Jon O'Neill

Jon O'Neill was a 15-year old ginger Series 53 semi-finalist and Championship of Champions XII contestant, widely regarded as the strongest player in his series and greatest numbers game player of all time. The circumstances surrounding his semi-final defeat against John Mayhew are sketchy but reported to involve gin, lashings of single cream (to which O'Neill is allergic) and a heavy bribe. Ultimately and, perhaps, unfairly the game was decided on the unsolved conundrum 'concierge', a word to which the young pretender had never been exposed. Unfortunately his first exposure to the word would prove painful, and the prodigal O'Neill entered rehab the following week.

He is widely regarded as the best numbers game player ever. Solving a string of 'four from the top' games in spectacular fashion, he awed outsiders and afficionados alike. It is said that O'Neill had a greater points differential in numbers games than Pythagoras himself.

Whilst the child prodigy's Countdown exploits may be over, his image will burn in the hearts of women and orangutans alike.

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				Lucy Summers	Mitch Murray	Susie Dent
3899	4/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	96 – 72	Peter Wallis	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent
3900	5/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	106 – 54	William Moore	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent
3901	6/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	102 – 46	Ola Odutola	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent
3902	7/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	101 – 61	Gill Johns	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent
3903	8/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	104 – 66	Phil Squires	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Nicholas Owen	Susie Dent
3904	11/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	114 – 43	Theresa Turrell	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Julia McKenzie	Susie Dent
3905	12/04/2005	P	Jon O'Neill	94 – 58	Gary McEnaney	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Julia McKenzie	Susie Dent
3955	28/06/2005	QF	Judith Young	74 – 90	Jon O'Neill	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent
3958	30/06/2005	SF	John Mayhew	89 – 88	Jon O'Neill	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Philip Franks	Susie Dent
4116	1/06/2006	CP	Jack Welsby	99 – 94	Jon O'Neill	Des Lynam	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ron Atkinson	Susie Dent