Wayne Summers

Wayne Summers in his debut against Bernadette Battman.

Wayne Summers was the champion of Series 24 and the winner of Championship of Champions VI, earning him reputation as one of – if not, the – greatest non-octochamps in the show's history.

He was from the Channel Islands and first appeared at the tender age of 15 in the first heat of Series 24, beating fellow newcomer Bernadette Battman 73 – 41 (the champion's chair having been vacated at the end of Series 23). Summers won four more heat games, including a close game against Deborah Rettie that was decided by a sudden death conundrum, before losing to his own father, Martin, 64 – 54 in his sixth game.

Summers' performances were enough to see him return for the final rounds as #3 seed, and after two close games against Ged O'Toole and Alan Payne in the quarter- and semi-final respectively, he found himself facing #8 seed Fiona Davies in the final. After yet another close-run game, Summers outran Davies 67 – 47 and became the youngest ever series champion, a title he would hold for almost fifteen years until Conor Travers won Series 54 aged 14.

Summers returned at the start of 1993 for Championship of Champions VI, where he beat Phil Jordan and Fiona Willis on his way to the final against Chris Waddington. Summers won another close match by a score of 79 – 67 to become the sixth Champion of Champions.

Summers returned to Countdown one last time three years later, at the age of 20, for the Supreme Championship, where he received a seed into the group semi-finals. Unfortunately for Summers, he was defeated in his first game 59 – 39 by Hilary Hopper after a series of unfortunate missed words.

Preceded by Gareth Williams

Series winner Series 24

Followed by Don Reid

Preceded by Tim Morrissey

Champion of Champions Championship of Champions VI

Followed by Don Reid

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
1263	29/06/1992	P	Bernadette Battman	41 – 73	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Rula Lenska	Susie Dent	85
1264	30/06/1992	P	Robert Cockrell	36 – 39	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Rula Lenska	Susie Dent	73
1265	1/07/1992	P	Deborah Rettie	45 – 55*	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Rula Lenska	Susie Dent	64
1266	2/07/1992	P	Clive Dean	19 – 42	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Rula Lenska	Susie Dent	77
1267	3/07/1992	P	Tracy Moore	33 – 46	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Rula Lenska	Susie Dent	71
1268	6/07/1992	P	Martin Summers	64 – 54	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Rula Lenska	Susie Dent	87
1323	21/09/1992	QF	Ged O'Toole	49 – 54	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Judy Pearsall	85
1326	24/09/1992	SF	Wayne Summers	42 – 41	Alan Payne	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams	Judy Pearsall	71
1327	25/09/1992	GF	Wayne Summers	67 – 47	Fiona Davies	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Simon Williams, Jenny Hanley	Judy Pearsall	106
1330	6/01/1993	CQF	Wayne Summers	60 – 38	Phil Jordan	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	73
1333	11/01/1993	CSF	Fiona Willis	51 – 52	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	73
1334	12/01/1993	CGF	Chris Waddington	67 – 79	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Susie Dent	117
1891	28/11/1996	fSF	Hilary Hopper	59 – 39	Wayne Summers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Digance	David Swarbrick	71

* includes 10 points from a tie-break conundrum