04/2009 | P | Shane Roberts | 92 – 57 | Keith Butcher | Jonathan Ansell | Susie Dent | 123 |
4794 | 13/04/2009 | P | Shane Roberts | 105 – 56 | Clare Sudbery | David Lloyd | Susie Dent | 122 |
4795 | 14/04/2009 | P | Shane Roberts | 86 – 85 | Bob Savage | David Lloyd | Susie Dent | 119 |
4796 | 15/04/2009 | P | Shane Roberts | 102 – 39 | Beth Elkins | David Lloyd | Susie Dent | 123 |
4797 | 16/04/2009 | P | Shane Roberts | 101 – 47 | Stephen Parkes | David Lloyd | Susie Dent | 132 |
4798 | 17/04/2009 | P | Shane Roberts | 90 – 80 | George Robertson | David Lloyd | Susie Dent | 128 |
4799 | 20/04/2009 | P | Shane Roberts | 103 – 59 | Ramsay Nashef | Tim Vine | Susie Dent | 118 |
4800 | 21/04/2009 | P | Karyn Cooke | 71 – 105 | James Robinson | Tim Vine | Susie Dent | 129 |
4801 | 22/04/2009 | P | James Robinson | 91 – 74 | Louise Bambury | Tim Vine | Susie Dent | 133 |
4802 | 23/04/2009 | P | James Robinson | 86 – 87 | Patrick McCurdie | Tim Vine | Susie Dent | 121 |
4803 | 24/04/2009 | P | Patrick McCurdie | 65 – 74 | Julie Russell | Tim Vine | Susie Dent | 114 |
4804 | 27/04/2009 | P | Julie Russell | 104 – 67 | Dominic Colley | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 131 |
4805 | 28/04/2009 | P | Julie Russell | 94 – 31 | David Affleck | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 118 |
4806 | 29/04/2009 | P | Julie Russell | 84 – 134 | Hamish Williamson | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 152 |
4807 | 30/04/2009 | P | Hamish Williamson | 74 – 68 | Heather Bolam | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 119 |
4808 | 1/05/2009 | P | Hamish Williamson | 65 – 60 | John Marsom | Gyles Brandreth | Susie Dent | 119 |
4809 | 4/05/2009 | P | Hamish Williamson | 88 – 55 | Linda Lofthouse | Martin Lewis | Susie Dent | 128 |
4810 | 5/05/2009 | P | Hamish Williamson | 54 – 58 | Bob Stevenson | Martin Lewis | Susie Dent | 116 |
4811 | 6/05/2009 | P | Bob Stevenson | 76 – 79 | Chrissie Buckley | Martin Lewis | Susie Dent | 140 |
4812 | 7/05/2009 | P | Chrissie Buckley | 69 – 81 | Paul Casimir | Martin Lewis | Susie Dent | 120 |
4813 | 8/05/2009 | P | Paul Casimir | 86 – 70 | Leslie Smith | Martin Lewis | Susie Dent | 113 |
4814 | 11/05/2009 | P | Paul Casimir | 84 – 115 | Jimmy Gough | Steve Davis | Susie Dent | 118 |
4815 | 12/05/2009 | P | Jimmy Gough | 106 – 78 | Dave Sorensen | Steve Davis | Susie Dent | 138 |
4816 | 13/05/2009 | P | Jimmy Gough | 96 – 84 | Tony Hurst | Steve Davis | Susie Dent | 121 |
4817 | 14/05/2009 | P | Jimmy Gough | 113 – 53 | Sue Morgan | Steve Davis | Susie Dent | 120 |
4818 | 15/05/2009 | P | Jimmy Gough | 116 – 53 | Peter Tarrant | Steve Davis | Susie Dent | 137 |
4819 | 18/05/2009 | P | Jimmy Gough | 86 – 58 | Gerry Buckley | Rory McGrath | Susie Dent | 143 |
4820 | 19/05/2009 | P | Jimmy Gough | 72 – 62 | Kerr Nairn | Rory McGrath | Susie Dent | 120 |
4821 | 20/05/2009 | P | Jimmy Gough | 78 – 38 | Tony Larlham | Rory McGrath | Susie Dent | 117 |
4822 | 21/05/2009 | P | Mabel Weston | 51 – 47 | Gary Beaty | Rory McGrath | Susie Dent | 131 |
4823 | 22/05/2009 | P | Mabel Weston | 46 – 88 | James Doohan | Rory McGrath | Susie Dent | 150 |
4824 | 25/05/2009 | P | James Doohan | 88 – 50 | Anne Loveday | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 121 |
4825 | 26/05/2009 | P | James Doohan | 89* – 79 | Jack Morgan | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 115 |
4826 | 27/05/2009 | P | James Doohan | 70 – 51 | Nick Patrick | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 130 |
4827 | 28/05/2009 | P | James Doohan | 91 – 48 | Michael Calder | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 123 |
4828 | 29/05/2009 | P | James Doohan | 101 – 60 | Margaret Oliver | Barry Cryer | Susie Dent | 121 |
4829 | 1/06/2009 | P | James Doohan | 91 – 70 | Rob Thomas | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 117 |
4830 | 2/06/2009 | P | James Doohan | 84 – 77 | Angela Nayar | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 121 |
4831 | 3/06/2009 | P | Ian Sinclair | 28 – 103 | Chris Kirby | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 142 |
4832 | 4/06/2009 | P | Chris Kirby | 99 – 47 | Hans Farley | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 120 |
4833 | 5/06/2009 | P | Chris Kirby | 69 – 82 | Jacqueline Baker | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | 116 |
4834 | 8/06/2009 | P | Jacqueline Baker | 91 – 60 | Sean Toland | John Stapleton | Susie Dent | 119 |
4835 | 9/06/2009 | P | Jacqueline Baker | 74 – 59 | Jasvir Singh | John Stapleton | Susie Dent | 118 |
4836 | 10/06/2009 | P | Jacqueline Baker | 84 – 56 | Desi Corcoran | John Stapleton | Susie Dent | 126 |
4837 | 11/06/2009 | QF | Kirk Bevins | 115 – 90 | Julie Russell | John Stapleton | Susie Dent | 117 |
4838 | 12/06/2009 | QF | Cate Henderson | 74 – 100 | Hamish Williamson | John Stapleton | Susie Dent | 137 |
4839 | 15/06/2009 | QF | James Doohan | 74 – 83 | Jimmy Gough | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 127 |
4840 | 16/06/2009 | QF | Shane Roberts | 35 – 82 | Neil Zussman | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 115 |
4841 | 17/06/2009 | SF | Kirk Bevins | 98 – 88 | Neil Zussman | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 128 |
4842 | 18/06/2009 | SF | Hamish Williamson | 58 – 88 | Jimmy Gough | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 164 |
4843 | 19/06/2009 | GF | Jimmy Gough | 59 – 102 | Kirk Bevins | Dr Phil Hammond | Susie Dent | 115 |