Countdown, and Channel 4, are both 25 years old, as the TV channel celebrates its birthday today (2nd November). Countdown itself was the first programme to appear on the channel, with host, the late Richard Whiteley, famously the first face to be seen on the channel.
Technically, Countdown isn’t really 25 today. It had an earlier incarnation as Calendar Countdown, shown by Yorkshire Television. Today, the programme is still filmed in Leeds, but with a different host, Des O’Connor, the third after Des Lynam’s short stint.
Personally, I’ll be celebrating too as a former Countdown champion (Eps. 2454-2455, 10-11 February 1999), and I’ll be sending my best wishes up north for a happy 25 years.
Lest, Richard Whiteley, Carol Vorderman
and my opponent, Jane Parslow (Jan 1999)
Links:
Official Channel 4 Countdown website
Wikipedia: Countdown
c4Countdown Yahoo! Group
The Countdown Page
360 Online: A Countdown Experience – Lest on Countdown | Photos