Natascha Kearsey

Natascha Kearsey octochamp statistics
Final position	Semi-finalist
Seeding	2
Points total	413
Conundrums solved	4

Natascha Kearsey was an octochamp and semi-finalist in Series 35, and the winner of Championship of Champions IX. Her title places her among the most successful female players of all time. She was a 29-year-old software engineer from Streatham, Greater London.

Kearsey began her Countdown journey by beating Peter Cashmore 46 – 34 in the 11th heat of the series. She quickly amassed a further seven wins to become the first octochamp of the series, facing just two crucial conundrums along the way, but eventually had to settle for the number two seed position after being overtaken in the seedings by Dag Griffiths two weeks later. In her quarter-final, she comfortably beat Piers Brown 62 – 31 to set up a rematch with Peter Cashmore in the semi-finals. While the two players were fairly evenly matched in the seedings, Kearsey failed to score in any of the last four rounds, which saw her fall by 27 – 62 to the eventual series champion.

Nevertheless, her performances were enough to earn her a place in Championship of Champions IX, where she beat Christine White, James Martin (by just one point, following an unsolved crucial conundrum) and Ruth Collier on her way to the grand final, a third match between her and Pete Cashmore. Kearsey led by two points going into the crucial conundrum, which neither player spotted within the 30 seconds, meaning Kearsey became the ninth Champion of Champions, and to date the only woman to win a Championship of Champions.

Kearsey returned to the Countdown studios once again in 2003 to record a special episode pitting her against the unbeaten Scott Mearns. In this special 'Champion of Champion of Champions' match, Kearsey ran out the 109 – 100 winner, and became the first and only person to beat Mearns at a game of Countdown.

Preceded by Chris Rogers

Champion of Champions Championship of Champions IX

Followed by Scott Mearns

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
1983	14/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	46 – 34	Peter Cashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Geoffrey Durham	Rob Scriven	73
1984	15/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	58 – 34	Geoff Roberts	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Jan Harvey	Rob Scriven	70
1985	16/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	61 – 42	Alan Davison	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Jan Harvey	Rob Scriven	75
1986	17/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	43 – 41	Diana Thomas	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Jan Harvey	Rob Scriven	72
1987	18/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	41 – 25	Colin Thomas	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Jan Harvey	Rob Scriven	70
1988	21/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	57 – 41	Tim Bentley	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Jan Harvey	Peter Sweasey	81
1989	22/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	60 – 28	Sharon Leonard	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Barry Cryer	Catherine Stokes	85
1990	23/04/1997	P	Natascha Kearsey	47 – 45	Phil Campbell	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Barry Cryer	Catherine Stokes	72
2032	20/06/1997	QF	Natascha Kearsey	62 – 31	Piers Brown	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nigel Rees	Rob Scriven	70
2036	26/06/1997	SF	Natascha Kearsey	27 – 62	Peter Cashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Terry Wogan	Catherine Stokes	69
2168	05/01/1998	CP	Christine White	45 – 49	Natascha Kearsey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Denis Norden	Mark Nyman	71
2173	12/01/1998	CQF	James Martin	51 – 52	Natascha Kearsey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gloria Hunniford	Mark Nyman	72
2176	15/01/1998	CSF	Natascha Kearsey	59 – 56	Ruth Collier	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Tom O'Connor	Mark Nyman	72
2177	16/01/1998	CGF	Natascha Kearsey	72 – 70	Pete Cashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Tom O'Connor	Mark Nyman	118
S9	09/09/2003	S	Scott Mearns	100 – 109	Natascha Kearsey	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Bob Bevan	Alison Heard	137