Simple. Do as they do on, for instance, Eggheads, and just keep quiet about saying it's Monday, Tuesday etc. or pretending it's someone's birthday when it isn't.

Now explain what harm it does (apart from irritating you).

Eggheads is different anyway because its series are often repeated months or years later so it's made with that market in mind. Countdown generally isn't repeated past the week of its initial transmission.

They know which day each episode will be shown on so it's perfectly fine to say it's someone's birthday etc.

Maybe they should put a warning up at the start of Eastenders and Corrie and say it's not really Christmas, easter, or whatever cos this was filmed weeks ago

I didn't think it would be long before someone complained about Lesley. Personally, I think she is a gorgeous,lovely lady with a terrific voice. She's been away from Countdown for too long.

I muted her today.

Seems as though my mute button will be working overtime this week when it's the turn of the guest in Dictionary Corner.
I thought from what Lesley said at the start of the programme she was going to tell a cricket story, but sadly not to be.


Lesley may well be a gorgeous lovely lady, but she needs to cut down the trilling on a non-singing show.

Link is dead for me

Well at least Miss Garrett is getting a good plug in for her her album

Granted Lesley is a good singer, but the sound of her combined with that smug look on her face is irritating.

Not from what I heard today, or perhaps it was supposed to be a comedy routine. She's an unrefined belter.

I don't understand the negativity towards Lesley Garret. She's a singer and she sings, much better than the boring anecdotes we usually get from the guests.

And she sings well, far better than the noise we get from most of the reality show contestants!

There are very few guests I don't FF through these days but for this one I am poised with my finger on the button even before the first numbers game is explained. Can't stand her; can't explain why.

Hammond is another one that gets the same treatment. I did enjoy JSP last week and Chris Packham who I'd never heard of before. Angela Rippon was disappointing, for a consummate professional she seemed to have spent no time preparing her anecdotes to tell them to best effect and her mangling of Eric Morecambe's exchange with Andre Previn was unforgivable. Everybody of a certain age watching knew the line by heart, but she didn't.

Had to mute her again today

Was I the only person to get an eight-letter word from

A B E I R T T S X

(sorry, I can't remember the order the letters appeared on-screen, so I've listed them alphabetically.)

Rachel looking gorgeous and 'virginal' in white today. And a rather large breasted lady contestant in a low cut top!

Another low cut top for the big boobed contestant lady!

Id give her a good plug

Good God! With those bizarre gurning facial expressions when she sings I dread to think of her 'sex face'!

definitely muted her 2 days in a row. so cringeworthy

Am I alone in finding "virginal" rather an improbable adjective here...?.

She was always awful on Loose Women and often had a bit of a screeching warble!!

I'm quite bemused by the people that say Lesley Garret sounds awful. Who on earth do they think sounds good?

I don't know but a good start is understanding the words people are singing and you can't with her ear splitting screeching!

Ahhh Countdown. A wonderful, easy going programme, Nick warming up nicely, maybe a laugh at the occasional anecdote if the guest is good, a steady flicker of brain activity during the words and numbers, not forgetting general admiration of Rachel's er, brain, nothing too taxing! Then you and your cat wonder why your ears are hurting. It's Lesley, with her LAAAAAA! sudden, spasmodic shrilling, LAAAA! in the middle of a sentence. Sorry but it's out of context, the studio's too small, and a brutal assault on the senses!