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Michael Calder (Series 42)
- For other people called Michael Calder, see Michael Calder.
Michael Calder was the champion of Series 42. Although his name plate said Michael, he was referred to throughout as Mike.
He first appeared on Countdown on 31 January 2000, beating Peter Hindes 59 – 49 in a nail-biting game, only triumphing after a sudden death conundrum. Calder went on to win a further 7 games, including another via a sudden death conundrum, and returned for the final rounds as an octochamp and #2 seed.
He first beat Helen Wrigglesworth in the quarter-finals 55 – 29, with Calder spotting FLEAPIT, RANCHEROS and the conundrum DRIFTWOOD. In the semi-final, the words MORTICES and INJURED allowed him to avoid a crucial conundrum against Terence O'Farrell, which was all the less controversial because the solution to the conundrum was in fact an invalid word (SCRAPHEAP). This brought him to a final showdown with John Hastings. In the final, Calder got off to a roaring start, spotting the brilliant 9-letter word MYOGLOBIN to take an 18 – 0 lead, and never looked back. Calder eventually ran out the 101 – 72 winner, becoming a Xicount and the champion of Countdown's 42nd series in the process.
Calder was invited back for Championship of Champions XI in 2003, and had the distinction of playing the first ever game on the purple-and-pink set that would be used on Countdown for six years. Unfortunately, he was beaten by Loz Sands, with the main difference between the two being Sands' edge on the numbers game.
Preceded by Scott Mearns |
Series winner Series 42 |
Followed by Graham Nash |
Episodes
# | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Presenters | Guest | Lex | Max | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2699 | 31/01/2000 | P | Peter Hindes | 49 – 59* | Michael Calder | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Don Black | Susie Dent | 70 | ||
2700 | 1/02/2000 | P | Michael Calder | 64 – 40 | Carol Hogan | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Don Black | Susie Dent | 74 | ||
2701 | 2/02/2000 | P | Michael Calder | 56* – 46 | Clarissa Caröe | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Don Black | Susie Dent | 72 | ||
2702 | 3/02/2000 | P | Michael Calder | 50 – 46 | Gerry Ratzin | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 84 | ||
2703 | 4/02/2000 | P | Michael Calder | 64 – 37 | Sue Meredith | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 72 | ||
2704 | 7/02/2000 | P | Michael Calder | 54 – 49 | Daniel Green | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 74 | ||
2705 | 8/02/2000 | P | Michael Calder | 58 – 32 | Marjorie Clark | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 72 | ||
2706 | 9/02/2000 | P | Michael Calder | 57 – 47 | Andrew Hulme | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Tim Rice | Susie Dent | 74 | ||
2792 | 13/06/2000 | QF | Michael Calder | 55 – 29 | Helen Wrigglesworth | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Ned Sherrin | Damian Eadie | 95 | ||
2796 | 22/06/2000 | SF | Michael Calder | 55 – 40 | Terence O'Farrell | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Joan Bakewell | Damian Eadie | 72 | ||
2797 | 23/06/2000 | GF | Michael Calder | 101 – 72 | John Hastings | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Joan Bakewell | Damian Eadie | 126 | ||
3390 | 6/01/2003 | CP | Michael Calder | 60 – 77 | Loz Sands | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Martin Jarvis | Susie Dent | 127 |