Special episode

A special episode is an episode that is not part of the main Countdown series.

Special episodes are typically broadcast for special occasions in relation to the programme, such as milestone episode numbers and anniversaries, and many celebrate the successes of the past contestants who take part. Historically, special episodes have aired to fill a gap in the Channel 4 schedule – typically due to an unexpected absence of cricket or horse racing.

List of special episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
445	13/10/1986	Champions of Champions I & II	Clive Freedman	67 – 76	Mark Nyman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth, Bill Tidy	Catherine Clarke	114
495	2/02/1987	500th show	Bill Tidy with Mark Nyman, Brian Hudson, Peter Evans, and Darryl Francis	41 – 32	Gyles Brandreth with Clive Freedman, Michael Wylie, Joyce Cansfield, and Harvey Freeman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	none	Della Thompson	68
1003	2/07/1990	1000th show	Allan Saldanha	94 – 93	Tim Morrissey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth, Richard Stilgoe	Catherine Clarke	121
1523	4/07/1994	1500th show	Gareth Williams	62 – 99	Allan Saldanha	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Denis Norden	Mark Nyman	129
CS1997	25/12/1997	Christmas Special	Richard Whiteley	30 – 43	Carol King	William G Stewart	Susie Dent					Magnus Magnusson	Mark Nyman	59
Gotcha	25/11/1998	Noel's House Party Gotcha	Amanda Richards	36 – 58	Richard Max	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	106
2874	2/11/2000	18th Birthday	Mark Nyman and Gyles Brandreth	50 – 46	Jo Brand and Damian Eadie	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	none	Susie Dent	74
SNT	25/01/2003	Ant & Dec	Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly	6 – 10	Sheila Clement-Jones	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					none	Carol Vorderman	28
S1	26/05/2003	Husband & Wife	Stuart Barker	98 – 78	Daphne Barker	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	119
S2	25/07/2003	Replayed Series 40 Final	Terence English	92 – 57	Glynn Leaney	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	118
S3	4/08/2003	High Scoring Losers	Terry Rattle	94 – 78	Elfie Winterton	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	122
S4	18/08/2003	Maths Teachers	Mark Roper	95 – 68	Ruth Atkin	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	151
S5	25/08/2003	Solicitors	Simon Cobb	88 – 93	David Stainer	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	138
S6	2/09/2003	Clergymen	Alan Wright	71 – 97	John Povey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	126
S7	3/09/2003	Scrabble Masters	Brett Smitheram	87 – 101	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Richard Stilgoe	Damian Eadie	118
S8	8/09/2003	Replayed Series 31 Final	David Acton	70 – 104	Kenneth Michie	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Richard Stilgoe	Damian Eadie	141
S9	9/09/2003	Champions of Champions IX & X	Scott Mearns	100 – 109	Natascha Kearsey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bob Bevan	Alison Heard	137
S10	10/09/2003	Police Officers	Debbie Haycock	81 – 61	Peter Brinkley	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	128
S11	11/09/2003	High Scoring Losers II	Melanie Beaumont	83 – 126	Linda Dawe	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bernard Ingham	Alison Heard	140
S12	12/09/2003	Yearly Champion 2002	Julian Fell	100 – 92	Chris Wills	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bob Bevan	Alison Heard	123
S13	15/03/2004	Publicans	Paul Burlinson	66 – 84	Pamela Roud	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bernard Ingham	Alison Heard	117
S14	19/03/2004	Father & Daughter	Sally Hutchings	104 – 87	Peter Hutchings	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	130
S15	14/06/2004	Replayed Series 35 Final	Pete Cashmore	66 – 107	Dag Griffiths	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	121
S16	26/07/2004	Replayed Series 39 Final	Richard Saldanha	83 – 92	Kate Ogilvie	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	121
S17	2/08/2004	Aficionados	Mike Brown	113 – 70	Nita Marr	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	133
S18	13/08/2004	Replayed Series 37 Final	Ray McPhie	104 – 89	Christine White	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	121
S19	23/08/2004	Mother & Son	Margaret Sambrooks	95 – 47	Tony Brooks	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bob Bevan	Alison Heard	131
S20	30/08/2004	Starlets	Lucy Guile	66 – 76	James Robinson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bob Bevan	Alison Heard	116
S21	20/12/2004	Brothers	Sandeep Mazumder	72 – 67	Sanjay Mazumder	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Ann Widdecombe	Susie Dent	118
S22	25/03/2005	Cabaret Entertainers	John Marlowe	56 – 91	Alf Berry	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bernard Ingham	Alison Heard	122
S23	30/05/2005	Starlets	Austin Shin	98 – 67	Beth Sutton	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bernard Ingham	Alison Heard	133
S(24)	UNRELEASED	Replayed Series 38 Final	Steve Fisher	?	John Ashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bob Bevan	Alison Heard	???
S(25)	UNRELEASED	Old Countdownians	Joyce Cansfield	90 – 56	Dixie Baird	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bernard Ingham	Alison Heard	128
4473	2/11/2007	25th Anniversary	Chris Wills	58 – 69	Conor Travers	Des O'Connor	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	none	Alison Heard	110
CBB	11/01/2010	Celebrity Big Brother challenge	Last Legs	12 – 53	Chris Davies	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Kaye Adams	Susie Dent	56
S26	15/03/2010	Yearly Champion 2009	Chris Davies	77 – 81	Kirk Bevins	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Gary Osborne	Susie Dent	120
S27	26/07/2010	High Scoring Losers III	Micheal Harris	73 – 105	Lesley Hines	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Gary Osborne	Susie Dent	120
S28	2/08/2010	Young Stars	Kai Laddiman	84 – 90	Dinos Sfyris	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Gary Osborne	Susie Dent	141
S29	16/08/2010	Replayed Series 59 Final	Charlie Reams	87 – 67	Junaid Mubeen	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Gary Osborne	Susie Dent	117
S30	14/03/2011	Deciding Special	Nicki Sellars	94 – 101	Lee Graham	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					John Parrott	Susie Dent	130
S31	25/07/2011	Female Finalists	Claudia Tyson	85 – 79	Debbi Flack	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Penny Smith	Susie Dent	121
S(32)	UNRELEASED	?	?	? – ?	?	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Penny Smith	Susie Dent	???
S(33)	UNRELEASED	?	?	? – ?	?	Jeff Stelling	Rachel Riley					Penny Smith	Susie Dent	???
S34	12/03/2012	Sister & Brother	Jordan Humphries	71 – 48	Jamie Humphries	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Pam Ayres	Susie Dent	127
S35	30/07/2012	Yearly Champion 2011	Graeme Cole	71 – 107	Edward McCullagh	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Mark Foster	Susie Dent	119
S36	13/09/2012	Female Winners	Gerri Kostrzewa	75 – 86	Kerry-Anne Alcock	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Alistair McGowan	Susie Dent	132
S37	14/09/2012	Husband & Wife	Jayshree Patel	85 – 79	Magnus Mackereth	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Jon Culshaw	Susie Dent	123
S38	28/09/2012	Male Finalists	Peter Lee	132 – 72	Dave Taylor	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Alistair McGowan	Susie Dent	137
S(39)	UNRELEASED	Husband & Wife	Norman Rudland	–	Carol Rudland	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Connie Fisher	Susie Dent	???
S40	2/07/2013	Lovebirds	Michelle Nevitt	81 – 88	Ryan Taylor	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Dave Spikey	Susie Dent	119
S41	12/12/2014	Battle of the Bobbys	Bobby Banerjee	65 – 82	Bobby Johnson	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Arlene Phillips	Susie Dent	122
S42	22/12/2014	Senior Females	Eileen Taylor	91 – 86	Priscilla Munday	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Arlene Phillips	Susie Dent	141
S43	23/12/2014	Battle of the Mc's	Duncan McGregor	53 – 97	Michael McDowell	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Arlene Phillips	Susie Dent	132
S44	6/04/2015	Sisters	Olivia Lloyd-Potts	64 – 67	Pauline Latham	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Gyles Brandreth	Susie Dent	122
S45	10/04/2015	Law & Order	Matt Croy	91 – 66	Craig Lingard	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Paul Zenon	Susie Dent	117
S46	8/05/2015	Veterans	Graham Nash	94 – 49	John Brackstone	Nick Hewer	Rachel Riley					Gyles Brandreth	Susie Dent	121
S47	21/12/2020	Battle of Bingley	Tom Carey	122 – 110	George Armstrong	Colin Murray	Rachel Riley					Rory Bremner	Susie Dent	137
S48	22/12/2020	Series 63 & 69 Champions	Callum Todd	100 – 125	Jack Hurst	Colin Murray	Rachel Riley					Rory Bremner	Susie Dent	153
S49	23/12/2020	All-time greats	Conor Travers	118 – 110	Jack Worsley	Colin Murray	Rachel Riley					Rory Bremner	Susie Dent	128

See also

• The 2000th Edition
• Celebrity Countdown
• A Tribute to Countdown: 3000 and Counting
• 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
• Category:Special episodes
• 2020 COVID-19 hiatus

External Links

• A list of repeats in place of cricket on The Countdown Page.