- 4 hours ago
Broadcast on Friday 23rd December 2016.
This episode was kindly donated by SuperLegendary.
This episode was kindly donated by SuperLegendary.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:30Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown Studio and welcome to the final of Countdown's 75th series.
00:39And today, one of our contestants, one of these two great players, will walk away proudly holding the Richard Whiteley
00:47Memorial Trophy.
00:48This is it, the final 75 series. Way back, it goes way back to 1982.
00:55Fantastic, wonderful thing. What a year it's been.
00:58This actually will also be the last Countdown this year and we'll be back in January.
01:03But it's been a momentous year in all sorts of ways.
01:06Of course, we've had a new Prime Minister in this country, a new President in the White House in Washington.
01:12We've had Brexit. We've had GB, Team GB doing so brilliantly in Rio and also our great Paralympians.
01:21It's been a great year, actually. But now, Rachel, I don't know what your memories are.
01:25For me, I think the hiatus, the turmoil that took place in our political system, I thought, was an extraordinary
01:34year.
01:34That's what made it for me. What about you?
01:37I'll go for happier things with my friends and family, because three of them got married, I was a bridesmaid
01:41three times.
01:42Actually, four of them got married, I was a bridesmaid three times. And I've got a little nephew, Finley.
01:46Excellent.
01:47Yes, it's going to be his first Christmas in just a couple of days' time.
01:50Oh, that's wonderful.
01:50Gorgeous, happy little thing.
01:52Excellent.
01:52Yes, it's a happy birthday. Happy Christmas to Finley.
01:54Indeed. I hope he's watching now.
01:56I'm sure he will be.
01:57And if he is, a merry Christmas, Finley, a happy Christmas. A year old, God bless him.
02:03Well, almost.
02:04All right. Now, who have we got with us? We've got two great players, Rachel.
02:07We've got Martin Hurst, number one seed. He's breached a hundred-point mark in both his quarter and semi-final
02:14matches.
02:15Fantastic stuff, Martin.
02:17And Andrew McLeod. You're up against Andrew McLeod, our number three seed.
02:21Now, he's also broken through the hundred-point barrier in both of his quarter and semi-final matches.
02:27So, frankly, you may be one and three, but I think there's hardly a piece of paper to put between
02:32both of you.
02:33So, good luck to you both. Have a great game, and may the best man win.
02:38Big round of applause for these great finalists.
02:47And over in the corner, witnessing it once again, Series 75, Susie. How about that?
02:54Fantastic.
02:54Tucked away, almost.
02:55Honour to be here.
02:56Brilliant.
02:56And for the last time on her current visit, but what great fun she's been, is weather presenter, the daring
03:03Carol Kirkwood from TV and radio.
03:07Welcome.
03:09All right.
03:12Now then, they're all braced and ready to go.
03:15Martin, take it away.
03:17Hi, Rachel.
03:18Hi, Martin.
03:19Can I have a vowel, please?
03:19You can indeed.
03:20Good luck.
03:21Start the final with you.
03:23And another.
03:46And a final consonant, please.
03:49And a final T.
03:52Stand by.
03:53And a final consonant, please.
04:24Martin.
04:25I'll try an eight.
04:26Andrew.
04:27I'll stick with an eight.
04:29Now then.
04:31Under lit.
04:32Andrew.
04:32And the same.
04:34Both under lit.
04:36Now.
04:37Carol and Susie, what have you dredged up there?
04:40The same.
04:41Same?
04:41Yeah.
04:41Just to say, it is absolutely fine having insufficient light or lighting.
04:46So, very well done.
04:47Good start.
04:48Very good.
04:48Eight apiece.
04:49And Andrew, your letters game.
04:51Hi, Rachel.
04:52Hi, Andrew.
04:53Can I have a consonant, please?
04:55Start with S.
04:57And another.
04:59X.
05:00And another.
05:02N.
05:04And a vowel.
05:05A.
05:06And another.
05:07I.
05:08And another.
05:10U.
05:11And a consonant.
05:13C.
05:14And another.
05:16T.
05:17And a final vowel, please.
05:20And a final E.
05:23And here's the countdown clock.
05:56Andrew.
05:57A.
05:57Six.
05:58Martin.
05:59Yep, just six.
06:00Andrew.
06:01Unite.
06:02And unisex.
06:04And unisex.
06:06Very nice.
06:06A six.
06:07Can we beat six?
06:09A seven.
06:10Yep.
06:11Inexact.
06:12Very good.
06:13Inexact.
06:14Yep.
06:15And Rachel and I both became aunties this year, so that's there for seven as well.
06:18Aunties.
06:19Yep.
06:20All right.
06:21Aunties.
06:21Fourteen apiece.
06:23Martin.
06:25Try your hand at the numbers game.
06:27Six more, please.
06:29Thank you, Martin.
06:30Six little ones could come down to these numbers, see what we get.
06:33The first numbers game of this final is nine, five, four, eight, six, and ten.
06:41And the first target, three hundred and forty.
06:44Three, four, zero.
06:45Three, four, zero.
07:16Yes, Martin?
07:173, 4, 0.
07:19Andrew?
07:203, 4, 0.
07:21So, 6 times 10.
07:236 tens of 60.
07:25Plus 8.
07:2668.
07:27Times 5.
07:28Well done.
07:29One way to get there.
07:30Andrew?
07:318 times 5 is 40.
07:3340.
07:33Subtract 6.
07:3534.
07:36Times 10.
07:36Yeah, buckets of ways for this one.
07:38There we go.
07:38Nice gentle start.
07:39All right.
07:44So, 24 apiece as we turn to our first Tea Time Teaser,
07:48which is Stole Item.
07:50And the clue, the only thing he stole with this item was a kiss.
07:54The only thing he stole with this item was a kiss.
08:12Welcome back.
08:13I left you with a clue.
08:14The only thing he stole with this item was a kiss.
08:17And the answer to that one at this time of year is mistletoe.
08:21Mistletoe, of course.
08:2224 apiece.
08:23Andrew, letters came.
08:25Can I have a consonant, please?
08:27Thank you, Andrew.
08:28L.
08:29And another.
08:31D.
08:33And another.
08:35T.
08:36And another.
08:38R.
08:40And a vowel.
08:41O.
08:42And another.
08:44A.
08:45And another.
08:47U.
08:48And another.
08:51I.
08:51And a final consonant, please.
08:55And a final N.
08:58Countdown.
08:58I.
08:59I.
09:14I.
09:23I.
09:24I.
09:25I.
09:27I.
09:28Andrew? Eight. Yes. Eight. And Andrew's eight? Duration. Martin? Yeah, same duration. There we are.
09:39Well done. Nothing in it so far. What have you got in the corner there? Carol? I've got seven,
09:47unitard. Very good. Susie? It's what we've got you for Christmas, Nick. Tie-fitting one-piece
09:52garment of stretchable fabric. Thank you very much. I shall wear it lovingly. 32 apiece.
09:59Martin? Letters game, Martin. Can I have a vowel, please? Thank you, Martin. E. And another?
10:07O. And a third? I. And a consonance? S. And another? R. And another? W. And another? T.
10:22And another? G. And a final vowel, please. And a final A. Countdown.
10:34G. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K.
10:46K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K.
10:51K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K. K.
11:05Martin, seven, seven, Andrew, seven, Martin, goiters, and goiters, two count down seasoned
11:18veterans here. What have we got? Carol? Stowage? Yes. Stowage is that, and wariest as well, for
11:25another seven. Wariest? Yeah. All right, 39 apiece. Andrew, here's your numbers game. Let's go. Can I have
11:32two large and four small, please? Thank you, Andrew. Your usual two large ones, four little, and for this
11:39next numbers game, they are three, nine, six, four, and a large two, 175, and the target,
11:49797. 797.
12:22Andrew? 797. And Martin? 797. All right, Andrew. Nine minus six is three. Nine minus six, three.
12:31Times four. Times four is 12. Times 75. Times 75. 900. And subtract the hundred and the three.
12:38Well done. 797. Lovely. Very good, Martin. Is that the same? Yeah. There we go. All right.
12:49Very good. So game six, and it's 49 apiece as we turn to Carol. And Carol, over the last few
12:57days, you've told us some extraordinarily dangerous, daring things that you've done.
13:01You've been up in jet fighters. You've been, you know, throwing yourself out of aircraft.
13:05You've been hang gliding and falling out of the sky. Are you any good in the kitchen?
13:10No, Nick. Whenever I invite any of my friends around for dinner, they always check if I'm
13:13cooking before they accept. And if I am, they don't tend to come round. But I had some friends
13:19that were exceedingly kind to us, and I wanted to do something special for them. And I spoke
13:24to their daughter, and she said, well, if you invite them round for dinner, they eat
13:27out a lot. And make them something like steak and kidney pie, which is their favourite.
13:31That would be a really nice gesture. So, of course, I was sweating cobs. I had to cook.
13:36And so I thought, no, in order to avoid food poisoning, I'll go to the local butcher, and
13:41I'll just order the steak and kidney pies, and then they will be yummy. So I did that, full
13:46of confidence. They, Julie, came round, and they were saying, hmm, what a lovely aroma in
13:51the house. And I said, well, you know, I checked what you liked, and I know that you really
13:55like steak and kidney pie. So I thought, I'll do that for you. You're worth it. So they
14:00went, oh, I can't wait for this. So we sat down to have dinner. Knife and fork into the
14:04steak and kidney pie. Imagine my surprise. It was chicken and mushroom.
14:10All I could do is carry on with the bluff and say, oh, I made some chicken and mushroom
14:14pies the same day. It must have gotten mixed up. I was mortified.
14:18Oh, how funny.
14:19I'm not sure they believed me.
14:20And you kept digging, and there you were.
14:24How funny.
14:25Nightmare.
14:25But genuinely, do you not care for cooking, or...?
14:29No, not really. I mean, obviously, I see the necessity in cooking, but no, not really.
14:34I prefer having salads and things like that. Less hassle. I'll leave it to the experts.
14:38There's a lesson for you. Don't fib.
14:40Yes, totally.
14:40Because it always leads to trouble. It always leads to trouble. Let's have a big round of
14:44applause for the wonderful...
14:49The wonderful Carol. Lovely. Thank you so much. Now then, 49 apiece. When are you, one of
14:55you guys, going to break free, I wonder? Let's see whether it'll be Martin on the next
14:59letters game.
15:00Can I have a vowel, please?
15:01Thank you, Martin. E.
15:02And another?
15:04O.
15:05And a third?
15:06E.
15:07And a fourth?
15:08I.
15:09And a consonant?
15:11P.
15:12And another?
15:13V.
15:14And another?
15:16S.
15:17And another?
15:18N.
15:20And another?
15:21And the last one, L.
15:23And here's the countdown clock.
15:26You so know, L.
15:27And a second?
15:53All right.
15:54And another?
15:54Yes, God.
15:54And another?
15:55I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
15:55And another?
15:55Martin 7 Andrew 7 Martin Ebony's now then Andrew peonies peonies lovely yes
16:08both excellent words nice words good words yeah can we match that I wonder
16:14count I've got six spleen spleen yes very good
16:19um epsilon is there which is pretty much the letter E in the Greek alphabet and
16:25pensile hanging down or pendulous pencil 56 apiece look at these two Andrew will
16:33you make a break for it let us go can have a consonant please thank you
16:39Andrew M and another D and another G and a vowel O and another E and another I and a
16:56consonant V and another K and a vowel please and the last one a
17:05Countdown
17:09so
17:23so
17:24so
17:38Andrew?
17:39Six.
17:40A six.
17:40Six.
17:42Andrew?
17:43Imaged.
17:44And?
17:44Mikado.
17:45And Mikado.
17:48Very good players.
17:49They are.
17:50Now, Carol and Susie, heads together and?
17:54They were exactly our two.
17:56That's it?
17:57Yes.
17:58Couldn't bet on that.
17:59Sixty-two apiece.
18:00Into the numbers we go with Martin.
18:02Martin Hurst, let's go.
18:04Six more, please.
18:05Six more again.
18:06See if we can break the deadlock this time.
18:08Thank you, Martin.
18:09These six more ones are ten, eight, six, three, one, and four.
18:18And the target, 581.
18:22581.
18:48And the target, 501.
18:50Do you think we could do?
18:54Martin 580 not written down 580 now then Andrew now I've lost it no no we've got a break now
19:05then
19:05Martin let's hear from you okay 8 plus 6 8 plus 6 is 14 times 4 times 4 is 56
19:13plus 3 plus 1 3
19:17minus 1 is 58 times by 10 and times by 10 for 1 away well done 580 580 that's the
19:25break so Rachel 581
19:29took a while but if you say 8 times 10 is 80 add the 3 for 83 and then 6
19:38plus 1 is 7
19:39and times them together you get 581 oh well done well done
19:47all right so as Martin eases ahead 69 to 62 we go into our second tea time teaser which is
19:54trees
19:54drab and the clue the trees look drab at this time of year but this will add some colour
20:00the trees look drab at this time of year but this will add some colour
20:19warm welcome back I left with the clue the trees look drab at this time of year
20:23but this will add some colour and the answer to that one at this time of year is red breast
20:29red breast and why not 69 to 62 Andrew this time let's go let us go can
20:41have a consonant please thank you Andrew H and another L and another D and another P and a vowel
20:54U and another E and another A and another O and a final consonant please and a final R
21:11and here's the countdown clock
21:15so
21:28so
21:29so
21:29so
21:43Andrew?
21:44I'll try a night.
21:46Thank you, Margin.
21:47I'll try a night as well.
21:48Andrew?
21:49Re-upload.
21:51Re-upload and?
21:53Upholder.
21:56OK.
21:56Got to be.
21:58Re-upload, not there, I'm afraid.
22:01I'm sorry.
22:02And an upholder of the law, for example, or of values, is in the dictionary.
22:07Yeah, well done, Martin.
22:08Good read.
22:09Well done.
22:13Well done.
22:15So, Martin, let us gain.
22:20Can I have a vowel, please?
22:22Thank you, Martin.
22:23A.
22:24And another?
22:25E.
22:26And a third?
22:28A.
22:29And a fourth?
22:30I.
22:32And a consonant?
22:33D.
22:35And another?
22:36T.
22:37And another?
22:39R.
22:40And another?
22:42H.
22:45And a final vowel, please.
22:49And a final O.
22:52And here's the countdown clock.
22:54There.
22:55I.
23:20And a second.
23:24And a third?
23:25Martin just six a six Andrew seven Martin hatred hatred and air debt oh it's two words oh
23:41I'm so sorry bad luck that is a blow that is a blow so Carolyn Susie well this is slightly
23:52rubbing salt in the wind but radiate you could make out of an air date and one more your head
23:59airhead nice to nobody in here obviously no well done 83 plays 62 as we turn to Susie for her
24:07origins
24:08of words last one of 2016 last one of 2016 and it is Christmas time so forgive me for bringing
24:17out
24:17some of my favorites when it comes to Christmas words and I'm going to begin with Yuletide and to
24:24be jolly at Yuletide actually has quite good sort of linguistic roots if you like that particular
24:30coupling because at their heart is the Norse word Yul which was a pagan festival at the winter solstice
24:37it lasted for a full 12 days and during those 12 days inevitably lots of feasting much as we do
24:44today
24:45I love the fact that there used to be such a thing as a Yule hole on the belt which
24:49was the hole in
24:50your belt that you only ever went to was the furthest you only ever went to at Christmas time
24:54which is when of course you became particularly abdominus as it was called you might opt for a
24:59pavlova named after Anna Pavlova Russian ballerina who became world famous for her solo dance the dying
25:06swan when she toured chefs race to commemorate her appearances and a pavlova meringue was one of the
25:12dishes created just for her and of course there's drinking too including wassailing we were talking
25:18about this the other day Nick that goes back to a toast meaning be fortunate to which the answer
25:24was always drink hail drink to good health and finally one of my absolute favorites is the idea
25:30of toast goes back to probably the 12th century medieval times when the quality of the wine and ale
25:36on offer probably weren't quite as good as as they might be these days as it became very common
25:42practice to dip spiced toast into the drink to draw out the flavors and also to slightly mask
25:48the unpleasantness if there was any tradition carried on for centuries and then became the figurative idea
25:53of popping a bit of toast in to celebrate the company and of course we still toast people today so
25:58i would just say to our champions drink hail and congratulations for being here absolutely well
26:08said well said susie 83 please uh 62 and it's andrew's letters game good luck andrew can have a
26:16consonant please thank you andrew j and another p and another t and a vowel
26:27e and another a and another o and a consonant n and another r and a final vowel please and
26:45final u
26:46stand by
27:19Andrew?
27:20Seven.
27:21A seven?
27:22Seven.
27:23Two sevens.
27:24Andrew?
27:24Pronate.
27:25Martin?
27:26Yep, same.
27:27Yep.
27:27Pronate.
27:28That old chestnut.
27:30Good countdown words coming out here.
27:32Now then, Susan Carroll?
27:34Pronate.
27:34Pronate?
27:35Yes, pronate and operant, another good countdown word,
27:38all to do with modification of behaviour in psychology.
27:41Quite.
27:42All right, thank you.
27:4290 to 69, Martin.
27:44Now then, final letters game.
27:47Can I have a vowel, please?
27:49Thank you, Martin.
27:50A.
27:51And another?
27:52E.
27:53And a third?
27:54A.
27:56And a fourth?
27:57O.
27:59And a consonant?
28:01N.
28:02And another?
28:03M.
28:04And another?
28:06R.
28:07And a vowel, please?
28:09E.
28:11And a final consonant, please?
28:13And a final M.
28:17Standby.
28:19Or whatever?
28:33Bye.
28:34And aRight.
28:40Bye.
28:40And aienie.
28:40Bye.
28:41And another?
28:41Bye.
28:42Bye.
28:43Bye.
28:44Bye.
28:46Bye.
28:47Bye.
28:48Bye.
28:50Martin?
28:50Six.
28:51A six.
28:52Andrew?
28:53Yeah, just six.
28:55Martin?
28:56Mona.
28:57A Mona.
28:58Andrew?
28:58Mina.
28:59And Mina.
29:00Mona and Mina.
29:03What have we got now?
29:05That's not something we could ever say about Carol.
29:08What have you got?
29:09Mina.
29:10Mina?
29:10All right.
29:11Susie?
29:12Merman, the male equivalent of a mermaid.
29:15Yes.
29:15You never see them represented, do you?
29:17Not really.
29:18No, I think it's usually sort of princes who have become mermen, isn't it?
29:22You don't often see it.
29:23And apart from the king of the mermaids, I think.
29:26All right.
29:2696 to 75, final numbers game, Andrew McLeod.
29:31Andrew?
29:33Four large.
29:34Four large, breaking from tradition.
29:36Four large and two little.
29:37Last little challenge of the year.
29:39Thank you, Andrew.
29:39And these two smalls are four and three.
29:42And then the big one, 75, 100, 25 and 50.
29:47And the final target, 724.
29:51Seven to four.
29:53Four large, the largest, the number one.
29:53Four large, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest,
30:13the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest,
30:13the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest,
30:13the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest, the largest,
30:13the largest, the largest.
30:15This is the largest.
30:22Andrew 724 724 Martin 725 75 oh Andrew McLeod let's hear from you 100 plus 75 yep 175
30:3650 over 25 is a 2 times 3 is 6 add that on for 181 and times 4 perfect well
30:44done 724
30:45look at that oh well done
30:53I'm upset for you I'm upset you played brilliantly let's go into the final round shall we fingers
31:00on buzzers Martin and Andrew let's roll the final countdown conundrum in series 75 let's
31:09roll it now
31:27Andrew embrocade embrocade let's see whether you're right no down to you Martin
31:50oh now then Martin is it cream body
31:59I don't think it is no all right let's have a look at it
32:06microbees say goodbye to the microbees well done
32:12oh look at that 85 to 96 you did so well you did brilliantly
32:19but when it came to the final Martin Hurst took it but you know thank you so much for coming
32:23and thank you we admire the way you've played you've been amazing all the way through
32:27so it's back to Edinburgh with you with our very best wish you take this
32:32you take this piece of kryptonite with you and you'll be the toast of the town tonight when you get
32:37home
32:37well done thanks for coming
32:39thanks for coming and you young man are going to be lifting something very heavy at the moment
32:45and we don't want you to drop it because it's none other than the cup that is at the very
32:51centre of this great
32:52great competition all right so join us on the floor and let's see what we've got for you
33:05so it falls to me to congratulate you a great runner-up a great player right the way through
33:12so with our blessing go back to Edinburgh and hear the roars from the Scottish countdown fans
33:19brilliant stuff and you young man Martin Rachel's got something very special for you
33:26yeah as well as the dictionaries and the laptop you get the most important thing
33:29the Richard Whiteley memorial trophy and it will have your name engraved on it
33:32as soon as we can do that so congratulations the worthy winner well done Martin
33:44so finally it falls to me to thank Rachel and Susie our great great co-presenters here
33:51and to thank you Carol for seeing us through this final
33:54thank you very much indeed so you join us for the beginning of series 76 of countdown in January
34:02you'll be sure of it good afternoon
34:04you can contact the program by email at countdown at channel 4.com by twitter at c4countdown
34:12or write to us at countdown leads ls3 1js
34:16you can also find our webpage at channel 4.com forward slash countdown
34:24here on 4 we'll be watching the skies for new arrivals on wednesday the 28th of december
34:29at 7 o'clock but tonight at 8 we're raising the glass of the bubbly stuff in food unwrapped
34:35does christmas next up coast versus country
34:38thank you
34:42you
34:43thank you
34:47you
34:47you
34:47you
34:47you
34:47you
34:47you