[nortonian2001]

Originally Posted by Grand Dizzy

Today’s episode (Wednesday’s) was possibly the best episode of Countdown I’ve ever seen.

How long have you been watching the show? I didn't think it was in the same class as some of the epics like the two Tournoff/Gallen clashes or Fell/Nash. Kirk didn't seem to be at his devastating best. Nerves?

[Gulftastic]

Originally Posted by Grand Dizzy

Today’s episode (Wednesday’s) was possibly the best episode of Countdown I’ve ever seen. A fantastic battle of wits. Some great words. Some extremely funny moments. A great atmosphere in the studio. And two thoroughly likeable contestants. Well done to both of them!

I agree whole heartedly. Splendid stuff all round.

[Grand Dizzy]

Originally Posted by nortonian2001

How long have you been watching the show? I didn't think it was in the same class as some of the epics like the two Tournoff/Gallen clashes or Fell/Nash. Kirk didn't seem to be at his devastating best. Nerves?

I’ve been watching on and off since the show began, but it’s been a long time since I watched on a daily basis. With Jeff in the chair, I am happy to be back in mine.

I agree that Kirk wasn’t as good as before though.

[Esterhaus]

Phil Hammond's been great value, as ever, this week. I laughed today when he asked Hamish if he'd been in Father Ted

Anyway, never mind all that. Come on, Jimmy lad, wipe the floor with the Smugulator in the final!

[Ken Tun]

Originally Posted by Esterhaus

Phil Hammond's been great value, as ever, this week. I laughed today when he asked Hamish if he'd been in Father Ted

Anyway, never mind all that. Come on, Jimmy lad, wipe the floor with the Smugulator in the final!

I agree with your second point. There's nothing I'd like more than to see Smirk get beaten. But Phil Hammond really irritates me, going on about his being a doctor the whole time. We know that. Many other medics have made a great success in showbiz (Graeme Garden, Jonathan Miller, for example) but they don't feel the need to remind us every two seconds.

[Esterhaus]

Originally Posted by Ken Tun

But Phil Hammond really irritates me, going on about his being a doctor the whole time. We know that. Many other medics have made a great success in showbiz (Graeme Garden, Jonathan Miller, for example) but they don't feel the need to remind us every two seconds.

Oh but he does it with such style

I got the impression that Dr Phil wasn't particularly taken with Kirk either, when he (i.e. the Doc) appeared in Dictionary Corner earlier in the series, during Kirk's record-breaking run. Maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part, though, and he secretly loves him - I dunno!

[Ken Tun]

Originally Posted by Esterhaus

I got the impression that Dr Phil wasn't particularly taken with Kirk either, when he (i.e. the Doc) appeared in Dictionary Corner earlier in the series, during Kirk's record-breaking run. Maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part, though, and he secretly loves him - I dunno!

I must have missed that nuance from PH which might have raised him in my estimation if I'd noticed it - mind you, a smugface getting at another smugface is perhaps not so surprising. But at least we agree about Smirk. If you need to dislike him more, go to the C4Countdown site and read his contributions and those of those who worship him (i.e. every other contributor).

[Gulftastic]

Rachel has dressed like a Goddess today.

[katiemack]

I really wanted Jimmy to win

[Carman]

Originally Posted by katiemack

I really wanted Jimmy to win

Me too, he seems like a thoroughly nice person, with no sign of being big-headed at all.

I don't know why Jeff said yesterday that he didn't seem nervous, he was one of the most nervous contestants I've seen on there! Perhaps he was trying to put him at ease.

[katiemack]

He did seem nervous and he always went a little bit red when he spoke to Rachel too then again who can blame him he's 17 and she's gorgeous!!

[Oldbod]

Originally Posted by Gulftastic

Rachel has dressed like a Goddess today.

She was and nice to see Susie has legs too

[davethorp]

I did prefer Rachel in the tight pink number she had on on Thursday

[Grand Dizzy]

Why do so many people hate Kirk? What’s wrong with him? I think he has a great personality.

Originally Posted by Ken Tun

But Phil Hammond really irritates me, going on about his being a doctor the whole time. We know that. Many other medics have made a great success in showbiz (Graeme Garden, Jonathan Miller, for example) but they don't feel the need to remind us every two seconds.

I think you’re missing the point. Phil Hammond is on TV because he’s a doctor.

That is his act. He’s a comedy doctor. Unlike some comedians who were doctors but have moved into mainstream comedy (writing, acting, etc.), Phil Hammond is a doctor (albeit a funny one) and that is his profession. He is invited onto programmess like Countdown precisely because of what he has to say about the medical world.

You wouldn’t expect Jamie Oliver to appear on Countdown and not talk about food. And you wouldn’t expect Phil Hammond to appear on Countdown and not talk about health. It’s what they’re on TV for in the first place!

[methodyguy]

I am so glad the very sexy Kirk won. He deserved it imo.

Regards

[Esterhaus]

Originally Posted by methodyguy

I am so glad the very sexy Kirk won. He deserved it imo.

Regards

Kirk! Fancy seeing you here

[katiemack]

I didn't hate Kirk; I just preffered Jimmy!!

[methodyguy]

Originally Posted by Esterhaus

Kirk! Fancy seeing you here

Lol How did you know

Regards

[geoff77]

Originally Posted by davethorp

I did prefer Rachel in the tight pink number she had on on Thursday

That was mighty tight - bit like coloured cling film

[davethorp]

Originally Posted by geoff77

That was mighty tight - bit like coloured cling film

They so should put her in that next week

[Grand Dizzy]

Looking forward to the new series on Monday.

Will be interesting to see if things are any different 6 months later.

By the way, has it been 6 months? I'm not entirely sure how it's filmed but I would have imagined each 6 month series is filmed over 5 weeks, therefore Friday's episode was filmed around February and we will now be seeing episodes filmed much more recently. Is this right?

I hope they have taken some steps to tone down the blue a bit in the studio. Did anyone write in and say there was too much blue? (I forgot to!)

[bart4858]

Originally Posted by Grand Dizzy

Looking forward to the new series on Monday.

Will be interesting to see if things are any different 6 months later.

By the way, has it been 6 months? I'm not entirely sure how it's filmed but I would have imagined each 6 month series is filmed over 5 weeks, therefore Friday's episode was filmed around February and we will now be seeing episodes filmed much more recently. Is this right?

I hope they have taken some steps to tone down the blue a bit in the studio. Did anyone write in and say there was too much blue? (I forgot to!)

The recording schedule is weird. I understood they moved from Leeds to Manchester in March, yet last week's finals were filmed in Leeds! Were the finals really three months ago?

I think they record 3 weeks' worth of Countdowns over a 3-day period. I went to a recording last week which will not be shown until mid-September, and they're now apparently off for a couple of months although the show is on continously on TV.

Nothing much seems to have changed on the set, except Rachel has a new hairstyle.

It was best when Richard Whiteley presented

[Grand Dizzy]

Originally Posted by bart4858

The recording schedule is weird. I understood they moved from Leeds to Manchester in March, yet last week's finals were filmed in Leeds! Were the finals really three months ago?

I think they record 3 weeks' worth of Countdowns over a 3-day period. I went to a recording last week which will not be shown until mid-September, and they're now apparently off for a couple of months although the show is on continously on TV.

Nothing much seems to have changed on the set, except Rachel has a new hairstyle.

Welcome to DS!

Thanks for the info (and for signing up to answer my question!)

A few questions about the recording process (for you or anyone else who might know)…

• Have you been to a recording before and if so did you notice any major changes in how things were done, or the way the presenters were off-camera?
• Is “Greggles” still doing the warm up? (I’ve never been to a recording but I saw him on YouTube.)
• Where is the audience in relation to the set? I believe the audience used to be head on with the clock directly, but with Rachel out in front now I would imagine visibility would be poor now for those on the left , so I would imagine the whole set is now at an angle to the left slightly. Is this correct?
• Do they still move the audience around for each episode? (They don’t seem to show the audience any more so I wouldn’t imagine they would need to.)
• Something I’ve always wondered: are there really long breaks between the contestants declaring their words and Dictionary Corner giving their words? I always thought it seemed Dictionary Corner seem to have had more than just 30 seconds to find their words because often they have several words and refer to having looked up words in the dictionary, and refer to having discussed words between them, and it just doesn’t seem like you could do all that in just 30 seconds.
• What time of day does filming start, and how long is the break between each episode? What time of day did the shooting end?
• Were there any re-takes? Any technical issues delaying filming?
• Are there any makeup touch-ups mid-episode?
• Which way does the clock reset to the top (clockwise or anticlockwise), and how fast does it go up? And does it look automated or manual (i.e. jerky)?
• Do the cameras ever move? (I’m guessing they don’t need to.)
• Where does the table come from that the numbers sit on? Is it kept quite nearby just off camera?
• Are the numbers pre-jumbled or do you see stagehands doing it?
• Is Rachel prompted on which words to put up on the board, or does she just do all the words without being asked?
• Does Rachel put all the words up at the time while they are being discussed, or is that filmed later?
• Where is Rachel during the numbers game and what is she doing? Does she have a notepad and calculator for example?
• How loud is the countdown music in the studio and where does it come from? And do they play the theme tune at the start and end?
• Who was the celebrity guest on your day?
• Is Rachel just as hot in real life? Did she address the audience at all?

[Gulftastic]

Originally Posted by Grand Dizzy

• Is Rachel prompted on which words to put up on the board, or does she just do all the words without being asked?

I went to a recording over 20 years ago, so I can only really answer this question (it's the only one I know or remember the answer too).

The winning or interesting words on the board are done when the end of part of the show is reached (or any other break required in filming). They set them up and then take a quick shot of Rachel (or Carol as it was when I went) standing next to them and smiling. These are then edited into the broadcast.