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Difference between revisions of "Clive Spate"

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[[Image:Clive_Spate.jpg|right|thumb|frame|Clive Spate]]
 
[[Image:Clive_Spate.jpg|right|thumb|frame|Clive Spate]]
 
[[Image:Clive Spate2.jpg|right|thumb|frame|Spate several years later.]]
 
[[Image:Clive Spate2.jpg|right|thumb|frame|Spate several years later.]]
'''Clive Spate''' was the [[Series 8]] champion.
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'''Clive Spate''' was the [[Series Winners|champion]] of [[Series 8]], and a participant in [[Championship of Champions II]] and the [[Series 33|Supreme Championship]]. He was married to [[Series 1]] contestant [[Sheila Arnold]] and is a former Maths teacher from Nottingham.
  
From Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, he first appeared on 30 January 1986, defeating [[Malcolm Edwards]] {{score|66|28}} and went on to win five more games, all with scores over 50 points, including 70 (the [[List of series high scores|highest of the series]]) against [[Mick Purdie|Michael Purdie]]. He was defeated in his seventh game, though, by [[David Learner]] {{score|54|46}}. Spate's six wins and impressive points haul were enough to earn him an invitation back for the final rounds as #1 seed, where he made short work of [[Tony Clarke]] and [[YT]] in the quarter- and semi-finals respectively. In the final against [[Anthony Butcher]], it seemed to be slipping away from Spate as he had {{word|EARHOLES}} disallowed and slipping behind by eighteen points. By the first commercial break, however, he had recovered to a 2 point lead, and after successfully risking the now-invalid word {{word|DOMINATER}} for eighteen points, Spate eventually ran out the winner of the match and the series by 107 points to 53 — the first century score ever achieved on Countdown. Surprisingly, Spate was the first player to win a series of Countdown after being seeded #1.
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==Appearances on the programme==
 +
From Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, he first appeared on 30 January 1986, defeating [[Malcolm Edwards]] {{score|66|28}} and went on to win five more games, all with scores over 50 points, including 70 (the [[List of series high scores|highest of the series]]) against [[Mick Purdie|Michael Purdie]]. He was defeated in his seventh game, though, by [[David Learner]] {{score|54|46}}. Spate's six wins and impressive points haul were enough to earn him an invitation back for the finals as No. 1 seed, where he made short work of [[Tony Clarke]] and [[YT]] in the quarter- and semi-finals respectively. In the final against [[Anthony Butcher]], it seemed to be slipping away from Spate as he had {{word|earholes {{x}}}} disallowed and slipped behind by 18 points. By the first commercial break, however, he had recovered to a two point lead, and after successfully risking the now-invalid word {{word|DOMINATER}} for 18 points, Spate eventually ran out the winner of the match and the series by 107 points to 53 the first [[century]] score ever achieved on ''[[Countdown]]''. Spate was the first player to win a series of ''Countdown'' after being seeded No. 1.
  
Spate returned for [[Championship of Champions II]], narrowly losing to [[Peter Evans]] in his first game.
+
Spate returned for Championship of Champions II, narrowly losing to [[Peter Evans]] in his first game.
  
Spate also played in the [[series 33|Supreme Championship]], soundly beating [[David Reid (Series 11)|David Reid]] in his first game before losing by three points to [[Jackie Mcleod]] in his second and final game.
+
Spate also played in the Supreme Championship, soundly beating [[David Reid (Series 11)|David Reid]] in his first game before losing by three points to [[Jackie McLeod]] in his second and final game.
  
Spate was married to [[Series 1]] contestant [[Sheila Arnold]].
+
==Outside of ''Countdown''==
 +
Away from ''Countdown'', Spate has proven to be one of the most successful British game show contestants of all-time. In 1987, he became the first unbeaten player of {{w|BBC Two}}'s word game-based series, ''{{w|Catchword (game show)|Catchword}}''. He reached the Grand Finals of the first two series of ''{{w|Fifteen to One}}'' in 1988, before winning an episode of ''{{w|The Weakest Link (British game show)|The Weakest Link}}'' in 2001 and £125,000 on ''{{w|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?}}'' in 2004. In 2003, Spate won a top prize of £50,000 by winning the only-ever series of the [[Carol Vorderman]]-fronted quiz show ''{{w|Grand Slam (British game show)|Grand Slam}}'', which determined the greatest-ever quiz show contestant and featured players such as {{w|Olav Bjortomt}}, [[David Stainer]], [[Graham Nash]], [[Mark Labbett]] and [[Melanie Beaumont]] among others.
  
Away from Countdown, Spate has had numerous success on other TV game shows, reaching the Grand Finals of the first two series of ''{{w|Fifteen to One}}'' in 1988, and winning £125,000 on ''Who Wants to be a Millionaire?'' as well as winning £50,000 on the first (and, to date, only) series of the [[Carol Vorderman]]-fronted show ''Grand Slam''. In 1987, he became the first unbeaten player of BBC 2's word game-based series, ''{{w|Catchword}}''.
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Spate was also a big name on the [[Scrabble]] scene, having been a recognised UK Grand Master as well as the organiser of the former, then-popular twice-yearly Nottingham Nomads tournament.
 
 
Spate is also a big name on the [[Scrabble]] scene, being a recognised UK Grand Master as well as organising the popular twice-yearly Nottingham Nomads tournament.
 
  
 
{{series winner|preceded_by=Ian Bebbington|series=8|followed_by=David Trace}}
 
{{series winner|preceded_by=Ian Bebbington|series=8|followed_by=David Trace}}
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{{ep | 357 | 30/01/1986 | P |[[Malcolm Edwards]]| 28 - 66 |Clive Spate|[[Richard Stilgoe]]|[[Della Thompson]]|70}}
 
{{ep | 357 | 30/01/1986 | P |[[Malcolm Edwards]]| 28 - 66 |Clive Spate|[[Richard Stilgoe]]|[[Della Thompson]]|70}}
 
{{ep | 358 | 31/01/1986 | P |[[Sue Phillips]]| 23 - 61 |Clive Spate|[[Steve Jones (guest)|Steve Jones]]|[[Julia Swannell]]|74}}
 
{{ep | 358 | 31/01/1986 | P |[[Sue Phillips]]| 23 - 61 |Clive Spate|[[Steve Jones (guest)|Steve Jones]]|[[Julia Swannell]]|74}}
{{ep | 359 | 3/02/1986 | P |[[David Wood]]| 20 - 52 |Clive Spate|Steve Jones|Julia Swannell|72}}
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{{ep | 359 | 3/02/1986 | P |[[David Wood]]| 20 - 52 |Clive Spate|Steve Jones|Julia Swannell|73}}
 
{{ep | 360 | 4/02/1986 | P |[[Jeff Yates]]| 26 - 60 |Clive Spate|Steve Jones|Julia Swannell|67}}
 
{{ep | 360 | 4/02/1986 | P |[[Jeff Yates]]| 26 - 60 |Clive Spate|Steve Jones|Julia Swannell|67}}
 
{{ep | 361 | 5/02/1986 | P |[[Richard Sinnott]]| 39 - 57 |Clive Spate|Steve Jones|Julia Swannell|72}}
 
{{ep | 361 | 5/02/1986 | P |[[Richard Sinnott]]| 39 - 57 |Clive Spate|Steve Jones|Julia Swannell|72}}
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{{ep | 391 | 19/03/1986 | QF |Clive Spate| 66 - 19 |[[Tony Clarke]]|[[Gyles Brandreth]]|Julia Swannell|74}}
 
{{ep | 391 | 19/03/1986 | QF |Clive Spate| 66 - 19 |[[Tony Clarke]]|[[Gyles Brandreth]]|Julia Swannell|74}}
 
{{ep | 395 | 25/03/1986 | SF |Clive Spate| 56 - 26 |[[YT|Y.T. (Paul White)]]|Gyles Brandreth|Julia Swannell|85}}
 
{{ep | 395 | 25/03/1986 | SF |Clive Spate| 56 - 26 |[[YT|Y.T. (Paul White)]]|Gyles Brandreth|Julia Swannell|85}}
{{ep | 397 | 27/03/1986 | GF |Clive Spate| 107 - 53 |[[Anthony Butcher]]|[[Bill Tidy]], Gyles Brandreth|Julia Swannell|149}}
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{{ep | 397 | 27/03/1986 | GF |Clive Spate| 107 - 53 |[[Anthony Butcher]]|[[Bill Tidy]],<br>Gyles Brandreth|Julia Swannell|149}}
 
{{ep | 398 | 31/03/1986 | CQF |Clive Spate| 45 - 47 |[[Peter Evans]]|Gyles Brandreth|[[Catherine Clarke]]|81}}
 
{{ep | 398 | 31/03/1986 | CQF |Clive Spate| 45 - 47 |[[Peter Evans]]|Gyles Brandreth|[[Catherine Clarke]]|81}}
{{ep | M47 | 19/2/90-23/2/90 | Masters 1 |[[Sheila Mann]]| 36 – 106 |Clive Spate|N/A|Catherine Clarke|134}}
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{{ep | M47 | 19/02/1990-23/02/1990 | M |[[Sheila Mann]]| 36 – 106 |Clive Spate|none|Catherine Clarke|134}}
{{ep | M89 | 10/12/90-14/12/90 | Masters 2 |Clive Spate| 110 – 80 |[[Julian Hough]]|N/A|[[Freda Thornton]]|135}}
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{{ep | M89 | 10/12/1990-14/12/1990 | M |Clive Spate| 110 – 80 |[[Julian Hough]]|none|[[Freda Thornton]]|135}}
 
{{ep | 1877 | 8/11/1996 | dQF |Clive Spate| 63 - 23 |[[David Reid (Series 11)|David Reid]]|[[Geoffrey Durham]]|[[Susie Dent]]|73}}
 
{{ep | 1877 | 8/11/1996 | dQF |Clive Spate| 63 - 23 |[[David Reid (Series 11)|David Reid]]|[[Geoffrey Durham]]|[[Susie Dent]]|73}}
 
{{ep | 1879 | 12/11/1996 | dSF |[[Jackie McLeod]]| 49 - 46 |Clive Spate|[[Barry Cryer]]|Susie Dent|74}}
 
{{ep | 1879 | 12/11/1996 | dSF |[[Jackie McLeod]]| 49 - 46 |Clive Spate|[[Barry Cryer]]|Susie Dent|74}}
 
{{episode table end}}
 
{{episode table end}}
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==External Links==
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*{{w|Clive Spate|Clive Spate's Wikipedia page}}
  
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spate, Clive}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spate, Clive}}

Latest revision as of 21:26, 9 October 2023

Clive Spate
Spate several years later.

Clive Spate was the champion of Series 8, and a participant in Championship of Champions II and the Supreme Championship. He was married to Series 1 contestant Sheila Arnold and is a former Maths teacher from Nottingham.

Appearances on the programme

From Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, he first appeared on 30 January 1986, defeating Malcolm Edwards 66 – 28 and went on to win five more games, all with scores over 50 points, including 70 (the highest of the series) against Michael Purdie. He was defeated in his seventh game, though, by David Learner 54 – 46. Spate's six wins and impressive points haul were enough to earn him an invitation back for the finals as No. 1 seed, where he made short work of Tony Clarke and YT in the quarter- and semi-finals respectively. In the final against Anthony Butcher, it seemed to be slipping away from Spate as he had earholes ☓ disallowed and slipped behind by 18 points. By the first commercial break, however, he had recovered to a two point lead, and after successfully risking the now-invalid word DOMINATER for 18 points, Spate eventually ran out the winner of the match and the series by 107 points to 53 – the first century score ever achieved on Countdown. Spate was the first player to win a series of Countdown after being seeded No. 1.

Spate returned for Championship of Champions II, narrowly losing to Peter Evans in his first game.

Spate also played in the Supreme Championship, soundly beating David Reid in his first game before losing by three points to Jackie McLeod in his second and final game.

Outside of Countdown

Away from Countdown, Spate has proven to be one of the most successful British game show contestants of all-time. In 1987, he became the first unbeaten player of BBC Two's word game-based series, Catchword. He reached the Grand Finals of the first two series of Fifteen to One in 1988, before winning an episode of The Weakest Link in 2001 and £125,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2004. In 2003, Spate won a top prize of £50,000 by winning the only-ever series of the Carol Vorderman-fronted quiz show Grand Slam, which determined the greatest-ever quiz show contestant and featured players such as Olav Bjortomt, David Stainer, Graham Nash, Mark Labbett and Melanie Beaumont among others.

Spate was also a big name on the Scrabble scene, having been a recognised UK Grand Master as well as the organiser of the former, then-popular twice-yearly Nottingham Nomads tournament.

Preceded by
Ian Bebbington
Series winner
Series 8
Followed by
David Trace

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
357 30/01/1986 P Malcolm Edwards 28 – 66 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Richard Stilgoe Della Thompson 70
358 31/01/1986 P Sue Phillips 23 – 61 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Steve Jones Julia Swannell 74
359 3/02/1986 P David Wood 20 – 52 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Steve Jones Julia Swannell 73
360 4/02/1986 P Jeff Yates 26 – 60 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Steve Jones Julia Swannell 67
361 5/02/1986 P Richard Sinnott 39 – 57 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Steve Jones Julia Swannell 72
362 6/02/1986 P Michael Purdie 28 – 70 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Steve Jones Julia Swannell 76
363 7/02/1986 P David Learner 54 – 46 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Steve Jones Julia Swannell 70
391 19/03/1986 QF Clive Spate 66 – 19 Tony Clarke Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Julia Swannell 74
395 25/03/1986 SF Clive Spate 56 – 26 Y.T. (Paul White) Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Julia Swannell 85
397 27/03/1986 GF Clive Spate 107 – 53 Anthony Butcher Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Bill Tidy,
Gyles Brandreth
Julia Swannell 149
398 31/03/1986 CQF Clive Spate 45 – 47 Peter Evans Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Cathy Hytner Gyles Brandreth Catherine Clarke 81
M47 19/02/1990-23/02/1990 M Sheila Mann 36 – 106 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman none Catherine Clarke 134
M89 10/12/1990-14/12/1990 M Clive Spate 110 – 80 Julian Hough Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman none Freda Thornton 135
1877 8/11/1996 dQF Clive Spate 63 – 23 David Reid Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 73
1879 12/11/1996 dSF Jackie McLeod 49 – 46 Clive Spate Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent 74

External Links