Difference between revisions of "Presenter"

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[[Image:Richardwhiteley.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[Richard Whiteley]] presented almost 4,000 regular episodes.]]
 
[[Image:Richardwhiteley.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[Richard Whiteley]] presented almost 4,000 regular episodes.]]
A '''presenter''' is a professional TV personality that presents [[Countdown]]. There have been seven main presenters in the history of Countdown: [[Richard Whiteley]], [[Des Lynam]], [[Des O'Connor]], [[Jeff Stelling]], [[Nick Hewer]], [[Colin Murray]], and [[Anne Robinson]]. [[Trevor McDonald]] covered an episode when Robinson was inappropriate, while [[Les Dennis]] and [[Jenny Eclair]] both presented episodes when Murray was with COVID-19 and [[Floella Benjamin]], [[Richard Coles]], McDonald, and [[Moira Stuart]] deputised during Countdown's 40th birthday.
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A '''presenter''' is a professional TV personality that presents [[Countdown]]. There have been seven main presenters in the history of the show: [[Richard Whiteley]], [[Des Lynam]], [[Des O'Connor]], [[Jeff Stelling]], [[Nick Hewer]], [[Anne Robinson]] and [[Colin Murray]]. [[Trevor McDonald]] [[Episode 7592|covered an episode]] when Robinson was inappropriate. [[Les Dennis]] and [[Jenny Eclair]] presented episodes when Murray had {{w|COVID-19}}. And [[Floella Benjamin]], [[Richard Coles]], McDonald and [[Moira Stuart]] deputised during {{w|Countdown (game show)|Countdown}}'s 40th birthday.
  
The main job of the presenter is to anchor the show, such as asking contestants for their declarations, reading out the [[Teatime Teaser]] since [[Series 46]], marshalling the show, inviting contestants to make selections, and, perhaps most crucially, starting the [[clock music]] in each round. [[Richard Whiteley]] did not miss a single programme, including the ''[[Calendar Countdown]]'' series and pilot episodes, until 1997 when he appeared as a contestant against [[Carol Vorderman]], with the presenting being given over to [[William G Stewart|William G. Stewart]]: he continued to present every single edition of Countdown after that before his death in 2005 following the [[Episode 3959|grand final]] of [[Series 53]].
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The main job of the presenter is to anchor the show such as asking the [[contestant]]s for their declarations, reading out the [[Teatime Teaser]] since [[Series 46]], marshalling the show, telling the contestants to make their selections and starting the [[clock music|clock]] in each round (excluding Anne Robinson due to her height when she presented the show). {{w|Richard Whiteley}} did not miss presenting a single episode (including the ''[[Calendar Countdown]]'' series and pilot episodes) until [[Episode CS1997|Christmas Day 1997]] when he appeared as a contestant against [[Carol Vorderman]], with the presenting being given over to [[William G Stewart|William G. Stewart]]. Whiteley then continued to present every episode from [[Championship of Champions IX]] before his death in 2005, following the [[Series 53]] [[Episode 3959|grand final]].
  
[[Des Lynam]], [[Des O'Connor]], and [[Jeff Stelling]] all spent several series in the presenter's chair, before the role was given to [[Nick Hewer]] in 2012, whose longevity was second only to Whiteley. Due to the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic, Hewer missed some [[special episode]]s and some of [[Series 83]], during which [[Colin Murray]] deputised, before retiring at the end of said series, replaced by [[Anne Robinson]], who only lasted 12 months before resigning and Murray stepped in once again, gaining the job permanently at the start of 2023.
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{{w|Des Lynam}}, {{w|Des O'Connor}} and {{w|Jeff Stelling}} all spent a short while in the presenter's chair before the role was given to {{w|Nick Hewer}} in [[Episode 5399|2012]], whose longevity was eventually only the second after Whiteley. When the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic}} affected the show starting after [[Episode 7308|17 April 2020]] until [[Episode 7912|12 December 2022]], Hewer was absent in the 2020 {{w|Christmas}} [[special episode|specials]] and some of [[Series 83]] during which {{w|Colin Murray}} deputised before Hewer was replaced by {{w|Anne Robinson}}. Robinson presented the show for just over a year before resigning as Murray stepped in once again, before gaining the full-time job in [[Episode 7937|early-2023]].
  
Since [[Series 18]], the co-presenter's job is synonymous with that of the [[arithmetician]]'s when [[Carol Vorderman]] took over the letters portion of the game as well. Prior to that, however, the two roles were split up, with the co-presenter's sole job being to put up the letters and numbers on the board. Indeed, during the ''[[Calendar Countdown]]'' series, these presenters did not even speak, with Whiteley reading out the selections rather than the presenters. Between [[Series 1]] and [[Series 3]], a separate person, [[Beverley Isherwood]], was wheeled out twice per show to put the numbers up, but this role was subsumed by [[Cathy Hytner]] once it was realised that it was rather silly to have two separate roles for this. Hytner was replaced by [[Karen Loughlin]] for [[Series 14]], and Loughlin was replaced by [[Lucy Summers]] for [[Series 17]].
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Since [[Series 18]], the co-presenter's job is synonymous with that of the [[arithmetician]]s when {{w|Carol Vorderman}} took over the [[letters]] portion of the game as well. Prior to that, the two roles were split up with the co-presenter's sole job being to put up the letters and [[numbers]] on the board. During the ''[[Calendar Countdown]]'' series, the presenters did not even speak with Whiteley reading out the selections instead. A separate person, [[Beverley Isherwood]], was wheeled out twice per show to put the numbers up between [[Series 1]] and [[Series 3|3]]. But this role was subsumed by [[Cathy Hytner]] once it was realised that it was rather silly to have two separate roles for this. Hytner was replaced by [[Karen Loughlin]] for [[Series 14]], and Loughlin was replaced by [[Lucy Summers]] for [[Series 17]].
  
Between [[Series 54]] and [[Series 59]], Vorderman also introduced the guest in [[Dictionary Corner]], but this responsibility was returned to the main presenter for [[Championship of Champions XIII]], when O'Connor and Vorderman were replaced by [[Jeff Stelling]] and [[Rachel Riley]]. During this time, Vorderman was given equal credit with Lynam and O'Connor as the main presenter, rather than the co-presenter.
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Between [[Series 54]] and [[Series 59|59]], Vorderman introduced the guest in [[Dictionary Corner]] but this responsibility was returned to the main presenter from [[Championship of Champions XIII]] when O'Connor and Vorderman were replaced by Stelling and [[Rachel Riley]]. During this time, Vorderman was given equal credit with Lynam and O'Connor as the main presenter rather than the co-presenter.
  
Since [[Series 72]], [[Susie Dent]] has also been given a co-presenting credit, and thus is given equal credit with Riley.
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Since [[Series 72]], [[Susie Dent]] was given a co-presenting credit and thus is given equal credit with Riley.
  
From [[Series 1]] to [[Series 17]], the [[Dictionary Corner]] guest was credited as the co-presenter; this is not the case in this wiki.
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From [[Series 1]] to 17, the Dictionary Corner guest was credited as the co-presenter; this is not the case in this wiki.
 
   
 
   
 
[[Category:Terminology]]
 
[[Category:Terminology]]
 
[[Category:Presenters|*]]
 
[[Category:Presenters|*]]

Latest revision as of 15:05, 19 June 2026

Richard Whiteley presented almost 4,000 regular episodes.

A presenter is a professional TV personality that presents Countdown. There have been seven main presenters in the history of the show: Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Jeff Stelling, Nick Hewer, Anne Robinson and Colin Murray. Trevor McDonald covered an episode when Robinson was inappropriate. Les Dennis and Jenny Eclair presented episodes when Murray had COVID-19. And Floella Benjamin, Richard Coles, McDonald and Moira Stuart deputised during Countdown's 40th birthday.

The main job of the presenter is to anchor the show such as asking the contestants for their declarations, reading out the Teatime Teaser since Series 46, marshalling the show, telling the contestants to make their selections and starting the clock in each round (excluding Anne Robinson due to her height when she presented the show). Richard Whiteley did not miss presenting a single episode (including the Calendar Countdown series and pilot episodes) until Christmas Day 1997 when he appeared as a contestant against Carol Vorderman, with the presenting being given over to William G. Stewart. Whiteley then continued to present every episode from Championship of Champions IX before his death in 2005, following the Series 53 grand final.

Des Lynam, Des O'Connor and Jeff Stelling all spent a short while in the presenter's chair before the role was given to Nick Hewer in 2012, whose longevity was eventually only the second after Whiteley. When the COVID-19 pandemic affected the show starting after 17 April 2020 until 12 December 2022, Hewer was absent in the 2020 Christmas specials and some of Series 83 during which Colin Murray deputised before Hewer was replaced by Anne Robinson. Robinson presented the show for just over a year before resigning as Murray stepped in once again, before gaining the full-time job in early-2023.

Since Series 18, the co-presenter's job is synonymous with that of the arithmeticians when Carol Vorderman took over the letters portion of the game as well. Prior to that, the two roles were split up with the co-presenter's sole job being to put up the letters and numbers on the board. During the Calendar Countdown series, the presenters did not even speak with Whiteley reading out the selections instead. A separate person, Beverley Isherwood, was wheeled out twice per show to put the numbers up between Series 1 and 3. But this role was subsumed by Cathy Hytner once it was realised that it was rather silly to have two separate roles for this. Hytner was replaced by Karen Loughlin for Series 14, and Loughlin was replaced by Lucy Summers for Series 17.

Between Series 54 and 59, Vorderman introduced the guest in Dictionary Corner but this responsibility was returned to the main presenter from Championship of Champions XIII when O'Connor and Vorderman were replaced by Stelling and Rachel Riley. During this time, Vorderman was given equal credit with Lynam and O'Connor as the main presenter rather than the co-presenter.

Since Series 72, Susie Dent was given a co-presenting credit and thus is given equal credit with Riley.

From Series 1 to 17, the Dictionary Corner guest was credited as the co-presenter; this is not the case in this wiki.