Countdown (game show)

Countdown is a British game show on Channel 4. It began on 2 November 1982 as the first programme to air on Channel 4. It is currently presented by Colin Murray and Rachel Riley with etymologist Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner alongside a celebrity guest. It was hosted by Richard Whiteley until his death in 2005, then by Des Lynam from 2005 to 2006 and then by Des O'Connor from 2007 to 2008. Both O'Connor and Carol Vorderman, the show's co-host who has been on the programme since it began, left the show in December 2008. From 2009, Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley replaced O'Connor and Vorderman respectively. It has been hosted by Nick Hewer from 2012 to 2021, on 28 June 2021, Anne Robinson became the host but she presented her final show on 13 July 2022 with Colin Murray taking over the next day. The show was 30 minutes long, but since 2001, it is 45 minutes long.

With nearly 8,000 episodes, it is one of the longest-running game shows in the world, along with the original French version Des chiffres et des lettres which has been running on French television continuously since 1972.