Alan Sinclair

Alan Sinclair

Alan Sinclair was the champion of Series 32, and a participant in Championship of Champions VIII.

He first appeared on Countdown on 29 July 1996, defeating Peter Cottee 49 – 36 in the 21st heat of Series 32. He won three more games in impressive fashion before losing 45 – 28 to Craig Douglas. Sinclair's four wins were enough to see him return for the finals as No. 3 seed, where he beat David Ligat in the quarter-finals and 'took revenge' on Craig Douglas in the semi-finals, beating him 55 – 39. In the final, Sinclair took on Dennis Fearon, and after a close-run affair, it came to a crucial conundrum, with Fearon leading 73 – 68. It all looked over for Sinclair as LOSTAGAIN was uncovered and Fearon buzzed in on 3.5 seconds, but his answer of NOSTALGIC was incorrect, the clock was restarted and almost immediately Sinclair buzzed in to give the correct answer of NOSTALGIA, snatching the win and becoming the 32nd champion of Countdown in the process.

Sinclair returned the very next week for Championship of Champions VIII, but was defeated in the first round by eventual winner Chris Rogers.

He is also a competitive Scrabble player and appeared on the first series of Only Connect in 2008, as the captain of the "Edinburgh Scrabblers" team. His other members were ex-Countdowners Simon Gillam and Melanie Beaumont. They faced fellow Countdowners Elisabeth Jardine, Noel Turner and Penny Downer in their first game, and David Stainer in their second game.

Preceded by David Acton

Series winner Series 32

Followed by Harvey Freeman

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
1803	29/07/1996	P	Alan Sinclair	49 – 36	Peter Cottee	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	June Whitfield	Kendall Clarke	72
1804	30/07/1996	P	Alan Sinclair	68 – 17	Eileen Williams	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	June Whitfield	Kendall Clarke	73
1805	31/07/1996	P	Alan Sinclair	54 – 47	Stephen Cook	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	June Whitfield	Kendall Clarke	74
1806	1/08/1996	P	Alan Sinclair	65 – 57	Daniel Hodgin	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	June Whitfield	Kendall Clarke	85
1807	2/08/1996	P	Craig Douglas	45 – 28	Alan Sinclair	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	85
1843	23/09/1996	QF	David Ligat	37 – 45	Alan Sinclair	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	81
1846	26/09/1996	SF	Alan Sinclair	55 – 39	Craig Douglas	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	70
1847	27/09/1996	GF	Alan Sinclair	78 – 73	Dennis Fearon	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent	117
1848	30/09/1996	CQF	Alan Sinclair	32 – 60	Chris Rogers	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Jan Harvey	Susie Dent	83