View source for Julian Fell

[[Image:Julian Fell.jpg|right|thumb|frame|'''Julian Fell'''.]]
'''Julian Fell''' was the winner of [[Series 48]] and is widely considered to be among the greatest Countdowners of all time. He holds a cornucopia of records, including the highest single score (146). He is particular renowned for his astonishing word knowledge, including definitions, coupled with fast conundrums. His numbers strength is often underestimated in comparison to the other disciplines. A poll of [[Gevincountdown]] members in 2003 voted him the greatest player of all time, ahead of [[Harvey Freeman]]. His Octochamp total of 924 was a record until [[Kirk Bevins]] beat it by a single point.

His debut came on Wednesday 16th October 2002, when he posted an impressive 117. Six more centuries followed, and by the following Friday only [[Carl McDermott]] stood between Fell and [[octochamp]]dom. [[Episode 3349|This game]] is remembered as one of the greatest drubbings in Countdown history, as Fell racked up 138, winning by 109. His place as #1 seed and favourite for the series was assured, and his feat of eight centuries in eight heats has been matched only by [[Series 57]] contestant [[Craig Beevers]].

The quarter final saw Fell rack up a hefty 125 against 8th seed [[Mike Brown (debut episode 3328)|Mike Brown]] including the niner {{word|WOMANISER}} to advance comfortably to the next round. In the semifinal, Fell faced [[Danny Hamilton]], finding {{word|SALMONIDS}}, {{word|DEPORTING}}, {{word|INGATHERS}} and {{word|DEFLATION}} to make 146 before the conundrum. With [[Chris Wills]]' high score record already surpassed, Fell had his first blank on the conundrum, with {{word|THEIRCOPY}} proving too difficult for either contestant. The final was more closely fought, despite Julian finding a first round winner in {{word|MANTICORE}}. [[Grace Page]] played consistently thereafter and the excellent {{word|KNITWEAR}} in Round 9 gave her a chance of a comeback. However the rest of the game produced flat selections and the game was over before the final numbers. Fell ended the series by unravelling {{word|APIMOMENT}} in barely a second.

A few weeks later, he returned to the Leeds studio for [[Championship of Champions XI]]. A twelfth consecutive century, this time against [[Series 42]]'s [[Terence O'Farrell]], eased Fell into the quarterfinals. His match with [[Series 43]] champion [[Graham Nash]] was another classic. Both players scored steadily but the game turned on Julian's risky declaration of {{word|GAMBIERS}}, which he knew to be a mass noun plural but believed was likely to be acceptable under the newly revised rules. Susie disagreed - the first time Julian had had a word disallowed. A few points behind going into the crucial conundrum, Nash quickly buzzed with the solution to {{word|MENDMEDOC}} and the game was his - Julian had been felled at last.

Julian returned a few months later to face [[Chris Wills]] in a special game. The game was close but Julian pulled ahead with {{word|GERONTIC}} in round 12, but was beaten on the last numbers and went into the conundrum trailing 90 - 92. Julian had still scored a century in every game he had played, including his loss to Graham Nash. It was Julian that got the conundrum {{word|VIRTUOSIC}} and continued his run of 14 [[century|centuries]] in 14 games. Overall, he was won 13 games and lost only 1.

After Julian's loss to Graham Nash, Julian played a [[Cambridge Charity Countdown Challenge|non-televised charity game]] against [[Chris Cummins]], the champion of [[Series 50]], as both were students at Cambridge University at the time. Julian won the rubber 2-0.

Julian organised the first major online tournament in the summer of 2004, and beat [[Jon Stitcher]] in a closely fought final. Since then he has graduated from Magdalene College, Cambridge. He returned to the online Countdown scene in 2008, but it was short-lived as he announced his retirement, citing a lack of motivation as his main reason.

{{series winner|preceded_by=Chris Wills|series=48|followed_by=John Davies (Series 49)|John Davies}}

==Episodes==
{{episode table}}
{{ep | 3342 | 16/10/2002 | P | [[Kevin Neate]] | 63 - 117 | Julian Fell | [[Keith Barron]] | [[Susie Dent]] }}
{{ep | 3343 | 17/10/2002 | P | Julian Fell | 117 - 57 | [[Russell Hutton]] | Keith Barron | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3344 | 18/10/2002 | P | Julian Fell | 108 - 53 | [[Megan Stone]] | Keith Barron | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3345 | 21/10/2002 | P | Julian Fell | 120 - 49 | [[Leo Pinches]] | [[Ingrid Tarrant]] | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3346 | 22/10/2002 | P | Julian Fell | 104 - 61 | [[Tim Cape]] | Ingrid Tarrant | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3347 | 23/10/2002 | P | Julian Fell | 111 - 54 | [[Jill Leatherbarrow]] | Ingrid Tarrant | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3348 | 24/10/2002 | P | Julian Fell | 109 - 84 | [[June Mitchell]] | Ingrid Tarrant | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3349 | 25/10/2002 | P | Julian Fell | 138 - 29 | [[Carl McDermott]] | Ingrid Tarrant | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3383 | 12/12/2002 | QF | Julian Fell | 125 - 67 | [[Mike Brown (debut episode 3328)|Mike Brown]] | [[Pam Ayres]] | [[Richard Samson]] }}
{{ep | 3387 | 18/12/2002 | SF | [[Danny Hamilton]] | 77 - 146 | Julian Fell | [[Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall]] | Richard Samson }}
{{ep | 3389 | 20/12/2002 | GF | Julian Fell | 112 - 88 | [[Grace Page]] | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Richard Samson }}
{{ep | 3396 | 14/01/2003 | CP | Julian Fell | 118 - 64 | [[Terence O'Farrell]] | [[Tim Rice]] | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | 3401 | 21/01/2003 | CQF | [[Graham Nash]] | 120 - 109 | Julian Fell | [[Eric Knowles]] | Susie Dent }}
{{ep | S12 | 15/09/2003 |S |Julian Fell | 100 - 92 | [[Chris Wills]] | [[Bob Bevan]] | [[Alison Heard]] }}
{{episode table end}}

==See also==

{{WP}}

[[Category:Series winners|Fell, Julian]]
[[Category:Octochamps of the 15 round era|Fell, Julian]]
[[Category:Contestants in Series 48|Fell, Julian]]
[[category:Contestants in Championship of Champions XI|Fell, Julian]]
[[Category:Teapot owners|Fell, Julian]]