Series 54 - Revision history

TobyMcDonald at 23:35, 5 January 2025

2025-01-05T23:35:09Z

TobyMcDonald at 16:23, 2 June 2022

2022-06-02T16:23:48Z

Show changes

The Doctor at 16:29, 2 December 2020

2020-12-02T16:29:33Z

Launchballer: ft

2020-11-28T21:01:50Z

Mclarenguy22 at 20:00, 28 November 2020

2020-11-28T20:00:23Z

RLSJ1997: Corrected the sentence by a bit

2020-11-12T17:25:36Z

Corrected the sentence by a bit

RLSJ1997: No longer true

2020-11-12T17:24:26Z

No longer true

Mclarenguy22 at 17:45, 6 September 2020

2020-09-06T17:45:50Z

The Doctor: disam

2020-08-27T22:21:15Z

disam

Mclarenguy22 at 17:22, 12 July 2020

2020-07-12T17:22:25Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{series|previous=Series 53|next=Series 55}}
+{{series infobox
-[[Image:Series54finalists.jpg|thumb|right|The Series 54 finalists with the [[presenter]]s and [[Dictionary Corner]].]]
+|previous           = Series 53
-[[Image:Conor Travers 2.jpg|thumb|right|[[Conor Travers]] shows off the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]].]]
+|next               = Series 55
 '''Series 54''' began on 31 October 2005, after 120 days off air, and ended on 26 May 2006. The first of two [[Series Winners|series]] and a [[Championship of Champions XII|COC]] hosted by [[Des Lynam]] was won by [[Conor Travers]] who, aged 14, became the youngest series winner in ''[[Countdown]]'' history as well as the first recipient of the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]].
@@ Line 194: / Line 208: @@
 {{ep | 4108 | 22/05/2006 | QF |[[Michael Bowden]]| 69 – 88 |[[Matthew Shore]]|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|112}}
 {{ep | 4109 | 23/05/2006 | QF |[[Keith Maynard]]| 49 – 118 |[[Paul Howe]]|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|134}}
-{{ep | 4110 | 24/05/2006 | SF |[[Conor Travers]]| 124 – 100 |[[Paul Howe]]|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|130}}
+{{ep | 4110 | 24/05/2006 | SF |Conor Travers| 124 – 100 |Paul Howe|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|130}}
-{{ep | 4111 | 25/05/2006 | SF |[[Jon Corby]]| 78 – 94 |[[Matthew Shore]]|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|122}}
+{{ep | 4111 | 25/05/2006 | SF |Jon Corby| 78 – 94 |Matthew Shore|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|122}}
-{{ep | 4112 | 26/05/2006 | GF |[[Conor Travers]]| 98 – 83 |[[Matthew Shore]]|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|118}}
+{{ep | 4112 | 26/05/2006 | GF |Conor Travers| 98 – 83 |Matthew Shore|Richard Digance|Susie Dent|118}}
 {{episode table end}}

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''Series 54''' began on 31 October 2005, after 120 days off air, and ended on 26 May 2006. The first of two series and a [[Championship of Champions XII|COC]] hosted by [[Des Lynam]] was won by [[Conor Travers]] who, aged 14, became the youngest series winner in ''Countdown'' history as well as the first recipient of the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]].
-Series 54 was the longest on record at the time with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]], which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (this would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
+Series 54 was the longest on record at the time with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]], which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (this would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the [[2020 COVID-19 hiatus|COVID-19 outbreak]]). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
 The opening title sequence was also changed, although the purple and orange cloudy background and logo were retained.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''Series 54''' began on 31 October 2005, after 120 days off air, and ended on 26 May 2006. The first of two series and a [[Championship of Champions XII|COC]] hosted by [[Des Lynam]] was won by [[Conor Travers]] who, aged 14, became the youngest series winner in ''Countdown'' history as well as the first recipient of the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]].
-Series 54 was the longest on record at the time with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]], which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (This would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
+Series 54 was the longest on record at the time with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]], which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (this would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
 The opening title sequence was also changed, although the purple and orange cloudy background and logo were retained.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''Series 54''' began on 31 October 2005, after 120 days off air, and ended on 26 May 2006. The first of two series and a [[Championship of Champions XII|COC]] hosted by [[Des Lynam]] was won by [[Conor Travers]] who, aged 14, became the youngest series winner in ''Countdown'' history as well as the first recipient of the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]].
-Series 54 was the longest on record at the time with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]] which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (This would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
+Series 54 was the longest on record at the time with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]], which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (This would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
 The opening title sequence was also changed, although the purple and orange cloudy background and logo were retained.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''Series 54''' began on 31 October 2005, after 120 days off air, and ended on 26 May 2006. The first of two series and a [[Championship of Champions XII|COC]] hosted by [[Des Lynam]] was won by [[Conor Travers]] who, aged 14, became the youngest series winner in ''Countdown'' history as well as the first recipient of the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]].
-Series 54 was the longest on record with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]] which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (This would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
+Series 54 was the longest on record at the time with 153 episodes being filmed due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]] which pushed back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months (This would later be surpassed by [[Series 82]] in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak). As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
 The opening title sequence was also changed, although the purple and orange cloudy background and logo were retained.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''Series 54''' began on 31 October 2005, after 120 days off air, and ended on 26 May 2006. The first of two series and a [[Championship of Champions XII|COC]] hosted by [[Des Lynam]] was won by [[Conor Travers]] who, aged 14, became the youngest series winner in ''Countdown'' history as well as the first recipient of the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]].
-Series 54 is the longest on record with 153 episodes being filmed, due to the unexpected death of [[Richard Whiteley]] pushing back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months. As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
+Series 54 is the longest on record with 153 episodes being filmed, due to the passing of [[Richard Whiteley]] pushing back the series' originally planned starting date of 4 July 2005 by nearly four months. As holding the final in December would have resulted in Series 54 containing only about 30 heats, it was decided that the series would be extended to cover the first half of 2006 as well. It was also decided that a trophy would be made in honour of Whiteley, with all the names of previous series winners engraved.
 Series 54 featured 6 [[octochamp]]s and for the first time ever, three players scored 850 or more during their run.

@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 {{ep | 3980 | 28/11/2005 | P |Conor Travers| 114 – 57 |[[Jane Capie]]|Jan Ravens|Susie Dent|131}}
 {{ep | 3981 | 29/11/2005 | P |Conor Travers| 111 – 53 |[[Steven Whitaker]]|[[Rick Wakeman]]|Susie Dent|129}}
-{{ep | 3982 | 30/11/2005 | P |Conor Travers| 124 – 69 |[[Andrew Christley]]|Rick Wakeman|Susie Dent|139}}
+{{ep | 3982 | 30/11/2005 | P |Conor Travers| 124 – 69 |[[Andy Christley|Andrew Christley]]|Rick Wakeman|Susie Dent|139}}
 {{ep | 3983 | 1/12/2005 | P |Conor Travers| 115 – 53 |[[Judy Bursford]]|Rick Wakeman|Susie Dent|124}}
 {{ep | 3984 | 2/12/2005 | P |Conor Travers| 117 – 61 |[[Vicky Prime]]|Rick Wakeman|Susie Dent|128}}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Series 54 featured 6 [[octochamp]]s and for the first time ever, three players scored 850 or more during their run.
-The show was broadcast at the later time of 3:30pm from this series; due to increased ratings, it was given an extra Saturday show in early 2006 which had varying transmission times, some as late as 4:35pm.
+The show was broadcast at the later time of 3:30pm for this series; due to increased ratings, it was given an extra Saturday show in early 2006 which had varying transmission times, some as late as 4:35pm.
 In the finals, [[Conor Travers]] thrashed [[Daniel Peake]] but [[Jon Corby]] had a very tense, close and low scoring game against [[Christine Armstrong]], although he did win. [[Matthew Shore]] won his quarter-final by 19 points and [[Paul Howe]] beat [[Keith Maynard]] in a remarkable game. Howe spotted {{word|ISOGAMETE}} in the first round and after 5 rounds led {{score|50|0}}. Maynard scored his first points in round 6 with {{word|VAULTED}}. In the semi-finals, another remarkable game occurred between Travers and Howe. Both players scored all maximums on the letters, also believe to be a unique occurrence, but Travers had the edge in two numbers games which meant that Howe couldn't win on the conundrum. Travers solved the conundrum and won {{score|124|100}}, one of the highest scoring games ever, 7 points less than the two games in the [[Championship of Champions XI]] that finished {{score|131|98}} and {{score|120|109}} respectively. The second semi-final featured much lower scores, but the game was competitive and in the end Shore triumphed {{score|94|78}} on the crucial conundrum {{word|GASPFROWN}}.