John Ashmore

John Ashmore.

John Ashmore first appeared on Countdown on 7 April 1998, beating Alan Atkins 50-40 in the 57th heat of series 38. he won 3 more games before losing at the hands of Peter Malone. However, his four wins were sufficient to see him return for the final rounds as #5 seed. In the quarter-finals, he beat Gerry Pearce after a sudden death conundrum, and beat #1 seed Chris Toyne the very next day in the semi-final. In the final against Steve Fisher, John led by 2 points going into the crucial conundrum. ENTRCHAMP appeared on the conundrum board, and within 4 seconds, John had buzzed, correctly answering PARCHMENT to win the game 91-79, and become the 38th champion of Countdown. John returned at the end of 1999 for Championship of Champions X, but was defeated in the first round by Terry Knowles. John returned to the Countdown studios a few years later to film a special game, a rematch of his final against Steve Fisher, but the game has not yet been broadcast.

Preceded by Ray McPhie

Series winner Series 38

Followed by Kate Ogilvie

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
2234	7/04/1998	P	Alan Atkins	40 – 50	John Ashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent
2235	8/04/1998	P	John Ashmore	60 – 38	Cath Paxton	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent
2236	9/04/1998	P	John Ashmore	59 – 36	Harold Blythe	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent
2237	10/04/1998	P	John Ashmore	56 – 28	John Williams	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent
2238	13/04/1998	P	John Ashmore	44 – 59	Peter Malone	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent
2289	23/06/1998	QF	Gerry Pearce	61 – 71	John Ashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent
2290	24/06/1998	SF	Chris Toyne	40 – 55	John Ashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent
2292	26/06/1998	GF	John Ashmore	91 – 79	Steve Fisher	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Geoffrey Durham	Susie Dent
2675	28/12/1999	CP	Terry Knowles	43 – 37	John Ashmore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nigel Rees	Mark Nyman