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Difference between revisions of "Ciaran McCarthy"

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[[Image:CiaranMcCarthy.jpg|right|thumb|Ciaran McCarthy]]
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{{octostats|TBC|TBC|842|6}}
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'''Ciaran McCarthy''' was a [[contestant]] in [[Series 70]]. He is believed to have been the first deaf contestant on Countdown. His score of 104 is one of the highest losing scores in a heat game.
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[[Image:CiaranMcCarthy.jpg|right|thumb|Ciaran McCarthy in Series 70...]]
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[[File:Ciaran McCarthy.png|thumb|200px|right|...and 11 years later in Series 92.]]
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'''Ciaran McCarthy''' was a [[contestant]] in [[Series 70]], and an [[octochamp]] in [[Series 92]]. At the time of his 2014 appearance, he was a Performing Arts/Creative Media Production student at {{w|Bedford College, Bedford|Bedford College}} while also living in Bedford. But by the time of his second set of games, he was living/working in London. He is also an [[Apterite]] and will almost certainly return for the end-of-series finals in December.
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==Appearances==
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===[[Series 70]]===
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On his debut, which was believed to have been the first from a deaf contestant on Countdown, he had the great misfortune of running into eventual [[octochamp]] and [[Series winners|series champion]] [[Mark Murray]]. His highly impressive debut score of 104, which was not enough to win after Murray spotted the crucial [[conundrum]] {{word|RENOVATED}}, still stands to this day as one of of the highest losing scores ever recorded in a heat game.
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===[[Series 92]]===
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After that rather unfortunate matchup and with more time on [[Apterous]] behind him, McCarthy returned just shy of 11.5 years later and kicked off with a strong second debut against fellow [[Apterous|Apterite]] [[Lju Laz|Lju Lazarevic]]. He followed that up with seven further victories, which included five [[century|centuries]] among them. He managed to spot six nine-letter-words in his heats which was more than any other contestant in the series to date; those being {{word|UNGODLIER}}, {{word|ANTISERUM}}, {{word|DEROGATES}}, {{word|LIMESTONE}}, {{word|QUANTILES}} and {{word|DREAMIEST}}. The fourth one actually was revealed to be a substitute as McCarthy originally spotted the also valid {{word|MOLESTING}}, which had to be cut from the broadcast with one of the letters being changed in the edit.
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Ciaran also stood out by his devotion to a three-large [[numbers]] round pick every time he was asked, and his [[conundrum]] solves were more often than not very speedy throughout his heats. After his [[Episode 8608|eighth victory]] which saw him rack up a personal best of 124, McCarthy confirmed his [[octochamp]]dom and membership of the [[800 club]] with a final tally of 842, which was good enough for the third seed at the time just ahead of [[John Payne (Series 71)|John Payne]]. Rachel then christened Ciaran "'''The Omen'''" as a final-send off to mark his achievements on the show to date.
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==Appearances on other Quiz shows==
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Three years after his [[Series 70]] appearance, he recorded ten shows for the BBC quiz show ''{{w|!mpossible}}'' on the same episodes as [[Series 78]] contestant [[Alyssa Critchley]], with whom he would appear on ''Tenable'' on ITV on 21 September 2022, as part of the 'Buzz-in Buddies' team.
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On 18 June 2023, he won £40,000 on ''Sitting on a Fortune''.
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==ZoomDown==
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Before his return on [[Countdown]] in [[Series 92]], he made his debut appearance in [[ZoomDown Series 5]] in August 2025, winning four games and becoming the sixth tetrachamp of the series with 390 points. This secured him the seventh seed for the finals but unfortunately his opponent, second seed [[MSR]] overpowered him to knock McCarthy out of the tournament with a still respectable final score of 72 points.
  
 
==Episodes==
 
==Episodes==
 
{{episode table}}
 
{{episode table}}
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{{ep | 5904 | 14/04/2014 | P |[[Mark Murray]]| 120 - 104 |Ciaran McCarthy|[[Michael Whitehall]]|[[Susie Dent]]|137}}
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{{ep | 5904 | 14/04/2014 | P |[[Mark Murray]]|120 - 104|Ciaran McCarthy|[[Michael Whitehall]]|[[Susie Dent]]|137}}
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{{ep | 8601 | 10/09/2025 | P |[[Lju Laz|Lju Lazarevic]]|39 – 96|Ciaran McCarthy|[[Chris McCausland]]|Susie Dent|129}}
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{{ep | 8602 | 11/09/2025 | P |Ciaran McCarthy|87 – 67|[[Tom Sydenham]]|Chris McCausland|Susie Dent|135}}
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{{ep | 8603 | 12/09/2025 | P |Ciaran McCarthy|105 – 75|[[Mark Baker]]|Chris McCausland|Susie Dent|124}}
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{{ep | 8604 | 15/09/2025 | P |Ciaran McCarthy|112 – 33|[[Martyn Smith]]|[[Shirley Ballas]]|Susie Dent|145}}
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{{ep | 8605 | 16/09/2025 | P |Ciaran McCarthy|112 – 63|[[Kay Shrubb]]|Shirley Ballas|Susie Dent|140}}
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{{ep | 8606 | 17/09/2025 | P |Ciaran McCarthy|99 – 65|[[Gaurav Kamath]]|Shirley Ballas|Susie Dent|130}}
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{{ep | 8607 | 18/09/2025 | P |Ciaran McCarthy|107 – 37|[[Mick Jary]]|Shirley Ballas|Susie Dent|143}}
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{{ep | 8608 | 19/09/2025 | P |Ciaran McCarthy|124 – 57|[[Paul Bainbridge]]|Shirley Ballas|Susie Dent|154}}
 
{{episode table end}}
 
{{episode table end}}
  
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maccarthy, Ciaran}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Ciaran}}
 
[[Category:Contestants in Series 70]]
 
[[Category:Contestants in Series 70]]
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[[Category:Contestants in Series 92]]
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[[Category:Returning contestants]]
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[[Category:Contestants on ZoomDown]]
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[[Category:Contestants on other game shows]]
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[[Category:Teapot owners]]
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[[Category:Octochamps of the 15 round era]]

Latest revision as of 15:55, 21 September 2025

Ciaran McCarthy
octochamp statistics
Final position TBC
Seeding TBC
Points total 842
Conundrums solved 6
Ciaran McCarthy in Series 70...
...and 11 years later in Series 92.

Ciaran McCarthy was a contestant in Series 70, and an octochamp in Series 92. At the time of his 2014 appearance, he was a Performing Arts/Creative Media Production student at Bedford College while also living in Bedford. But by the time of his second set of games, he was living/working in London. He is also an Apterite and will almost certainly return for the end-of-series finals in December.

Appearances

Series 70

On his debut, which was believed to have been the first from a deaf contestant on Countdown, he had the great misfortune of running into eventual octochamp and series champion Mark Murray. His highly impressive debut score of 104, which was not enough to win after Murray spotted the crucial conundrum RENOVATED, still stands to this day as one of of the highest losing scores ever recorded in a heat game.

Series 92

After that rather unfortunate matchup and with more time on Apterous behind him, McCarthy returned just shy of 11.5 years later and kicked off with a strong second debut against fellow Apterite Lju Lazarevic. He followed that up with seven further victories, which included five centuries among them. He managed to spot six nine-letter-words in his heats which was more than any other contestant in the series to date; those being UNGODLIER, ANTISERUM, DEROGATES, LIMESTONE, QUANTILES and DREAMIEST. The fourth one actually was revealed to be a substitute as McCarthy originally spotted the also valid MOLESTING, which had to be cut from the broadcast with one of the letters being changed in the edit.

Ciaran also stood out by his devotion to a three-large numbers round pick every time he was asked, and his conundrum solves were more often than not very speedy throughout his heats. After his eighth victory which saw him rack up a personal best of 124, McCarthy confirmed his octochampdom and membership of the 800 club with a final tally of 842, which was good enough for the third seed at the time just ahead of John Payne. Rachel then christened Ciaran "The Omen" as a final-send off to mark his achievements on the show to date.

Appearances on other Quiz shows

Three years after his Series 70 appearance, he recorded ten shows for the BBC quiz show !mpossible on the same episodes as Series 78 contestant Alyssa Critchley, with whom he would appear on Tenable on ITV on 21 September 2022, as part of the 'Buzz-in Buddies' team.

On 18 June 2023, he won £40,000 on Sitting on a Fortune.

ZoomDown

Before his return on Countdown in Series 92, he made his debut appearance in ZoomDown Series 5 in August 2025, winning four games and becoming the sixth tetrachamp of the series with 390 points. This secured him the seventh seed for the finals but unfortunately his opponent, second seed MSR overpowered him to knock McCarthy out of the tournament with a still respectable final score of 72 points.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
5904 14/04/2014 P Mark Murray 120 – 104 Ciaran McCarthy Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Michael Whitehall Susie Dent 137
8601 10/09/2025 P Lju Lazarevic 39 – 96 Ciaran McCarthy Colin Murray Rachel Riley Chris McCausland Susie Dent 129
8602 11/09/2025 P Ciaran McCarthy 87 – 67 Tom Sydenham Colin Murray Rachel Riley Chris McCausland Susie Dent 135
8603 12/09/2025 P Ciaran McCarthy 105 – 75 Mark Baker Colin Murray Rachel Riley Chris McCausland Susie Dent 124
8604 15/09/2025 P Ciaran McCarthy 112 – 33 Martyn Smith Colin Murray Rachel Riley Shirley Ballas Susie Dent 145
8605 16/09/2025 P Ciaran McCarthy 112 – 63 Kay Shrubb Colin Murray Rachel Riley Shirley Ballas Susie Dent 140
8606 17/09/2025 P Ciaran McCarthy 99 – 65 Gaurav Kamath Colin Murray Rachel Riley Shirley Ballas Susie Dent 130
8607 18/09/2025 P Ciaran McCarthy 107 – 37 Mick Jary Colin Murray Rachel Riley Shirley Ballas Susie Dent 143
8608 19/09/2025 P Ciaran McCarthy 124 – 57 Paul Bainbridge Colin Murray Rachel Riley Shirley Ballas Susie Dent 154
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