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Difference between revisions of "Jon O'Neill"

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{{featured article}}
 
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[[Image:280605 numbers.jpg|right|200px|frame|[[Carol Vorderman|Carol]] marvels at another of the ginger genius's outrageous solutions.]] [[Image:JONC.jpg|thumb|The ginger genius himself]]
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{{octostats|Semi-finalist|3|804|6}}
'''Jon O'Neill''' was an [[Octochamp]] from [[Series 53]].  He started off with a narrow 20 point win over [[Steve Smith (Series 53)|Steve Smith]] before scoring 96 against [[Peter Wallis]]. All of his next 5 games were [[century|centuries]] including a high score of 114 against [[Theresa Turrell]]. In his final game, he dropped to 94 but still qualified for the finals as #3 seed with 804 points.
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[[Image:JONC.jpg|thumb|Jon O'Neill in [[Series 53]]...]]
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[[File:Jon O'Neill.png|thumb|200px|right|and eight years later in the [[30th Birthday Championship]]!]]
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[[Image:280605 numbers.jpg|right|200px|frame|[[Carol Vorderman|Carol]] marvels at another of the ginger genius's outrageous solutions.]]
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'''Jon O'Neill''' was an [[octochamp]] in [[Series 53]], a participant in [[Championship of Champions XII]] and a semi-finalist in the [[30th Birthday Championship]]. He is also an [[Apterous|Apterite]].
  
In the quarter-finals he played [[Judith Young]] which was a close game. The game hinged on Jon getting 209 from 75 100 25 6 10 50, which involved Jon going up to 5075 and coming back down again. Both players scored in every round until the conundrum, where Jon failed to solve the conundrum {{word|IRONCASTS}} which was all that stood between him and a score of 100.
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==Appearances on the programme==
  
In the semi-final he faced [[John Mayhew]], #2 seed with 811 points. Jon led by 7 points going into round 13, where he was beaten by {{word|THEOREMS}} and trailed by 1 point going into his choice of numbers. Controversially he didn't choose 4 large and went for just one large number. Both players scored 10 points and the lights were dimmed for a [[conundrum|crucial conundrum]] ({{word|EROGENICC}}), but neither player could solve it and John won the game by a solitary point. It was the second conundrum of French origin in a row that Jon had failed to solve.
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===Series 53===
 +
He started off with a narrow 20 point win over [[Steve Smith (Series 53)|Steve Smith]] before scoring 96 against [[Peter Wallis]]. All of his next 5 games were [[century|centuries]] including a high score of 114 against [[Theresa Turrell]]. In his final game, he dropped to 94, but still qualified for the finals as No. 3 seed with 804 points.
  
One year later, Jon was invited back to the Championship of Champions and faced [[Series 52]] [[Octochamp]] [[Jack Welsby]]. Jon started badly missing {{word|AMOEBAS}}. Jon couldn't beat Jack in any letters round, and uncharacteristically was beaten by [[Carol Vorderman|Carol]] in both choices of 4 large numbers. Jon did get the conundrum {{word|PROFANITY}} but it was Jack that won the game by just 5 points.
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===Finals===
 +
In the [[Episode 3955|quarter-finals]], he played [[Judith Young]] in a close game. The game hinged on O'Neill making 209 from 75, 100, 25, 6, 10, 50, which involved him doing 50 × 100 + 75 to make 5075 before coming back down again (although it can also be solved by doing 100 + 75 + 50 − 10 − 6). Though Young beat him with {{word|SEARCHED}} in round 12, O'Neill won by a score of {{score|90|74}}, where failing to unravel the conundrum {{word|IRONCASTS}} separated him from a score of 100.
  
Since appearing on Countdown, Jon O'Neill has played at a number of unofficial [[Countdown tournament]]s, including [[COLIN 2005]], [[CoBris 2005]], [[COLIN 2006]], [[CoBris 2006]], [[COLIN 2007]], [[CoNot 2008]], [[CoNot 2009]], [[COLIN 2010]], [[Co:Lon]] and [[COLIN 2011]]. He achieved 3rd place at [[CoBris 2007]], 2nd place at [[COLIN 2008]] and [[COLIN 2009]], before winning his first event [[CoLei2]] later in 2009. In 2008, he also appeared in the [[Countdown Online Masters]] via [[MSN Messenger]], and lost [[COMA - Jon O'Neill vs Chris Wills|100-99]] to [[Series 47]] champion [[Chris Wills]] in the quarter-final.
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In the [[Episode 3958|semi-final]], he faced [[John Mayhew]], the No. 2 seed with 811 points. O'Neill led by 7 points going into round 13, where he was beaten by {{word|THEOREMS}} and trailed by 1 point going into his choice of numbers. Controversially, he didn't choose 4 large and went for just 1 large number. Both players scored 10 points and the lights were dimmed for a [[conundrum|crucial conundrum]] ({{word|EROGENICC}}), but neither player could solve it and Mayhew won the game by a solitary point. It was the second conundrum of French origin in a row that O'Neill had failed to solve.
 +
 
 +
Shortly after this, he was apparently spotted by [[Wayne Mardle]], who misspelt O'Neill's name in the former's autobiography.
 +
 
 +
===Championship of Champions XII===
 +
One year later, O'Neill was invited back to the [[Championship of Champions XII]], and faced [[Series 52]] [[octochamp]] [[Jack Welsby]]. O'Neill started badly, missing {{word|AMOEBAS}}. O'Neill couldn't beat Welsby in any [[letters round]]s, and uncharacteristically was beaten by [[Carol Vorderman|Carol]] in both choices of 4 large numbers. O'Neill did get the conundrum {{word|FAYRPOINT}} but it was Welsby that won the game by just 5 points.
 +
 
 +
===30th Birthday Championship===
 +
O'Neill returned to Countdown in 2013, as one of 41 contestants taking part in the [[30th Birthday Championship]]. He received a bye to the first round, and won his [[Episode 5625|first game]] against [[Series 59]] semi-finalist [[Kai Laddiman]] by a score of {{score|101|76}}. O'Neill then beat [[Series 6]] champion [[Darryl Francis]] in his [[Episode 5641|second game]], scoring a personal best of 122 in the process. He then equalled his personal best in his [[Episode 5649|quarter-final]] against the [[Series 66]] champion [[Jack Worsley]], and in the process, he achieved a [[max game]], becoming only the third person in the history of the [[15 round format (old)|15 round format]] to achieve this feat. In the [[Episode 5653|semi-final]], he played the formidable [[Series 54]] champion [[Conor Travers]]. He managed to hold Travers for nearly every round, but his gamble of {{word|sulphated {{X}}}} in round 6 backfired, and Travers solved the conundrum {{word|FINEGIRTH}} in one second to achieve an unprecedented third consecutive max game. O'Neill’s semi-final spots make him among the strongest players to never win a series.
 +
 
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===Catsdown===
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On 19 September 2014, he was a special guest on [[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 5, Episode 3]]. Jon joined [[Sean Lock]] and [[Jo Brand]]'s team. Unfortunately, he missed a numbers target to [[Jon Richardson]], saying it was hard to concentrate, but did redeem himself by solving the conundrum {{word|SNOGAMILF}} in under a second.
 +
 
 +
==Co-events==
 +
 
 +
Since appearing on Countdown, O'Neill has played at a number of unofficial [[Countdown tournament]]s, including [[COLIN 2005]], [[CoBris 2005]], [[COLIN 2006]], [[CoBris 2006]], [[COLIN 2007]], [[CoNot 2008]], [[CoNot 2009]], [[COLIN 2010]], [[Co:Lon 2010]], [[COLIN 2011]], [[CoNot 2011]], [[Co:Lon 2011]], [[CobliviLon]] and [[COEDI]]. He achieved 3rd place at [[CoBris 2007]], 2nd place at [[COLIN 2008]] and [[COLIN 2009]], before winning his first event [[CoLei2]] later in 2009. In 2008, he also appeared in the [[Countdown Online Masters]] via [[MSN Messenger]], and lost {{score|100|99|Episode COMA20089}} to [[Series 47]] champion [[Chris Wills]] in the quarter-final.
  
 
In 2009, he became the first moderator of the Off-topic sub-forum on [[c4countdown]].
 
In 2009, he became the first moderator of the Off-topic sub-forum on [[c4countdown]].
  
His recent attendance (and of course, victory) at CoLei2 2009 has caused one C4Cforum member to confess to another to have considered him to be the 'most attractive man in the room', a quality not diminished by Jon later putting an empty 'Celebrations' tin on his head. He has a face capable of carrying off such a jaunty appendage.
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His attendance (and of course, victory) at [[CoLei2]] 2009 has caused one c4c forum member to confess to another to have considered him to be the 'most attractive man in the room', a quality not diminished by Jon later putting an empty 'Celebrations' tin on his head. He has a face capable of carrying off such a jaunty appendage.
  
 
==Episodes==
 
==Episodes==
 
{{episode table}}
 
{{episode table}}
{{ep | 3898 | 1/04/2005 | P | [[Steve Smith (Series 53)|Steve Smith]] | 67 - 87 | Jon O'Neill | [[Mitch Murray]] | [[Susie Dent]] }}
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{{ep | 3898 | 1/04/2005 | P |[[Steve Smith (Series 53)|Steve Smith]]| 67 - 87 |Jon O'Neill|[[Mitch Murray]]|[[Susie Dent]]|143}}
{{ep | 3899 | 4/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 96 - 72 | [[Peter Wallis]] | [[Nicholas Owen]] | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3899 | 4/04/2005 | P |Jon O'Neill| 96 - 72 |[[Peter Wallis]]|[[Nicholas Owen]]|Susie Dent|120}}
{{ep | 3900 | 5/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 106 - 54 | [[William Moore]] | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3900 | 5/04/2005 | P |Jon O'Neill| 106 - 54 |[[William Moore]]|Nicholas Owen|Susie Dent|140}}
{{ep | 3901 | 6/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 102 - 46 | [[Ola Odutola]] | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3901 | 6/04/2005 | P |Jon O'Neill| 102 - 46 |[[Ola Odutola]]|Nicholas Owen|Susie Dent|124}}
{{ep | 3902 | 7/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 101 - 61 | [[Gill Johns]] | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3902 | 7/04/2005 | P |Jon O'Neill| 101 - 61 |[[Gill Johns]]|Nicholas Owen|Susie Dent|133}}
{{ep | 3903 | 8/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 104 - 66 | [[Phil Squires]] | Nicholas Owen | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3903 | 8/04/2005 | P |Jon O'Neill| 104 - 66 |[[Phil Squires]]|Nicholas Owen|Susie Dent|119}}
{{ep | 3904 | 11/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 114 - 43 | [[Theresa Turrell]] | [[Julia McKenzie]] | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3904 | 11/04/2005 | P |Jon O'Neill| 114 - 43 |[[Theresa Turrell]]|[[Julia McKenzie]]|Susie Dent|132}}
{{ep | 3905 | 12/04/2005 | P | Jon O'Neill | 94 - 58 | [[Gary McEnaney]] | Julia McKenzie | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3905 | 12/04/2005 | P |Jon O'Neill| 94 - 58 |[[Gary McEnaney]]|Julia McKenzie|Susie Dent|118}}
{{ep | 3955 | 28/06/2005 | QF | [[Judith Young]] | 74 - 90 | Jon O'Neill | [[Philip Franks]] | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3955 | 28/06/2005 | QF |[[Judith Young]]| 74 - 90 |Jon O'Neill|[[Philip Franks]]|Susie Dent|121}}
{{ep | 3958 | 30/06/2005 | SF | [[John Mayhew]] | 89 - 88 | Jon O'Neill | Philip Franks | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 3958 | 30/06/2005 | SF |[[John Mayhew]]| 89 - 88 |Jon O'Neill|Philip Franks|Susie Dent|117}}
{{ep | 4116 | 1/06/2006 | CP | [[Jack Welsby]] | 99 - 94 | Jon O'Neill | [[Ron Atkinson]] | Susie Dent }}
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{{ep | 4116 | 1/06/2006 | CP |[[Jack Welsby]]| 99 - 94 |Jon O'Neill|[[Ron Atkinson]]|Susie Dent|134}}
 +
{{ep | 5625 | 21/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Kai Laddiman]]| 76 - 101 |Jon O'Neill|[[Margaret Mountford]]|Susie Dent|132}}
 +
{{ep | 5641 | 12/02/2013 | 30B2 |Jon O'Neill| 122 - 91 |[[Darryl Francis]]|[[Ken Bruce]]|Susie Dent|130}}
 +
{{ep | 5649 | 22/02/2013 | 30BQF |'''Jon O'Neill'''| '''122''' - 104 |[[Jack Worsley]]|[[Dr Phil Hammond]]|Susie Dent|'''122'''}}
 +
{{ep | 5653 | 28/02/2013 | 30BSF |Jon O'Neill| 102 - '''120''' |'''[[Conor Travers]]'''|[[Jenny Eclair]]|Susie Dent|'''120'''}}
 +
{{ep | Cats26| 19/09/2014 | S |Jon O'Neill,<br>[[Jo Brand]]<br>& [[Sean Lock]]| 52 - 24 |[[Jon Richardson]],<br>[[Vic Reeves]]<br>& [[Rob Beckett]]|[[Adam Buxton]]|Susie Dent|69}}
 
{{episode table end}}
 
{{episode table end}}
  
==External link==
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==External Link==
 +
*{{TCDP|url=exp-jon-oneill.htm|text=Jon O'Neill's Countdown experience}}
  
*{{TCDP|url=exp-jon-oneill.htm|text=Jon O'Neill's Countdown experience}}
 
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Jon}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Jon}}
 
[[Category:Finalists]]
 
[[Category:Finalists]]
 
[[Category:Octochamps of the 15 round era]]
 
[[Category:Octochamps of the 15 round era]]
 
[[Category:Contestants in Series 53]]
 
[[Category:Contestants in Series 53]]
 +
[[Category:Contestants in the 30th Birthday Championship]]
 
[[Category:Contestants in Championship of Champions XII]]
 
[[Category:Contestants in Championship of Champions XII]]
[[Category:prodigies]]
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[[Category:Contestants in 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]
 +
[[Category:Prodigies]]
 
[[Category:Teapot owners]]
 
[[Category:Teapot owners]]
 
[[Category:Tournament winners]]
 
[[Category:Tournament winners]]
 +
[[Category:Contestants on ZoomDown]]

Revision as of 01:15, 23 January 2023

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Jon O'Neill
Octochamp Statistics
Final positionSemi-finalist
Seeding3
Points total804
Conundrums solved6
Jon O'Neill in Series 53...
and eight years later in the 30th Birthday Championship!
Carol marvels at another of the ginger genius's outrageous solutions.

Jon O'Neill was an octochamp in Series 53, a participant in Championship of Champions XII and a semi-finalist in the 30th Birthday Championship. He is also an Apterite.

Appearances on the programme

Series 53

He started off with a narrow 20 point win over Steve Smith before scoring 96 against Peter Wallis. All of his next 5 games were centuries including a high score of 114 against Theresa Turrell. In his final game, he dropped to 94, but still qualified for the finals as No. 3 seed with 804 points.

Finals

In the quarter-finals, he played Judith Young in a close game. The game hinged on O'Neill making 209 from 75, 100, 25, 6, 10, 50, which involved him doing 50 × 100 + 75 to make 5075 before coming back down again (although it can also be solved by doing 100 + 75 + 50 − 10 − 6). Though Young beat him with SEARCHED in round 12, O'Neill won by a score of 90 – 74, where failing to unravel the conundrum IRONCASTS separated him from a score of 100.

In the semi-final, he faced John Mayhew, the No. 2 seed with 811 points. O'Neill led by 7 points going into round 13, where he was beaten by THEOREMS and trailed by 1 point going into his choice of numbers. Controversially, he didn't choose 4 large and went for just 1 large number. Both players scored 10 points and the lights were dimmed for a crucial conundrum (EROGENICC), but neither player could solve it and Mayhew won the game by a solitary point. It was the second conundrum of French origin in a row that O'Neill had failed to solve.

Shortly after this, he was apparently spotted by Wayne Mardle, who misspelt O'Neill's name in the former's autobiography.

Championship of Champions XII

One year later, O'Neill was invited back to the Championship of Champions XII, and faced Series 52 octochamp Jack Welsby. O'Neill started badly, missing AMOEBAS. O'Neill couldn't beat Welsby in any letters rounds, and uncharacteristically was beaten by Carol in both choices of 4 large numbers. O'Neill did get the conundrum FAYRPOINT but it was Welsby that won the game by just 5 points.

30th Birthday Championship

O'Neill returned to Countdown in 2013, as one of 41 contestants taking part in the 30th Birthday Championship. He received a bye to the first round, and won his first game against Series 59 semi-finalist Kai Laddiman by a score of 101 – 76. O'Neill then beat Series 6 champion Darryl Francis in his second game, scoring a personal best of 122 in the process. He then equalled his personal best in his quarter-final against the Series 66 champion Jack Worsley, and in the process, he achieved a max game, becoming only the third person in the history of the 15 round format to achieve this feat. In the semi-final, he played the formidable Series 54 champion Conor Travers. He managed to hold Travers for nearly every round, but his gamble of sulphated ☓ in round 6 backfired, and Travers solved the conundrum FINEGIRTH in one second to achieve an unprecedented third consecutive max game. O'Neill’s semi-final spots make him among the strongest players to never win a series.

Catsdown

On 19 September 2014, he was a special guest on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Series 5, Episode 3. Jon joined Sean Lock and Jo Brand's team. Unfortunately, he missed a numbers target to Jon Richardson, saying it was hard to concentrate, but did redeem himself by solving the conundrum SNOGAMILF in under a second.

Co-events

Since appearing on Countdown, O'Neill has played at a number of unofficial Countdown tournaments, including COLIN 2005, CoBris 2005, COLIN 2006, CoBris 2006, COLIN 2007, CoNot 2008, CoNot 2009, COLIN 2010, Co:Lon 2010, COLIN 2011, CoNot 2011, Co:Lon 2011, CobliviLon and COEDI. He achieved 3rd place at CoBris 2007, 2nd place at COLIN 2008 and COLIN 2009, before winning his first event CoLei2 later in 2009. In 2008, he also appeared in the Countdown Online Masters via MSN Messenger, and lost 100 – 99 to Series 47 champion Chris Wills in the quarter-final.

In 2009, he became the first moderator of the Off-topic sub-forum on c4countdown.

His attendance (and of course, victory) at CoLei2 2009 has caused one c4c forum member to confess to another to have considered him to be the 'most attractive man in the room', a quality not diminished by Jon later putting an empty 'Celebrations' tin on his head. He has a face capable of carrying off such a jaunty appendage.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
3898 1/04/2005 P Steve Smith 67 – 87 Jon O'Neill Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Mitch Murray Susie Dent 143
3899 4/04/2005 P Jon O'Neill 96 – 72 Peter Wallis Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent 120
3900 5/04/2005 P Jon O'Neill 106 – 54 William Moore Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent 140
3901 6/04/2005 P Jon O'Neill 102 – 46 Ola Odutola Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent 124
3902 7/04/2005 P Jon O'Neill 101 – 61 Gill Johns Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent 133
3903 8/04/2005 P Jon O'Neill 104 – 66 Phil Squires Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent 119
3904 11/04/2005 P Jon O'Neill 114 – 43 Theresa Turrell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Julia McKenzie Susie Dent 132
3905 12/04/2005 P Jon O'Neill 94 – 58 Gary McEnaney Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Julia McKenzie Susie Dent 118
3955 28/06/2005 QF Judith Young 74 – 90 Jon O'Neill Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 121
3958 30/06/2005 SF John Mayhew 89 – 88 Jon O'Neill Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Philip Franks Susie Dent 117
4116 1/06/2006 CP Jack Welsby 99 – 94 Jon O'Neill Des Lynam Carol Vorderman Ron Atkinson Susie Dent 134
5625 21/01/2013 30B1 Kai Laddiman 76 – 101 Jon O'Neill Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Margaret Mountford Susie Dent 132
5641 12/02/2013 30B2 Jon O'Neill 122 – 91 Darryl Francis Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Ken Bruce Susie Dent 130
5649 22/02/2013 30BQF Jon O'Neill 122 – 104 Jack Worsley Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Dr Phil Hammond Susie Dent 122
5653 28/02/2013 30BSF Jon O'Neill 102 – 120 Conor Travers Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Jenny Eclair Susie Dent 120
Cats26 19/09/2014 S Jon O'Neill,
Jo Brand
& Sean Lock
52 – 24 Jon Richardson,
Vic Reeves
& Rob Beckett
Jimmy Carr Rachel Riley Adam Buxton Susie Dent 69

External Link