Rajaretnam Yogasagarar

Rajaretnam Yogasagarar.

Rajaretnam Yogasagarar, a doctor from Cheshire, commonly referred to on the show as Yoga, made his debut on the first show of Series 18, broadcast on 10 July 1989. In that show, he defeated Monica Kirby 59-36, and went on to win five more shows before losing his 7th 44-37 to Shirley Scott. Yoga returned for the final rounds as #3 seed, and in the quarter-finals, 'gained his revenge' on Shirley Scott, beating her 46-39, and beat octochamp Richard Evans 56-46 in the semi-final. In the final against Mandi Hale, Yoga led 82-73 going into the crucial conundrum, which he unscrambled in 2 seconds to win the final and the series. The following year's Masters would prove to be Yoga's final appearance on Countdown, as he returned to Sri Lanka, so was unavailable for both Championship of Champions V and the Supreme Championship.

Preceded by Lawrence Pearse

Series winner Series 18

Followed by Michael Wareham

Episodes

#	Date	Type	Contestant 1	Score	Contestant 2	Presenters				Guest	Lex	Max
868	10/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	59 – 36	Monica Kirby	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson
869	11/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	64 – 37	Brian Clarke	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson
870	12/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	49 – 37	Margaret Jones	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson
871	13/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	58 – 20	Bob Holland	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson
872	15/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	47 – 18	Graham Owen	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Richard Stilgoe	Della Thompson
873	17/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	56 – 25	Win Strange	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ned Sherrin	Della Thompson
874	18/07/1989	P	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	37 – 44	Shirley Scott	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Ned Sherrin	Della Thompson
933	9/10/1989	QF	Shirley Scott	39 – 46	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Gyles Brandreth	Catherine Clarke
936	12/10/1989	SF	Richard Evans	46 – 56	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Eve Pollard	Catherine Clarke
937	13/10/1989	GF	Mandi Hale	73 – 92	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman				Lucy Summers	Frazer Hines, Eve Pollard	Catherine Clarke
M60	21/5/90-25/5/90	Masters	Richard Evans	96 – 57	Rajaretnam Yogasagarar	Richard Whiteley	Carol Vorderman					?	Della Thompson