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00:31Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown studio.
00:34Now, tomorrow is a big day in the world of film animation because it marks the 50th anniversary of the
00:39death of Mr. Walt Disney.
00:42And since then, of course, my word, he created an absolute, I won't say monster, but an empire, really.
00:49Theme park stories, characters, songs and Disney creations pretty much stretched through my lifetime.
00:55I remember if I was asked to pick my favourite Disney character, I think it was the one that had
01:01the most impact on me as a child, as a very small child.
01:05How I wept when Bambi's mother was so cruelly gunned down by the bad hunter in the snow.
01:13Oh, how I wept.
01:14What about you? Who's your favourite Walt Disney character?
01:18Oh, I like a lot of the movies. The Little Mermaid was a classic when I was little.
01:23And then as I was a bit older, Maleficent and Enchanted.
01:26So some of the remakes where you've got real actors and the computer generated stuff.
01:31I love them. They're brilliant. Timeless.
01:33I mean, the entry of the computer into filmmaking has made such an extraordinary impact.
01:40So many things that are possible, aren't they?
01:42Yeah, some of the people are to Beauty and the Beast next year.
01:44Indeed. Indeed we are.
01:45Now, who have we got with us? Richard's back, just.
01:48Had a bit of a close shave there.
01:50Chartered accountant from Stockport.
01:52Three good wins.
01:54You've survived two crucial conundrums.
01:57Sneaked through.
01:58Didn't get either of them.
02:00And will you survive today?
02:02Well, I hope you do.
02:04But first of all, you've got to get past Neil Baines, a revenues officer from Hartlepool.
02:08You got married in Poland.
02:09Yes, I did.
02:10A couple of years ago, 2013.
02:12Yeah.
02:12And you had to survive or overcome a number of Polish traditions.
02:19Lots of traditions, yes.
02:20Before you could actually sweep her across the threshold.
02:24Yes.
02:24Tell us what they were.
02:25Well, on the morning of the wedding, before the wedding even happens,
02:27there's a blessing at her parents' house.
02:30And I arrived at the door and wanted to, of course, see her.
02:33But it was stopped by her sister because you have to barter with a family member
02:38to have access to my future wife, as it was at the time.
02:42Right.
02:42So I offered money, offered farmyard animals, cows, goats.
02:46I was a little light-hearted joke.
02:48But then offered her a nice set of necklaces, a nice next-to-nearings.
02:51Oh, well done.
02:51Which she appreciated very much.
02:53You didn't arrive with her to cattle, aren't they?
02:55No, no, no.
02:56No, no, no.
02:57But a necklace and some earrings did it.
03:00Yes.
03:00And then you got permission, and then you headed for the church, I guess.
03:04Yes, a blessing, gone to the wedding car, headed to church,
03:07and there were actually roadblocks put up by people to stop us getting to the church.
03:13So to unblock the roadblocks, we would need to have a case of vodka in the boot of the car.
03:20So we would offer each person a bottle of vodka, and they would gladly open up the road for us.
03:27Sounds like a good game, actually.
03:30Brilliant stuff.
03:30Let's have a big round of applause for Neil and Richard.
03:38And over in the corner, Susie Dent.
03:39And, of course, talking of Disney earlier, here's a guest who's written some amazing lyrics for Aladdin,
03:44Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King.
03:45It's Tim Rice.
03:46And all of those films, I think, Tim, were for Walt Disney.
03:49They were.
03:50Every one, yes.
03:51Extraordinary.
03:51Excellent.
03:52More stories from Tim in a little while, but now it's over to Richard Hayward.
03:55Richard, let us go.
03:58Hi, Rachel.
03:59Hi, Richard.
03:59Could I start with a vowel, please?
04:01Start today with A.
04:03And another.
04:05O.
04:06And another.
04:08E.
04:09And another.
04:11I.
04:12And a consonant.
04:14S.
04:15And another.
04:16B.
04:17And another.
04:19R.
04:20And another.
04:22S.
04:23And one more, please.
04:25And the last one, F.
04:27And here's the countdown clock.
04:59Richard.
05:00Seven.
05:01And Neil?
05:02Seven.
05:04Richard?
05:05Bossier.
05:06Neil?
05:07The Razors.
05:09OK, yeah, how are you spelling that one, Neil?
05:11B-R-A-I-S-E-S.
05:14Perfect. Very good.
05:16Very good.
05:17Now, what has the corner got for us?
05:19What offering?
05:20Well, not a lot better, really, have we?
05:22No.
05:24Sevens with...
05:25Well, we have Bossier as well.
05:26Isobars are there.
05:27We're talking meteorologically.
05:29But just sevens for us.
05:31All right.
05:32Seven apiece.
05:33Neil, your first letters game.
05:35Hi, Rachel.
05:36Hi, Neil.
05:36Can I have a consonant, please?
05:37Start with Y.
05:39And a vowel?
05:41E.
05:43Consonant?
05:45R.
05:47Consonant?
05:49L.
05:50And a vowel.
05:52O.
05:54Another vowel.
05:56A.
05:57Consonant?
05:59N.
06:01Consonant?
06:03T.
06:06And a consonant, please.
06:07And the last one.
06:08B.
06:10Countdown.
06:11Run.
06:14An companion.Cent권.
06:15as well. And
06:33a vowel.
06:34So, as well
06:35as a
06:35it was
06:35there is. I love you. I
06:35love you. I
06:37love you. I
06:39love you. It's
06:40me. I love
06:40you. I love
06:40you. Glad you're
06:41Neil. A seven. Thank you. Seven. Neil. Blotter. And Richard. Same with it. Two bloaters. Any more bloaters, Tim? Notable
06:56is seven as well. Yes. And eight. Ornately. Yes.
07:02Very good. Well done, Susie. Ornately. Indeed. So, 14 apiece and we're in the number zone now, Richard. Two from
07:14the top and four from the bottom, please.
07:15Thank you, Richard. Two from the top and four little ones coming up. And for the first numbers game, they
07:21are five, one, eight, seven, and the large two, 25, and 75.
07:28And the target, 935.
07:32935.
07:32935.
07:33935.
07:35935.
07:50935.
08:04935.
08:06935.
08:08935.
08:20935.
08:22935.
08:23935.
08:23Perfect. Very well done. 935.
08:26Well done, Susie. You've sprung into a 10-point lead. 24 to Richard's 14 as we turn to our first
08:31Tea Time teaser, which is Hints Ugly. And the clue, it really is such an ugly thing to look at.
08:38It really is such an ugly thing to look at.
08:57Welcome back. I left you with a clue. It really is such an ugly thing to look at. Because it's
09:04unsightly.
09:05Unsightly. So 14 for Richard, Neil on 24, and it's Neil's letters game. Now then, Neil.
09:12Can I start with a consonant, please, Rachel?
09:14Thank you, Neil. T.
09:16And a consonant.
09:18D.
09:20Vowel.
09:21I.
09:23Consonant.
09:25D.
09:27Vowel.
09:28A.
09:30Vowel.
09:31E.
09:34Consonant.
09:36N.
09:38Consonant.
09:40R.
09:42And a vowel, please.
09:44And lastly, A.
09:47Standby.
09:48T.
09:49I.
09:49Too bad.
09:50J.
09:50T.
10:16Peg.
10:19Yes, Neil?
10:20Seven.
10:21A seven, Richard?
10:22Six.
10:23Your six?
10:24Ranted.
10:26Neil?
10:27Trained.
10:28Very good.
10:29Yes.
10:30Very good.
10:31And Tim and Susie?
10:34Well, Tim and Susie, and I must say, I don't think Tim contributed all that much to this
10:39one, is an eight.
10:41Oh, yes?
10:42You've got an eight-letter word, radiated.
10:44Oh, perfect.
10:45Well done.
10:47Susie.
10:48APPLAUSE
10:50Radiated.
10:52All right.
10:5331 plays 14.
10:54Richard, what's going on here?
10:57It's a letters game.
10:59Vowel, please.
11:00Thank you, Richard.
11:01O.
11:02And another.
11:04E.
11:05And another.
11:07U.
11:07And another.
11:09I.
11:10And the consonant.
11:12V.
11:13And another.
11:14S.
11:15And another.
11:17T.
11:17T.
11:18And another.
11:20W.
11:22And a consonant, please.
11:23And the last one.
11:24P.
11:26Tunk tone.
11:27.
11:28things over here.
11:55I'll be here.
11:56Now do meet you.
11:59Richard?
12:00Five.
12:01What about Neil?
12:02Just a five.
12:04So, Richard?
12:05Swipe.
12:07And Neil?
12:08Pouts.
12:10Yes.
12:11There we go.
12:12Five.
12:13What can you do with this now, chaps?
12:15An eight.
12:17Oh, yes?
12:17Would you believe?
12:19Would you like to reveal it?
12:20Yes, if you're a surfer, you'll know this one.
12:22Wipeouts.
12:24Wipeouts?
12:24Yes.
12:26Very good.
12:29Well done.
12:3036 plays 19.
12:32Neil, your numbers game.
12:34Could I have one from the top and five small, please?
12:36You can indeed.
12:37Thank you, Neil.
12:37One large, five little.
12:39And for this round, the little ones are five, one, six, eight, and two.
12:46And the big one, 100.
12:49And the target, 753.
12:51Seven, five, three.
12:54Four, five, four.
12:56Two, five, four.
12:58Three, five, four.
13:15One, one, two.
13:18Three, two, four.
13:18Three, four, four.
13:20Five, four, five, six, one, six, seven, seven, seven, seven, and nine…
13:24Neil?
13:257, 5, 4.
13:27One away. Richard?
13:287, 5, 3.
13:30That's a reversal. All right, Richard.
13:33100 minus 6 is 94.
13:35It is indeed.
13:36Times by 8 is 752.
13:39And add the 1.
13:40Perfect. 7, 5, 3. Lovely.
13:42Well done.
13:45Well done, Richard.
13:47So you're back in contention here.
13:4829 to Neil's 36.
13:50As we turn to Tim and Tim, what have you got for us today, musically?
13:55Well, I went to a rather exciting musical event earlier this year,
14:00which was the 50th anniversary of Bjorn meeting Benny,
14:05the ABBA stars, or the ABBA writing stars.
14:08And they had a party in Stockholm to celebrate knowing each other for 50 years,
14:12which is just a little bit longer than ABBA's existence, obviously.
14:16And it was a great party.
14:18For starters, the two ladies were there as well.
14:21So at one point, they were all on stage,
14:24because there was a kind of running cabaret throughout the party.
14:28And Agnetha and Frida sang a beautiful Bjorn and Benny song called Like Old Friends Do.
14:34And Bjorn was on the stage just sort of listening to it,
14:37and Benny was tinking the piano.
14:38So that was a kind of ABBA revival, if you like,
14:41because they've always, in my view, quite rightly,
14:43they've turned down incredible offers to get back on the road.
14:48Just because Benny says, I'm not sure this is true, but it's a good reason.
14:52He says we wouldn't be as good as we were.
14:54And they've done so much writing and other things since.
14:57They don't need to do it, whatever the financial offer.
15:01But it was great because the party was a kind of retrospective of their career.
15:07But it wasn't just ABBA.
15:08It was all the other things they'd done.
15:09And there were some fascinating old Swedish rockers,
15:12who, to be brutally honest, I didn't know much about,
15:14but who sang early Benny hits when Benny was in a group called the Hep Stars
15:19and Bjorn was in a group called the Hootenanny Singers.
15:22So we had the lead guy of the Hootenanny Singers,
15:24who was getting on a bit, you know, singing a Hootenanny hit.
15:27And it was just a wonderful evening,
15:29and one that I think I was very privileged to be at,
15:33because there were only about 200 or 300 people,
15:35and it was basically a private bash.
15:38Fantastic.
15:39And they performed, because they were so...
15:41Benny was on piano all night.
15:43Bjorn did Does Your Mother Know,
15:45which was the one ABBA hit that he actually sang lead on,
15:50the one-hit single.
15:51And he was quite funny, because he wandered up to the mic
15:53and he was wearing a very smart suit and just delivered it.
15:56It was almost like a very successful stockbroker singing it.
15:59But he did it beautifully.
16:00He sang it really well.
16:01Really?
16:02Oh, it's brilliant.
16:03What a night.
16:04It was a good night.
16:04What a night.
16:05Lovely.
16:06Thank you, Tim.
16:10Thank you, Tim.
16:1136 to which is 29,
16:14and it's Richard's letter scheme now.
16:16Richard.
16:16A vowel, please.
16:18Thank you, Richard.
16:19E.
16:20And another.
16:21O.
16:22And another.
16:23E.
16:24And another.
16:25O.
16:26And a consonant.
16:28D.
16:29And another.
16:31S.
16:32And another.
16:33G.
16:34And another.
16:36R.
16:38And another consonant, please.
16:39And finally, C.
16:42Stand by.
16:45To be with you.
16:46MUSIC PLAYS
17:14Richard?
17:15Seven.
17:16And Neil?
17:18I'll try a seven.
17:20Richard?
17:21Recodes.
17:22Recodes, Neil.
17:24Gooders?
17:26Er, recode is in.
17:28Just check that one.
17:30There's do-gooders, but not gooders on their own, I'm afraid.
17:33Sorry.
17:34Bad luck there.
17:36Tim and Susie?
17:37Well, that's about it.
17:38I was very pleased with myself, because I got recodes.
17:42And you've upstaged me.
17:45No, it was, er, I think seven's as good as we can get it.
17:48Yes, codgers.
17:49Codgers, yes.
17:50I'm a codger.
17:52I'm quite an old codger.
17:5336 apiece, look at this.
17:55Neil, letters again.
17:57Er, consonant, please, Rachel.
17:58Thank you, Neil.
17:59V.
18:01And a consonant.
18:03T.
18:03Consonant.
18:06N.
18:08A vowel.
18:09I.
18:11Consonant.
18:13F.
18:15A vowel.
18:17E.
18:19Another vowel.
18:21O.
18:23Consonant.
18:25L.
18:27And a final consonant, please.
18:29And a final M.
18:30Stand by.
18:33Stand by.
18:46MUSIC CONTINUES
19:03Neil. Just a five. A five. Richard. Six. Neil. Fent. Now then. Moulton. Moulton. Yep. So you're fine for six.
19:16Mmm. He's clawed his way past Neil. Now, Tim. Well, we have a seven. Quite a common word. Violent.
19:26Yes, unfortunately. Violent. Is he anything else?
19:28No, that was our best next one.
19:29All right. So well done, Richard. But Neil, there's plenty of time for this. As we look to Richard's numbers
19:36game now. Richard.
19:37Could I have an inverted T, please?
19:39Thank you, Richard. Inverted T. One from the top and five little ones. And this time the selection is two.
19:47Two. Ten. Seven. One.
19:51And the large one, 75. And the target, 265.
19:56Two. Six. Five.
20:09Six. Five.
20:28Richard.
20:31272.
20:33272. Neil?
20:34No, nothing.
20:36No?
20:36No.
20:37272. Must be difficult. Let's go.
20:4075 minus 7 for 68.
20:432 plus 2 is 4. Multiply them.
20:47Multiply them. 272. Yep.
20:507 away.
20:517 away. 265. This is obviously a puzzler.
20:56There were a couple of ways.
20:57One, you could have said 2 plus 1 is 3.
21:00Times by 7 is 21.
21:03Minus the other 2 for 19.
21:05Times that by 10 for 190.
21:07And add on the 75. 265.
21:10There we go. Well done.
21:11Well done, Rachel.
21:14Fabulous.
21:15So, 47 plays 36.
21:17As we turn to our second tea time teaser, which is Neil saw it.
21:21And the clue, Neil saw it in the mirror and decided it was time to diet.
21:27Neil saw it in the mirror and decided it was time to diet.
21:48Welcome back. I left with the clue.
21:50Neil saw it in the mirror and decided it was time to diet.
21:54What did he see in the mirror?
21:55Why, he saw his waistline.
21:58So, it's waistline.
21:59Not our Neil, obviously.
22:01So, 47 plays 36.
22:03Neil on 36.
22:04And it's Neil's letters game.
22:06Can I start with a consonant, please, Rachel?
22:08Thank you, Neil.
22:09H.
22:11And a vowel?
22:13I.
22:15And a consonant?
22:17D.
22:19Consonant?
22:21N.
22:22A vowel?
22:24E.
22:25Consonant?
22:28W.
22:30A vowel?
22:32A.
22:34A consonant?
22:36S.
22:39And a vowel, please.
22:41And a final I.
22:44And here's the countdown clock.
22:46Hografi.
22:47I'm sorry.
23:09I'm sorry.
23:14I'll see you later.
23:16I'll be back.
23:17Neil I'll stick with a six a six Richard six Neil washed and same word washed anybody else
23:31washed no we didn't have that one wahine is wahine is Hawaiian ladies exactly yes or marry
23:41wide women yes handies yes they're not these things there are mobile phones in Europe really yes so the
23:49Germans called mobile phones handy and it's come over into English so handies are mobile phones
23:55well there you go 53 plays 42 Richard on 53 and it's Richard's letters game now then a consonant
24:03please thank you Richard Z and another T and another S and another ah and a vowel a and another
24:20I and
24:24another a and a consonant H and another consonant please and lastly L stand by
24:39so
25:06Richard
25:08Richard six a six and Neil the six Richard trails and same right same again there we go
25:19trails yes absolutely how do we get on in the corner brilliantly frankly yes lariats as in
25:28lassoes exactly the rope using lassoes yeah yeah well done 48 plays 59 Richard on 59 and it's Susie we
25:36turn
25:37into now for her origins of words lucky us thank you well I have been listening to Tim and he
25:45often
25:45talks about Broadway because of course his musicals often make it very big on Broadway Broadway obviously
25:52just means very wide Avenue and it was actually the oldest north south thoroughfare in New York City it
25:59goes all the way back to the new Amsterdam settlement and it comes from the Dutch lots of words like
26:04dollar
26:04as I explained quite recently also came via Dutch and it's Bredeweg in in Dutch which translated into
26:12Broadway but broad pops up in lots of other ways in English as well we talk might talk about somebody
26:18being bored in the beam and that goes back to the beam of a ship one of the horizontal transverse
26:24timbers that
26:25literally holds a ship together the word Europe or the name Europe we know goes back to Greek mythology
26:32and Europa who was a Phoenician princess but the literal translation of Europa seems to be to have
26:39a wide gaze that's quite nice to think of of Europe as sort of being wide eyed if you like
26:44or perhaps
26:44because it was a wide expanse of land and finally broadcast we are making a broadcast today the very first
26:52meaning of this it's one that's still used in agriculture today was the widespread scattering
26:56of seed it took on and figurative meaning quite early in the 18th century and of course it came
27:02into radio in the 1920s but it's still used as I say at harvest time to have a broadcast of
27:07seed as you
27:07go along I quite like the idea that that's what we're doing now but in a figurative sense very good
27:18beautifully parceled up and delivered if you don't mind saying so thank you 59 plays 48 and it's
27:24neil's letters game neil can i start with a vowel please rachel thank you neil e and a consonant g
27:33consonant t consonant n a vowel o another vowel u consonant x consonant t
27:57e and a vowel and the last one e stand by
28:04so
28:19so
28:21so
28:35Neil?
28:36Six.
28:37A six.
28:38Richard?
28:38Six.
28:39Neil?
28:40Tongue.
28:41Tongue and?
28:42Same word.
28:43Two tongues.
28:44Any more tongues?
28:45I've got two more tongues here.
28:47Four tongues?
28:48Yep.
28:49Four candles, yeah.
28:52Four tongues.
28:53Nothing else?
28:54No.
28:5465 plays.
28:5554.
28:56Richard, final letters game.
28:58A vowel, please.
28:59Thank you, Richard.
29:00A.
29:01And another.
29:03E.
29:04And another.
29:05E.
29:06And another.
29:08U.
29:09And a consonant.
29:10R.
29:11And another.
29:13M.
29:14And another.
29:15T.
29:17And another.
29:19P.
29:20And another, please.
29:21And the last one.
29:23D.
29:24Stand by.
29:25T.
29:26T.
29:26And another.
29:27T.
29:47And another.
29:54And another.
29:56Richard.
29:57Seven.
29:59Neil.
30:00Seven.
30:01Richard.
30:02Trumped.
30:03And Neil.
30:05Trumped.
30:07All right.
30:08No more Trumps, please.
30:11We didn't have anything to do with Trumps.
30:13What have we got?
30:13We've got two at eight.
30:15Tampered, as in interfered, and permuted,
30:19which that means sort of different combinations of?
30:21Yes, subject to alteration, like permutation.
30:24Right.
30:24So it changed in some way.
30:27Well done.
30:30So 72 to 61, final numbers game for Neil Baines.
30:35Neil.
30:35Could I try three large and three small, please?
30:38You can, indeed.
30:38Three large, three small.
30:40Thank you, Neil.
30:41And this final numbers game is four, seven, one, 75, 25, and 100.
30:51And the target, 518.
30:53Five, one, eight.
30:55Five, one, eight.
31:07MUSIC CONTINUES
31:25Neil? Five, one, eight.
31:27And Richard? No.
31:30No? Neil?
31:33Four plus one is five. Yep.
31:36Times the hundred. Five hundred.
31:38Then 25 take away seven is eighteen. Is the eighteen.
31:40Yeah. Well done, five eighteen.
31:43Well done.
31:46Ooh, what have we got here?
31:49What have we got?
31:5072 plays 71, which means that we've got a crucial conundrum.
31:54Richard?
31:56Good luck to you both.
31:57Let's roll today's crucial countdown conundrum.
32:01We'll do it.
32:07Do be right back.
32:31Nail, bleakest, no.
32:34Now, rest of the time to Richard.
32:39Whoa.
32:43Richard Hayward, you're a survivor.
32:47Let's see what the audience has got, because we couldn't get it up here.
32:51Now, let me see some hands, brave hands, brave souls.
32:54Do I see anybody?
32:56No.
32:59Let's see what it is, then.
33:00Let's roll it.
33:01There it is.
33:02Beanstalk.
33:03Well done.
33:04Well done, indeed.
33:06Now, then, I want to talk to you, Richard Hayward.
33:08You're a risky carriage.
33:11That's the third crucial conundrum you survived.
33:14Living on the edge.
33:16Sneaking through.
33:17Living right on the edge.
33:18All I can say, Neil Baines, is that was bad luck, because, you know, you had him on the run,
33:22and he crept past you eventually, and won by a point.
33:28I'm so sorry.
33:29Back to Hartlepool.
33:30Back to Mrs Baines.
33:32Yes.
33:32And back to, um, back with your goodie bag, and our very best wishes.
33:36You're a good player.
33:38But, uh, on the day, Richard lived to fight another day.
33:42Well done.
33:43All right.
33:43We shall see you in January.
33:45We're going to put you now into some sort of, you know, um, suspended animation, because
33:50tomorrow we go into, uh, the final.
33:53So you be good, be careful, and we'll see you in January.
33:56How's that?
33:57That's great.
33:58All right.
33:58We shall see you tomorrow when we're playing the finals.
34:01I am looking forward to it enormously.
34:03All right.
34:04See you then.
34:05And Susie, too?
34:06Yep, me too.
34:07All right.
34:07Finals tomorrow, Rachel?
34:08First quarter final.
34:10It's important stuff.
34:11Indeed.
34:11We'll see you in January.
34:13Lovely.
34:13All right.
34:14We'll see you tomorrow.
34:15See you then.
34:15Same time, same place.
34:16The finals commence tomorrow.
34:19You'll be here.
34:19You'll be sure of it.
34:20Good afternoon.
34:22Contact us by email at countdown at channel4.com, by Twitter at C4Countdown, or write to us
34:29at Countdown, Leeds, LS3, 1JS.
34:32You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:39The theme is medieval.
34:42Warwick Castle hosts Deal or No Deal on tour later today at four o'clock.
34:46Tonight, a festive fair is in store with plenty of foodie treats.
34:49And Kirsty's handmade questions at eight o'clock.
34:52Next up, coast versus country.