Brian Hudson

Brian Hudson

Brian Hudson was the champion of Series 4, and a participant in Championship of Champions I and the Supreme Championship.

A textile executive from Stockport, Greater Manchester, he made his debut on 28 May 1984, defeating Colin Woollard 45 – 31. He racked up three more wins before falling at the hands of Tony Rand. However, his four wins were enough to ensure him a place in the finals as number five seed, where he defeated Mike Willis in the quarter-finals and Robert Richland in the semis to set up a grand final against Christine Hunt. After a close start, Hudson romped away at the end, beating Hunt 87 – 55 to become the fourth series champion.

He returned at the start of the next series for Championship of Champions I, but was defeated in the first round by fellow series champion Ash Haji 49 – 35. Hudson also appeared on the special episode to celebrate Countdown's 500th show on 2 February 1987, and competed in the Countdown Masters in 1989 and 1990.

Hudson returned to Leeds in 1996 for the Supreme Championship, beating Mandi Hale in his first game after solving two crucial conundrums to turn a 10-point deficit into a 58 – 48 win. However, he narrowly lost his next match 52 – 51 to Barry Grossman. In this game, Grossman beat Hudson with the word STOPGAP. However, Hudson clawed back six points with WASTED. The crucial conundrum BITSOFTER was revealed, but Hudson lost by one point after neither player could offer anything within the 30 seconds.

His wife, Barbara, made an appearance as a contestant in Series 22, but didn't come close to matching Brian's high standards.

Preceded by Andrew Guy

Series winner Series 4

Followed by Peter Evans

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
165	28/05/1984	P	Colin Woollard	31 – 45	Brian Hudson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Julia Swannell	73
166	29/05/1984	P	Norah Moore	25 – 55	Brian Hudson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Mark Nyman	Julia Swannell	73
167	30/05/1984	P	Gerald Ram	39 – 41	Brian Hudson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Mark Nyman	Julia Swannell	70
168	31/05/1984	P	Brian Hudson	49 – 31	Kirsten Shepard	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Mark Nyman	Julia Swannell	83
169	04/06/1984	P	Brian Hudson	44 – 57	Tony Rand	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Ned Sherrin	Julia Swannell	73
181	25/06/1984	QF	Brian Hudson	40 – 39	Mike Willis	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	70
182	26/06/1984	SF	Brian Hudson	52 – 49	Robert Richland	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth	Yvonne Warburton	71
184	28/06/1984	GF	Brian Hudson	87 – 55	Christine Hunt	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Gyles Brandreth, Ned Sherrin	Yvonne Warburton	116
188	18/10/1984	CQF	Ash Haji	49 – 35	Brian Hudson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	Nigel Rees	Yvonne Warburton	72
495	02/02/1987	X	Bill Tidy with Mark Nyman, Brian Hudson, Peter Evans, and Darryl Francis	41 – 32	Gyles Brandreth with Clive Freedman, Michael Wylie, Joyce Cansfield, and Harvey Freeman	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman			Cathy Hytner	none	Della Thompson	68
M20	14/08/1989–18/08/1989	M	Brian Hudson	86 – 63	Kevin Nelson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					none	Freda Thornton	133
M74	27/08/1990–31/08/1990	M	Brian Hudson	93 – 69	Neil Collins	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					none	Mark Nyman	136
1871	31/10/1996	cQF	Brian Hudson	58* – 48	Mandi Hale	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	June Whitfield	Susie Dent	83
1873	04/11/1996	cSF	Barry Grossman	52 – 51	Brian Hudson	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent	70

* includes 10 points from a tiebreak conundrum