Stephen Balment

Stephen Balment

Stephen Balment was the Series 12 champion, as well as a participant in Championship of Champions III and the Supreme Championship.

A computer programmer from Leicester, he made his debut on 14 April 1987, beating Keith Albans 83 – 45, setting a record score that would remain unequalled for nine years and ultimately unbeaten following Countdown changing formats to the 15 round game. The show would go on to be repeated on more than one occasion over the years. Balment won two more heats before eventually succumbing to Mike Tobias, but would return for the quarter-finals as #4 seed. There, he defeated Nigel Aspden and Jon Marsh on his way to the final against Janet McRae, and saw off McRae's challenge to emerge the 81 – 66 winner and the champion of the twelfth series of Countdown.

Balment returned the following series for Championship of Champions III, but was beaten by Darryl Francis in the first round.

He returned one last time for the Supreme Championship in 1996, beating Gino Corr in the first round but losing to Joyce Cansfield in the second.

Balment is also an active player on the British Scrabble circuit, where he is known as the 'Yo-Yo' because of his wildly fluctuating rating.

Preceded by John Clarke

Series winner Series 12

Followed by Hilary Hopper

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
546	14/04/1987	P	Stephen Balment	83 - 45	Keith Albans	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	85
547	15/04/1987	P	Stephen Balment	53 - 46	Jez Gill	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	68
548	16/04/1987	P	Stephen Balment	53 - 45	Helen Pitt	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke	75
549	17/04/1987	P	Stephen Balment	43 - 59	Mike Tobias	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Anne Robinson	Della Thompson	71
591	16/06/1987	QF	Stephen Balment	73* - 63	Nigel Aspden	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Patrick Mower	Julia Swannell	95
592	17/06/1987	SF	Stephen Balment	51 - 30	Jon Marsh	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Patrick Mower	Julia Swannell	70
594	19/06/1987	GF	Stephen Balment	81 - 66	Janet McRae	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Diane Solomon, Patrick Mower	Julia Swannell	128
596	23/06/1987	CQF	Darryl Francis	46 - 28	Stephen Balment	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Sally James	Della Thompson	73
M18	31/07/1989–4/08/1989	M	David Poulter	57 – 105	Stephen Balment	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					none	Catherine Clarke	??
M70	30/07/1990–3/08/1990	M	Michael Wylie	118 – 44	Stephen Balment	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					none	Simon Mason	134
1875	6/11/1996	dQF	Stephen Balment	52 - 44	Gino Corr	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	72
1878	11/11/1996	dSF	Stephen Balment	48 - 57	Joyce Cansfield	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Barry Cryer	Susie Dent	71

* includes 10 points from a tie-break conundrum