Brilliant match yesterday. I love the Champion of Champion matches and to quote Jeff, the "red hot" standard. Kirk had met his match with Chris and usuallly gets all the obscure scientific words, but had to laugh at them both finding the American truck, cabover - or was it overcab!

I didn't even realise that Cabover was a word, but fair play to them both they did well in what I thought was a tough game. Although I must admit I thought I was drunk when I saw 37 on the numbers board, that gave it a good twist, or simply making the numbers round a damn sight tougher.

I was in the audience for the episodes to be shown at the end of next week (wed-fri) and I think they filmed Monday's ep on the same day we saw that week's recording. But next Friday's ep is No 5000.

Nice to see the positive comments on here. I have really enjoyed CD over the last year. It's much fresher and accessible to the casual viewer I think.

I will admit I enjoy Rachel's fashion parade. I'm the same age as her, but much shorter unfortunately.

Have always liked Jeff from Soccer Saturday, and he has settled in nicely.

I agree with the girls saying some of the contestants have been rather pleasing on the eye of late too and actually I think Jeff brings out their personalities well.

The game yesterday was interesting too-the numbers round is my favourite so it was nice to see the shake up.

I am missing my Countdown fix already. Channel 4 should have put it or the horse racing on More 4

Absolutely CANNOT stand Smirk. I never liked Chris much but I was cheering for him in this contest. Very disappointed at the result.

I agree, why do we always have to lose it for racing or cricket or some other event? why can't they put them on More 4 or another Channel. BBC are the same when they have a spare two channels with BBC 3 and 4.

Interesting the change of BIG numbers in the number game for the finals, which shows that C4 is [ at last] willing to alter the CD format if it makes the show more interesting for the players and the viewers [ which it did ].

Hopefully we may see similar changes to the letters games, maybe 10 letters instead of 9 and more conundrums per show.

Yes they need to do this more often. It shakes things up, and makes the numbers game less static and wooden. Also gives Rachel a chance to show more of her personality, (she was great at integrating with and inspiring the youngsters in the recent Maths documentary).

Ha ha.. yes Kirk seems to bug a lot of people, but I love him!

Rachel Riley has pulled in most new viewers she is truely well hot.

Who was the chap in Dictionary corner on monday?I only caught the end and i didnt recognise him at all.

You would have thought extended coverage of Cheltenham would be shown on More 4 or even E4 I agree. Although BBC2 also cancels their weekday afternoon programmes whenever the snooker is on.

Maybe it's about time the terrestrial channels started relying on their digital channels more as a back up channel to show extended sports coverage.

I'm really missing Countdown this week as well

I'm not sure of his name, but I thought he looked a cross between Nody Holder or Lionel Blair

That's Singer/Songwriter Gary Osborne.

Must admit I'm not familiar with his work except for Part Time Love and Amoureuse

I don't watch the racing but I know a lot of people are probably interested in it, and it is only once a year, so I don't mind that too much.

I do think though maybe they could have bumped it up to 4.15 and put it on instead of Deal or No Deal.

I'd like to hope after DSO is completed C4 can move event programming such as the Cheltenham Festival to More 4.

Apart from sport Countdown is without doubt my fav TV prog - I Sky+ it every day and watch it around 6 whilst I have my tea.

Love the format - people at home can play along and it is so simple but nevertheless intelligent and does not have mega bucks prizes. Contestants are ordinary people with personalities and they make the show imo.

Jeff and Rachel are good but imo it is not about the presenters but more about the quiz and the contestants.

I've always watched it but a few years ago I got my elderly parents into watching it too, but now they have stopped as they liked Carol and 'don't like' Jeff or Rachel - which annoys me - Jeff is fine and I fail to see how he is annoying at all being a very normal guy who readliy mocks himself and has a good sense of humour.

I did go for an auditiion for it about 4 or 5 years ago but sadly did not get on despite getting a 9 nine letter word!! - maybe one day I'll try again as I am usually competitive but if I went on for me to win it'd have to be up against a poorish champion - I'd love to win a game and get a Countdown tea pot!!

As I am a Maths teacher my moan is that its biased towards wordy people - why can't there be as many numbers rounds as words rounds?

As a Merseyside lad (currently living in North Wales) I loved Chris Davies winning the last series - I remember his first appearance - the reigning champ seemed to me to be a bit of an egotistical guy who had been in a Scrabble national comp and clearly he expected to be an octochamp. Then this long haired young Scouse lad who played in a rock band and worked in a charity shop came on and beat him. Priceless. Then he went on to win the whole thing - amazing. I think the semi final he was in last December was maybe the most exciting Countdown I've ever seen with him 15 down pre numbers game which he got = 5 down and then he got the very obscure Conundrum with about 5 seconds to spare. Brilliant!!

Definitely!! I was good at English and read a lot, but the contestants almost always beat me by a letter or so. I love the maths though-must be the way my brain works.

You should definitely go again, you never know. Some of the recent champs have been pretty normal people who just got a couple of shows out of it.

Incidently, is it filmed in Leeds and is it difficult to get tickets?

It's filmed in Manchester now at Granada Studios and it isn't difficult to get tickets, go to Countdown page on Channel 4's website and you can E-Mail from there, thats what I did, I went to the recording on 23rd February, and the episodes will be shown at the end of the next week, I might see myself in the audience, with any luck...!

They always seem to have tickets available, I've had a few e-mails from ITV Studios promoting recordings for Countdown and University Challenge, I'd recommend going if you get the chance, I'm certainately going to again, I even got to meet Jeff and Rachel at the end of the recording, and got their autographs, both lovely to meet too.

Oh I'd love that. I live in Leeds but I'd happily pop up to Manchester. The e-mail on their website wouldn't work for me for some reason. Would you mind awfully PMing me with the e-mail you use?

Things are right again.

I know what you mean

You can also just phone on 0161 952 0408.

I got my friend a place (in fact she's in the studio this minute), and she had a text last week about further spare places this week.

(If I'd left a mobile number for me rather than landline, I might have got the same)

The only thing is, there's no place in the audience where you get a good view of the letters and numbers boards (because of a bunch of cameras), you have to use the monitors if you want to play along (or pen and paper which are provided...)

I thought that was just me, I was sat on the far right of the Studio, but they have the monitors there so you see what you would see as if you were watching it on TV, but I tried not to look at them as you're there to see it Live, not to look at the TV.

I didn't leave a phone number when I asked for tickets, but I get emails from ITV Studios, got one for University Challenge last week.

I seem to remember the 30 minute format, many years ago, had two of each in each half of the show.

But numbers rounds are hard work; the letters are much easier: you just stare at the selection until a word pops into your head. Or not.

If you could see the board, you must have had a seat next to Camera 5. I was seated on the far right last time, too, at the front, and I couldn't see it at all. (Which is a shame as the tiles are a beautiful deep blue that doesn't come across on TV..)


I got a flyer for University Challenge first time I went. Went to a recording (last July I think), and the layout was superb: all the cameras were off to the side and out of the way.

(BTW the teams aren't really above each other...)