View source for 30th Birthday Championship

{{Featured article}}
:''The 30th Birthday Championship is separate to [[Series 68]].''
{{series infobox
|previous           = Series 67
|next               = Series 68
|image              = 30th Birthday Championship group photo.jpg
|image_caption      = The 30th Birthday Championship group photo, taken after [[Conor Travers]] defeated [[Jack Hurst]] in the [[Episode 5654|grand final]].
|image_2            = 30BC-Trophy.jpg
|image_2_caption    = The "kryptonite", which every participant received.
|image_3            = Cecil 2013.jpg
|image_3_caption    = The new [[CECIL]], which debuted on [[Episode 5625|21 January 2013]], following the show's move to the [[dock10 Studios]].
|first_episode      = Episode 5615
|first_episode_date = 7 January 2013
|last_episode       = Episode 5654
|last_episode_date  = 1 March 2013
|highest_score      = [[Episode 5654|146]]
|highest_score_by   = Conor Travers
|num_contestants    = yes
|num_episodes       = yes
|winner             = Conor Travers
|runner-up          = Jack Hurst
}}
The '''30th Birthday Championship''' was a mini-series broadcast between 7 January and 1 March 2013, held to celebrate ''[[Countdown]]'' being broadcast on British television for 30 years. The championship was designed to crown the greatest contestant over the first 30 years of the programme, and was won by [[Series 54]] winner [[Conor Travers]].

Series producer [[Damian Eadie]] posted details of the tournament on the [[c4countdown]] forum in September 2012, and over 200 former [[contestant]]s expressed their interest in participating. This was whittled down to just 41, spanning 63 of ''Countdown''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s 67 series and including 15 [[series champion]]s. Contestants from [[Series 60]] through [[Series 66|66]] were especially emphasised within the lineup, occupying nearly 40% of the seats, due to the regular [[Championship of Champions]] tournaments to which they would normally be invited having been on hiatus at the time. The success of the 30th Birthday event is thought to have contributed to the eventual revival of CoC events.

The mini-series lasted for eight weeks on screen and consisted of 40 episodes, the first nine of which were preliminary games followed by a 32-way knock-out tournament. Production moved to a studio at {{w|MediaCityUK}} in Salford, ''Countdown''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s third permanent home in the show’s history, midway through the series. The first episode to be filmed there, which also featured new scoreboards and target generator, aired on [[Episode 5625|21 January 2013]].

The series consisted mainly of close, high-scoring and record-breaking games. Notable moments in the first round proper included [[Series 60]] champion [[Kirk Bevins]] scoring [[Episode 5634|130 points]] out of a possible 130, the second [[15 round format|15 round]] [[List of Countdown terminology|perfect game]] in the history of ''Countdown'', and [[Series 63]] champion [[Jack Hurst]] missing out on beating the show's [[List_of_Countdown_records#High_scores|highest ever score]] of 146, after the invalid declaration {{word|spousing}} {{x}} gave him a total of 143. Round 2 included [[Episode 5642|another perfect game]] as [[Series 54]] champion [[Conor Travers]] beat Chris Hawkins with 119 points out of 119. The second round also featured two consecutive tie-breaker [[conundrum]]s &ndash; [[David O'Donnell (Series 58)|David O'Donnell]] unscrambled {{word|BAGOGLORY}} to [[Episode 5644|defeat]] [[Chris Davies (Series 61)|Chris Davies]], and Kirk Bevins solved {{word|BARRYDICK}} to [[Episode 5645|claim victory]] over [[Innis Carson]]. The quarter-finals saw [[Jonathan Rawlinson]] and Jack Hurst progress, and contained two more perfect games &ndash; Conor Travers achieved a [[Episode 5650|second on the bounce]], and [[Jon O'Neill]] amassed a perfect [[Episode 5649|122]], the highest score ever achieved on ''Countdown'' with no [[nine-letter word]]s.

In the [[Episode 5652|first semi-final]], both Rawlinson and Hurst started with the nine-letter word {{word|CATENOIDS}}. Their scores remained level until round 11, when an invalid declaration gave Rawlinson a six point lead. However, this proved insufficient when Hurst unravelled the conundrum {{word|TURNMOIST}} to reach the final. The [[Episode 5653|second semi-final]] featured O'Neill and Travers, the men who had achieved perfect games in their quarter-final matches. Their form continued and between them they gained maximum points with 28 of their 29 declarations, and Travers won with his third consecutive perfect game. Early in the [[Episode 5654|ultimate final]], Travers gained an 18 point lead after Hurst missed the nine {{word|PONYTAILS}}. This was immediately followed by two further nines, the first known "ambulance" (9-9-9) in the history of televised ''Countdown''. Travers was able to extend his lead in the last letters round by spotting {{word|POMADES}} to win the final match with a score of a hefty 146 points, equalling the highest ever score set by [[Julian Fell]] at the time. Travers' prize - a trophy which [[host]] [[Nick Hewer]] referred to as a "priceless piece of kryptonite" - was presented by [[Marcel Stellman]], who originally brought the ''Countdown'' format to Britain. All participants received a smaller version of the trophy for participating, and those who appeared on the show before 1999 received the teapot.

As a result of the [[2020 COVID-19 hiatus|COVID-19 pandemic]], the series was repeated from 4 May to 26 June 2020. However, one participant in the series, [[Chris Hawkins]], put in a request not to show his two episodes.

==Participants==
The participants, listed by the series with which they are most commonly associated, are:

{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
*[[Series 4]]: [[Christine Hunt (Series 4)|Christine Hunt]]
*[[Series 6]]: '''[[Darryl Francis]]'''
*[[Series 8]]: [[Sandie Simonis]]
*[[Series 13]]: [[Mike Whiteoak]]
*[[Series 21]]: '''[[Barry Grossman]]''', [[Jackie McLeod]]
*[[Series 22]]: [[David Webb]]
*[[Series 28]]: [[Wayne Kelly]], [[Chris Hawkins]], [[Nick Deller]]
*[[Series 38]]: '''[[John Ashmore]]''', [[Jill Bright]]
*[[Series 43]]: [[David Williams (Series 43)|David Williams]]
{{Col-break}}
*[[Series 44]]: [[David Hoskisson|Dave Hoskisson]]
*[[Series 46]]: '''[[Ben Wilson]]'''
*[[Series 47]]: '''[[Chris Wills]]''', [[Tom Hargreaves]]
*[[Series 52]]: '''[[Mark Tournoff]]'''
*[[Series 53]]: [[Jon O'Neill]]
*[[Series 54]]: '''[[Conor Travers]]'''
*[[Series 55]]: [[Steven Briers]]
*[[Series 56]]: '''[[Nick Wainwright]]'''
*[[Series 58]]: '''[[David O'Donnell (Series 58)|David O'Donnell]]'''
{{Col-break}}
*[[Series 59]]: [[Martin Bishop]], [[Kai Laddiman]]
*[[Series 60]]: '''[[Kirk Bevins]]''', [[Neil Zussman]]
*[[Series 61]]: '''[[Chris Davies (Series 61)|Chris Davies]]''', [[Andrew Hulme]], [[Innis Carson]]
*[[Series 62]]: [[Nicki Sellars]]
*[[Series 63]]: '''[[Jack Hurst]]''', [[Tom Rowell]]
*[[Series 64]]: '''[[Edward McCullagh|Ed McCullagh]]''', [[Adam Gillard]]
*[[Series 65]]: '''[[Graeme Cole]]''', [[Mark Deeks]], [[Paul Keane]]
*[[Series 66]]: '''[[Jack Worsley]]''', [[Jonathan Rawlinson]], [[Peter Lee]]
{{Col-end}}

Series champions are displayed in '''bold'''.

==Progress (Round 1 and beyond only)==
{{CoC32 progress
|  1 = [[Peter Lee]] | 1s = 66
|  2 = [[Tom Rowell]] | 2s = 63 | h1w = 2
|  3 = [[Andrew Hulme]] | 3s = 61
|  4 = [[Jonathan Rawlinson]] | 4s = 66 | h2w = 4 | q1w = 4 | s1w = 4
|  5 = [[Paul Keane]] | 5s = 65
|  6 = [[Neil Zussman]] | 6s = 60 | h3w = 6 | q2w = 6
|  7 = [[Dave Hoskisson]] | 7s = 44 | h4w = 7
|  8 = [[Mike Whiteoak]] | 8s = 13
|  9 = [[Martin Bishop]] | 9s = 59
| 10 = [[Chris Wills]] | 10s = 47 | h5w = 10
| 11 = [[Wayne Kelly]] | 11s = 28
| 12 = [[Jack Hurst]] | 12s = 63 | h6w = 12 | q3w = 12 | s2w = 12 | f1w = 12
| 13 = [[David O'Donnell (Series 58)|David O'Donnell]] | 13s = 58 | h7w = 13 | q4w = 13
| 14 = [[Tom Hargreaves]] | 14s = 47
| 15 = [[David Williams (Series 43)|David Williams]] | 15s = 43
| 16 = [[Chris Davies (Series 61)|Chris Davies]] | 16s = 61 | h8w = 16
| 17 = [[Kai Laddiman]] | 17s = 59
| 18 = [[Jon O'Neill]] | 18s = 53 | h9w = 18 | q5w = 18 | s3w = 18
| 19 = [[Darryl Francis]] | 19s = 6 | h10w = 19
| 20 = [[Barry Grossman]] | 20s = 21
| 21 = [[Christine Hunt (Series 4)|Christine Hunt]] | 21s = 4 | h11w = 21
| 22 = [[Sandie Simonis]] | 22s = 8
| 23 = [[Graeme Cole]] | 23s = 65
| 24 = [[Jack Worsley]] | 24s = 66 | h12w = 24 | q6w = 24
| 25 = [[Chris Hawkins]] | 25s = 28 | h13w = 25
| 26 = [[Jill Bright]] | 26s = 38
| 27 = [[Conor Travers]] | 27s = 54 | h14w = 27 | q7w = 27 | s4w = 27 | f2w = 27 | gw = 27
| 28 = [[Mark Tournoff]] | 28s = 52
| 29 = [[Innis Carson]] | 29s = 61 | h15w = 29
| 30 = [[Adam Gillard]] | 30s = 64
| 31 = [[John Ashmore]] | 31s = 38
| 32 = [[Kirk Bevins]] | 32s = 60 | h16w = 32 | q8w = 32
}}

==Episodes==
{{episode table}}
{{episode table block|Preliminary round}}
{{ep | 5615 | 07/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Tom Hargreaves]]| 117 - 57 |[[Nicki Sellars]]|[[Dave Myers]]|[[Susie Dent]]|131}}
{{ep | 5616 | 08/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Wayne Kelly]]| 105 - 68 |[[Nick Wainwright]]|Dave Myers|Susie Dent|120}}
{{ep | 5617 | 09/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Mark Deeks]]| 103 - 108 |[[Jack Hurst]]|Dave Myers|Susie Dent|120}}
{{ep | 5618 | 10/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Ben Wilson]]| 91 - 117 |[[Conor Travers]]|Dave Myers|Susie Dent|126}}
{{ep | 5619 | 11/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Mark Tournoff]]| 101 - 100 |[[Nick Deller]]|Dave Myers|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 5620 | 14/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Darryl Francis]]| 86 - 68 |[[David Webb]]|[[Martin Lewis]]|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 5621 | 15/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Jackie McLeod]]| 65 - 79 |[[Barry Grossman]]|Martin Lewis|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 5622 | 16/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Andrew Hulme]]| 113 - 74 |[[Steven Briers]]|Martin Lewis|Susie Dent|127}}
{{ep | 5623 | 17/01/2013 | 30BP |[[Edward McCullagh|Ed McCullagh]]| 94 - 104* |[[Jonathan Rawlinson]]|Martin Lewis|Susie Dent|117}}

{{episode table block|Round 1}}
{{ep | 5624 | 18/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Peter Lee]]| 84 - 92 |[[Tom Rowell]]|Martin Lewis|Susie Dent|131}}
{{ep | 5625 | 21/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Kai Laddiman]]| 76 - 101 |[[Jon O'Neill]]|[[Margaret Mountford]]|Susie Dent|132}}
{{ep | 5626 | 22/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Chris Hawkins]]| 95 - 51 |[[Jill Bright]]|Margaret Mountford|Susie Dent|123}}
{{ep | 5627 | 23/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Martin Bishop]]| 99 - 102 |[[Chris Wills]]|Margaret Mountford|Susie Dent|124}}
{{ep | 5628 | 24/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[David Williams (Series 43)|David Williams]]| 58 - 108 |[[Chris Davies (Series 61)|Chris Davies]]|Margaret Mountford|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 5629 | 25/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Innis Carson]]| 116 - 91 |[[Adam Gillard]]|Margaret Mountford|Susie Dent|137}}
{{ep | 5630 | 28/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Christine Hunt (Series 4)|Christine Hunt]]| 88* - 78 |[[Sandie Simonis]]|[[Mark Foster]]|Susie Dent|134}}
{{ep | 5631 | 29/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Paul Keane]]| 81 - 99 |[[Neil Zussman]]|Mark Foster|Susie Dent|131}}
{{ep | 5632 | 30/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[David Hoskisson|Dave Hoskisson]]| 85 - 81 |[[Mike Whiteoak]]|Mark Foster|Susie Dent|125}}
{{ep | 5633 | 31/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Graeme Cole]]| 98 - 104 |[[Jack Worsley]]|Mark Foster|Susie Dent|118}}
{{ep | 5634 | 01/02/2013 | 30B1 |[[John Ashmore]]| 92 - '''130''' |'''[[Kirk Bevins]]'''|Mark Foster|Susie Dent|'''130'''}}
{{ep | 5635 | 04/02/2013 | 30B1 |[[David O'Donnell (Series 58)|David O'Donnell]]| 111 - 86 |Tom Hargreaves|[[Kate Adie]]|Susie Dent|128}}
{{ep | 5636 | 05/02/2013 | 30B1 |Wayne Kelly| 89 - 143 |Jack Hurst|Kate Adie|Susie Dent|152}}
{{ep | 5637 | 06/02/2013 | 30B1 |Conor Travers| 112 - 62 |Mark Tournoff|Kate Adie|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 5638 | 07/02/2013 | 30B1 |Darryl Francis| 82 - 63 |Barry Grossman|Kate Adie|Susie Dent|118}}
{{ep | 5639 | 08/02/2013 | 30B1 |Andrew Hulme| 91 - 98 |Jonathan Rawlinson|Kate Adie|Susie Dent|115}}

{{episode table block|Round 2}}
{{ep | 5640 | 11/02/2013 | 30B2 |Tom Rowell| 65 - 94 |Jonathan Rawlinson|[[Ken Bruce]]|Susie Dent|128}}
{{ep | 5641 | 12/02/2013 | 30B2 |Jon O'Neill| 122 - 91 |Darryl Francis|Ken Bruce|Susie Dent|130}}
{{ep | 5642 | 13/02/2013 | 30B2 |Chris Hawkins| 85 - '''119''' |'''Conor Travers'''|Ken Bruce|Susie Dent|'''119'''}}
{{ep | 5643 | 14/02/2013 | 30B2 |Chris Wills| 70 - 115 |Jack Hurst|Ken Bruce|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 5644 | 15/02/2013 | 30B2 |Chris Davies| 117 - 127* |David O'Donnell|Ken Bruce|Susie Dent|140}}
{{ep | 5645 | 18/02/2013 | 30B2 |Innis Carson| 102 - 112* |Kirk Bevins|[[Dr Phil Hammond]]|Susie Dent|120}}
{{ep | 5646 | 19/02/2013 | 30B2 |Christine Hunt| 67 - 115 |Jack Worsley|Dr Phil Hammond|Susie Dent|117}}
{{ep | 5647 | 20/02/2013 | 30B2 |Dave Hoskisson| 75 - 90 |Neil Zussman|Dr Phil Hammond|Susie Dent|117}}

{{episode table block|Quarter-finals}}
{{ep | 5648 | 21/02/2013 | 30BQF |Jonathan Rawlinson| 118 - 53 |Neil Zussman|Dr Phil Hammond|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 5649 | 22/02/2013 | 30BQF |'''Jon O'Neill'''| '''122''' - 104 |Jack Worsley|Dr Phil Hammond|Susie Dent|'''122'''}}
{{ep | 5650 | 25/02/2013 | 30BQF |'''Conor Travers'''| '''119''' - 94 |Kirk Bevins|[[Jenny Eclair]]|Susie Dent|'''119'''}}
{{ep | 5651 | 26/02/2013 | 30BQF |Jack Hurst| 115 - 97 |David O'Donnell|Jenny Eclair|Susie Dent|122}}

{{episode table block|Semi-finals}}
{{ep | 5652 | 27/02/2013 | 30BSF |Jonathan Rawlinson| 105 - 116 |Jack Hurst|Jenny Eclair|Susie Dent|126}}
{{ep | 5653 | 28/02/2013 | 30BSF |Jon O'Neill| 102 - '''120''' |'''Conor Travers'''|Jenny Eclair|Susie Dent|'''120'''}}

{{episode table block|Grand final}}
{{ep | 5654 | 01/03/2013 | 30BGF |Jack Hurst| 111 - 146 |Conor Travers|Jenny Eclair|Susie Dent|149}}
{{episode table end}}
<center>* Includes 10 points from a tiebreak [[conundrum]]</center>

==External links==
{{Series links new|-16|30th Birthday Championship}}

[[Category:Series|68]]