Harshan Lamabadusuriya

Harshan Lamabadusuriya was the runner-up of Series 34 in 1997. He made his debut in the first heat game of the series beating Bob Edwards 55 – 44, and won another two games before losing at the hands of Paul Wells. Harshan returned for the final rounds as #5 seed. he comfortably beat Peter Sampson in the quarter-final and pulled off a minor upset by beating #1 seed James Martin in the semi-final. In the final against Huw Morgan, Harshan struggled for points, and was ultimately beaten 79 – 65. Harshan returned for Championship of Champions IX, beating Kate Surtees in the first round before losing to Pete Cashmore in the quarter-final.

Harshan would return to Countdown one more time, playing a special game against fellow Scrabble Grand Master Brett Smitheram which he won 101 – 87.

Preceded by Allan Saldanha

Series runner-up Series 34

Followed by Dag Griffiths

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
1908	30/12/1996	P	Bob Edwards	44 – 55	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Sheridan Morley	Rob Scriven
1909	31/12/1996	P	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	50 – 12	Sandra Verhiest	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Sheridan Morley	Rob Scriven
1910	1/01/1997	P	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	66 – 40	John Verhiest	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Sheridan Morley	Rob Scriven
1911	2/01/1997	P	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	36 – 54	Paul Wells	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Sheridan Morley	Rob Scriven
1969	25/03/1997	QF	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	72 – 30	Peter Sampson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Digance	Rob Scriven
1970	26/03/1997	SF	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	48 – 31	James Martin	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Digance	Rob Scriven
1972	28/03/1997	GF	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	65 – 79	Huw Morgan	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Digance	Rob Scriven
2164	30/12/1997	CP	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	44 – 34	Kate Surtees	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Denis Norden	Mark Nyman
2172	9/01/1998	CQF	Pete Cashmore	65 – 52	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gloria Hunniford	Mark Nyman
S7	3/09/2003	S	Brett Smitheram	87 – 101	Harshan Lamabadusuriya	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					Richard Stilgoe	Damian Eadie