Stewart Holden - Revision history

Mclarenguy22: /* After Countdown */

2022-12-19T21:57:14Z

‎After Countdown

TobyMcDonald at 13:19, 29 August 2022

2022-08-29T13:19:59Z

Show changes

TobyMcDonald at 21:51, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T21:51:25Z

Mclarenguy22 at 17:12, 31 May 2020

2020-05-31T17:12:55Z

The Doctor: octo template

2020-05-29T14:37:54Z

octo template

Mclarenguy22: /* After Countdown */

2020-01-02T13:46:13Z

‎After Countdown

Mclarenguy22: /* After Countdown */

2020-01-02T13:32:33Z

‎After Countdown

JAWorsley at 04:09, 19 October 2019

2019-10-19T04:09:33Z

Launchballer: /* After Countdown */ fix typos

2019-08-12T00:08:28Z

‎After Countdown: fix typos

Mclarenguy22 at 23:17, 11 August 2019

2019-08-11T23:17:06Z

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 Holden was a committee member of the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]]. In October 2005, Holden launched his own ''Scrabble'' accessories business, Tilefish, which he later sold. In 2007, Holden was runner-up at the {{w|National Scrabble Championship (UK)|National Scrabble Championship}} held in London. Later, alongside compiling the weekly ''Scrabble'' puzzle in ''{{w|The Guardian}}'' newspaper, Holden made a small return to ''Countdown'' by writing content for the [[Countdown Desk Calendar]] for every year between 2008 and 2019; the calendars are now published by [[Ben Wilson]].
-On 11 August 2019, Holden and his quiz team appeared on ''{{w|Al Murray's Great British Pub Quiz}}'' on {{w|Quest (British TV channel)|Quest}}, with fellow ''Scrabble'' grandmaster [[Brett Smitheram]] and [[Mike Whiteoak]] in the audience.
+On 11 August 2019, Holden and his quiz team appeared on ''{{w|Al Murray's Great British Pub Quiz}}'' on {{w|Quest (British TV channel)|Quest}}, with fellow ''Scrabble'' grandmaster [[Brett Smitheram]] and [[Mike Whiteoak]] in the audience. Holden also appeared on ''{{w|Mastermind (British game show)|Mastermind}}'' on BBC Two on 19 December 2022.
 {{series winner|preceded_by=Chris Cummins|series=51|followed_by=Mark Tournoff}}

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 {{octostats|'''Champion'''|1|870|7}}
 [[Image:Stewart Holden geneology.JPG|right|thumb|The amazing moment when Stewart got the conundrum and realized he had won the series.]]
-'''Stewart Holden''' (born 5 September 1979) was an [[octochamp]] in and the [[champion]] of [[Series 51]].
+'''Stewart Holden''' (born 5 September 1979) was an [[octochamp]] in and the [[Series Winners|champion]] of [[Series 51]].
-He won eight consecutive heat games and secured [[octochamp]] status, amassing an aggregate score of 870 points (the ninth highest ever) and becoming #1 seed for the series. From here he defeated [[Nicole Hutchings]] and [[Richard Pay]] on his way to a grand final appearance alongside [[Steve Graston]], who he beat by 104 points to 81. Following this success, Holden had hoped to appear in the [[Championship of Champions XII|twelfth Championship of Champions]], but following a temporary postponement on its recording Holden opted instead to retire from Countdown undefeated, in order to concentrate on his preferred game of [[Scrabble]].
+He won eight consecutive heat games and secured octochamp status, amassing an aggregate score of 870 points (the ninth highest ever) and becoming No. 1 seed for the series. From here he defeated [[Nicole Hutchings]] and [[Richard Pay]] on his way to a grand final appearance alongside [[Steve Graston]], who he beat by 104 points to 81. Following this success, Holden had hoped to appear in [[Championship of Champions XII]], but following a temporary postponement on its recording Holden opted instead to retire from ''[[Countdown]]'' undefeated, in order to concentrate on his preferred game of [[Scrabble]].
 ==Appearances on the programme==
@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 Holden had a shaky start in his debut as his offering of {{word|unmailed}} {{x}} was disallowed in the very first round. He soon settled in, reversing his bad fortune with the nine letter word {{word|ASTEROIDS}} in round 2. From here Holden accelerated away, scoring in every round thereafter to set up an easy victory with a final score of {{score|115|45}} &mdash; a winning margin of 70 points. In his second game, Holden once again scored a [[century]] whilst holding opponent [[Fiona Scott]] to just 21 points, with an even greater winning margin of 87. In his third game, Holden kicked off with the eight letter word {{word|EMULSION}} and the nine {{word|POLARIZES}}; he lead by 41 points to 0 after four rounds. In spite of this Holden failed to score a century, but he was still easily victorious.
-Holden handed down another crushing defeat to his fourth opponent [[Pamela Moffat]]. Her respectable raw score of 80 points translated to an actual score of just 31, as Holden scored his third century and solved his fourth consecutive conundrum, {{word|RAMANATAC}}, in just one second. His next opponent, [[Mike Collins]], was clearly fazed by the prospect of playing the now five times champion. Collins started well by equalling Holden with {{word|ROMANCED}} in round 1 but shortly afterwards he lost his way, failing to declare anything at all during three rounds, and totalling just 35 points. In his sixth game, Holden played [[Mo Janson]] who was able to hold his own against the seemingly indefatigable player, even beating him in round 6 with the nine-letter word {{word|LAUNDRIES}}. Holden fought back but Janson was in the contest until the final numbers round, when Holden managed to get closer to the target of 223 and so spare himself a crucial conundrum.
+Holden handed down another crushing defeat to his fourth opponent [[Pamela Moffat]]. Her respectable raw score of 80 points translated to an actual score of just 31, as Holden scored his third century and solved his fourth consecutive [[conundrum]], {{word|RAMANATAC}}, in just one second. His next opponent, [[Mike Collins]], was clearly fazed by the prospect of playing the now five times champion. Collins started well by equalling Holden with {{word|ROMANCED}} in round 1 but shortly afterwards he lost his way, failing to declare anything at all during three rounds, and totalling just 35 points. In his sixth game, Holden played [[Mo Janson]] who was able to hold his own against the seemingly indefatigable player, even beating him in round 6 with the nine-letter word {{word|LAUNDRIES}}. Holden fought back but Janson was in the contest until the final [[numbers game]], when Holden managed to get closer to the target of 223 and so spare himself a crucial conundrum.
-In his [[Episode 3656|seventh preliminary game]] against [[Anna Briggs]], Holden found two nine letter words, {{word|MANTICORE}} and {{word|DEFEATING}}, and totalled 137 points. This was the [[List of series high scores|highest score of the series,]] and remains the fourth highest of all time. Holden's total score of 791 after seven games was one point higher than then record holder [[Julian Fell]]'s at the same stage. With a score of 138 points or more in his final heat game, Holden would have surpassed Fell's total of 924. However, it was not to be as Holden had {{word|demonics}} {{x}} and {{word|unsailed}} {{x}} disallowed and had to come from behind to win by just six points, {{score|79|73}}. In spite of this near stumble at the final hurdle, 870 points was easily enough to make Holden the #1 seed come the series finals in June.
+In his [[Episode 3656|seventh preliminary game]] against [[Anna Briggs]], Holden found two nine letter words, {{word|MANTICORE}} and {{word|DEFEATING}}, and totalled 137 points. This was the [[List of series high scores|highest score of the series]], and was the seventh highest of the [[15 round format (old)|old 15 round format]]. Holden's total score of 791 after seven games was one point higher than then record holder [[Julian Fell]]'s at the same stage. With a score of 138 points or more in his final heat game, Holden would have surpassed Fell's total of 924. However, it was not to be as Holden had {{word|demonics}} {{x}} and {{word|unsailed}} {{x}} disallowed and had to come from behind to win by just six points, {{score|79|73}}. In spite of this near stumble at the final hurdle, 870 points was easily enough to make Holden the No. 1 seed for the series finals in June.
 ===Series finals===
 [[Image:Stewart with bloody big books.jpg|thumb|right|Holden with his dictionaries (and Richard and Carol).]]
-In his quarter-final, Holden had a close game against #8 seed [[Nicole Hutchings]] who equalled Holden on the numbers and beat him to the conundrum. However, spotting the words {{word|PENTODE}} and {{word|MANICURE}} during the [[Countdown#Evolution|third half]] allowed Holden to secure a five point victory, with a final scoreline of {{score|110|105}}. His semi-final against fellow octochamp [[Richard Pay]] was considerably less close, with Holden winning by 33 points, the largest winning margin of any match in the series finals. Holden's opponent in the grand final was #7 seed [[Steve Graston]]. In spite of the difference in the two players' seedings the game itself was nip and tuck, with Graston leading by a point going into the second advert break. Holden fought back strongly, beating Graston with the words {{word|PROSAIC}} and {{word|WALDOES}} and equalling him thereafter to avoid a [[conundrum|crucial conundrum]]. However, Holden finished with a flourish by unravelling {{word|LAYONEEGG}} to become the undefeated Series 51 champion.
+In his quarter-final, Holden had a close game against No. 8 seed [[Nicole Hutchings]] who equalled Holden on the numbers and beat him to the conundrum. However, spotting the words {{word|PENTODE}} and {{word|MANICURE}} during the [[Countdown#Evolution|third half]] allowed Holden to secure a five point victory, with a final scoreline of {{score|110|105}}. His semi-final against fellow [[octochamp]] [[Richard Pay]] was considerably less close, with Holden winning by 33 points, the largest winning margin of any match in the series finals. Holden's opponent in the grand final was No. 7 seed [[Steve Graston]]. In spite of the difference in the two players' seedings the game itself was nip and tuck, with Graston leading by a point going into the second advert break. Holden fought back strongly, beating Graston with the words {{word|PROSAIC}} and {{word|WALDOES}} and equalling him thereafter to avoid a [[conundrum|crucial conundrum]]. However, Holden finished with a flourish by unravelling {{word|LAYONEEGG}} to become the undefeated Series 51 champion.
 ==After Countdown==
 [[Image:Stewart Holden.jpg|thumb|right|Holden at a national Scrabble event.]]
-After winning his series, Holden had planned to participate in the [[Championship of Champions XII]] which was set to be recorded in May 2005. However, filming was postponed until November that year at the earliest due to host [[Richard Whiteley]] contracting a lung infection, which would later lead to the presenter's death. Holden, a competitive [[Scrabble]] player who had previously represented England at the 2003 World Scrabble Championship, was unable to commit any further time to studying the [[Oxford Dictionary of English|ODE]], which differs significantly from the SOWPODS (now Collins Official Scrabble Words) dictionary used in Scrabble. In order not to affect his Scrabble performance Holden announced on the [[c4countdown]] message board (which he had founded in 2004) that he would not be participating in any further televised editions of Countdown. He did continue to compete in unofficial tournaments though, including [[COLIN 2005]], [[COLIN 2006]] and [[COLIN 2008]].
+After winning his series, Holden had planned to participate in the [[Championship of Champions XII]] which was set to be recorded in May 2005. However, filming was postponed until November that year at the earliest due to host [[Richard Whiteley]] contracting a lung infection, which would later lead to the presenter's death. Holden, a competitive [[Scrabble]] player who had previously represented England at the 2003 World Scrabble Championship, was unable to commit any further time to studying the [[Oxford Dictionary of English|ODE]], which differs significantly from the SOWPODS (now Collins Official Scrabble Words) dictionary used in Scrabble. In order not to affect his Scrabble performance Holden announced on the [[c4countdown]] message board (which he had founded in 2004) that he would not be participating in any further televised editions of ''[[Countdown]]''. He did continue to compete in [[Co-event|unofficial tournaments]] though, including [[COLIN 2005]], [[COLIN 2006]] and [[COLIN 2008]].
-Holden holds the role of Rules Officer for the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]]. In October 2005 Holden launched his own Scrabble accessories business, ''Tilefish'', which he later sold. In 2007, Holden was runner-up at the National Scrabble Championship held in London. Later, alongside compiling the weekly Scrabble puzzle in The Guardian newspaper, Holden has made a small return to Countdown by writing content for the desktop Countdown puzzle [[Countdown Desk Calendar|calendar]] for every year between 2008 and 2019; the calendars are now published by [[Ben Wilson]].
+Holden holds the role of Rules Officer for the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]]. In October 2005, Holden launched his own Scrabble accessories business, ''Tilefish'', which he later sold. In 2007, Holden was runner-up at the National Scrabble Championship held in London. Later, alongside compiling the weekly Scrabble puzzle in {{w|The Guardian}} newspaper, Holden made a small return to ''Countdown'' by writing content for the desktop ''Countdown'' puzzle [[Countdown Desk Calendar|calendar]] for every year between 2008 and 2019; the calendars are now published by [[Ben Wilson]].
-On 11 August 2019, Holden and his quiz team appeared on ''Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz'' on Quest, with fellow Scrabble Grand Master [[Brett Smitheram]] and [[Mike Whiteoak]] in the audience.
+On 11 August 2019, Holden and his quiz team appeared on ''{{w|Al Murray's Great British Pub Quiz}}'' on {{w|Quest (British TV channel)|Quest}}, with fellow Scrabble Grand Master [[Brett Smitheram]] and [[Mike Whiteoak]] in the audience.
 {{series winner|preceded_by=Chris Cummins|series=51|followed_by=Mark Tournoff}}
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 ==External Links==
-* [[wikipedia:Stewart Holden|Stewart Holden]] at Wikipedia.
+{{WP}}
 * His own record of his [http://www.thecountdownpage.com/exp-stewart-holden.htm experience on the show] on [[The Countdown Page]].
 * [http://www.absp.org.uk/ Association of British Scrabble Players].
-* [http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/c4countdown/message/3928 Message on c4countdown] in which Holden announced his retirement from Countdown.
+* [http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/c4countdown/message/3928 Message on c4countdown] in which Holden announced his retirement from ''[[Countdown]]''.
-* [http://tilefish.co.uk Tilefish], the Scrabble accessories business established and originally owned by Holden.
+* [http://tilefish.co.uk Tilefish], the [[Scrabble]] accessories business established and originally owned by Holden.
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Holden, Stewart}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{featured article}}
-{{octostats|'''Winner'''|1|870|7}}
+{{octostats|'''Champion'''|1|870|7}}
 [[Image:Stewart Holden geneology.JPG|right|thumb|The amazing moment when Stewart got the conundrum and realized he had won the series.]]
 '''Stewart Holden''' (born 5 September 1979) was an [[octochamp]] in and the [[champion]] of [[Series 51]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{featured article}}
 [[Image:Stewart Holden geneology.JPG|right|thumb|The amazing moment when Stewart got the conundrum and realized he had won the series.]]
 '''Stewart Holden''' (born 5 September 1979) was an [[octochamp]] in and the [[champion]] of [[Series 51]].

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 After winning his series, Holden had planned to participate in the [[Championship of Champions XII]] which was set to be recorded in May 2005. However, filming was postponed until November that year at the earliest due to host [[Richard Whiteley]] contracting a lung infection, which would later lead to the presenter's death. Holden, a competitive [[Scrabble]] player who had previously represented England at the 2003 World Scrabble Championship, was unable to commit any further time to studying the [[Oxford Dictionary of English|ODE]], which differs significantly from the SOWPODS (now Collins Official Scrabble Words) dictionary used in Scrabble. In order not to affect his Scrabble performance Holden announced on the [[c4countdown]] message board (which he had founded in 2004) that he would not be participating in any further televised editions of Countdown. He did continue to compete in unofficial tournaments though, including [[COLIN 2005]], [[COLIN 2006]] and [[COLIN 2008]].
-Holden holds the role of Rules Officer for the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]]. In October 2005 Holden launched his own Scrabble accessories business, ''Tilefish'', which he later sold. In 2007, Holden was runner-up at the National Scrabble Championship held in London. More recently, alongside compiling the weekly Scrabble puzzle in The Guardian newspaper, Holden has made a small return to Countdown by writing content for the desktop Countdown puzzle [[Countdown Desk Calendar|calendar]] from 2008 until 2019.
+Holden holds the role of Rules Officer for the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]]. In October 2005 Holden launched his own Scrabble accessories business, ''Tilefish'', which he later sold. In 2007, Holden was runner-up at the National Scrabble Championship held in London. Later, alongside compiling the weekly Scrabble puzzle in The Guardian newspaper, Holden has made a small return to Countdown by writing content for the desktop Countdown puzzle [[Countdown Desk Calendar|calendar]] for every year between 2008 and 2019; the calendars are now published by [[Ben Wilson]].
 On 11 August 2019, Holden and his quiz team appeared on ''Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz'' on Quest, with fellow Scrabble Grand Master [[Brett Smitheram]] and [[Mike Whiteoak]] in the audience.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 Holden holds the role of Rules Officer for the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]]. In October 2005 Holden launched his own Scrabble accessories business, ''Tilefish'', which he later sold. In 2007, Holden was runner-up at the National Scrabble Championship held in London. More recently, alongside compiling the weekly Scrabble puzzle in The Guardian newspaper, Holden has made a small return to Countdown by writing content for the desktop Countdown puzzle [[Countdown Desk Calendar|calendar]] from 2008 until the present day.
 {{series winner|preceded_by=Chris Cummins|series=51|followed_by=Mark Tournoff}}
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 [[Category:Teapot owners]]
 [[Category:Unbeaten contestants]]