What are your views on Jonathan Ansell? I'm finding him very dull so far.

The lad in Dictionary Corner? I had no idea who he was until he turned up there. As for views on him, I don't really have any as I tend to hit the fast forward button or put the kettle on during his bits. :sleep:

Ooh I got a nine-letter word yesterday, by the way: contender. Even the Dent missed it. My god I felt smug (I only get a nine once in every blue moon so have to milk the moment as much as poss!)

Rachel looks super-sexy again today.

Getting rid of the Vorderman is looking more and more like a great move.

Yep, all she needs is a wee sailor hat and the porn movie ideas would flow.

I hate it when contestants ask for a "better" consonant after a Q, X or Z has been put up on the board. I suspect it's probably beginning to get on Rachel's nerves a bit too, now that she's been on the receiving end of it so many times. It's like when contestants used to ask for "a 'p' please, Bob!" on Blockbusters. Mildly diverting the first few times but gradually more annoying.

Anyway, bah!

I dont need her to have a sailor hat, I am imagining a porno movie with her now

I've only recently watched a Countdown since the changeover and while she's definitely nice to look at, she intensely irritates me with the way she says certain letters.... M "Emm-AH", N "Enn-AH", S "Ess-AH"... so irritating!!!

Carol did it too. They have to emphasise certain letters for the blind people who play Countdown at home.
There was actually a blind contestant on Countdown quite a few years ago.

Certainly not to the extent that Rachel does. It's like she's teaching the alphabet to a 3 year old. Completely over the top.

the ratings have halved recently ..so not that good..doesnt look good for its future

Dictionary Corner came up with three nine letter words in one letters round yesterday. Is that possible? Or does someone feed (some of) the solutions to Susie?

I believe she does get some 'help' from 'upstairs'.

As I understand it, she does get some help from the production staff, but no computer is used - there are some brainy people behind the scenes. It must be remembered that Dictionary Corner is not there to compete, but just to add entertainment value, and to show what could have been arrived at by the contestants. Often, of course, they can't do any better, which underlines that a computer is not used.

Countdown should be axed and that they rewind to the beginning and show classic episodes, they took the piss out of carol vorderman, that rachel looks like an over grown long necked stick insect

No it shouldn't, you should just stop watching. Rachel is hot as well, people come in all shapes and sizes you know .

Terrible scheduling, ratings going down the pan, only one thing to do, the European solution, Rachel in a bikini, or if she won't do it get someone else in.

Indeed. the series producer is Damian Eadie, who was Countdown champion back in the mid-90s. Longtime viewers may remember him in dictionary corner before Susie took on the job permanently.

Those particular nines were a very common set of letters. Someone like Damian would know that NOTARISES = SENORITAS = ASSERTION. He'd only need to spot one to get the other two.

I should probably declare an interest here, in that I was a contestant in the last series and am an avid countdown nerd.

The Daily Mail's stories are a load of bollocks. The low ratings they refer to occurred on the warmest day of the year so far, when all tv shows experienced a ratings dip. Countdown had lower numbers that day, but the same audience share. They also harp on about how Richard and Carol used to get 5 million viewers, ignoring the fact that this figure was achieved in a much better timeslot.

Also, Rachel is pretty damn good at the numbers. She beat me on all three numbers games the other day and the numbers was one of my specialities when I was on the show.

She didn't seem to be doing this on today's show.

How did you do and who was the guest when you were on?

I was told a few years ago by someone I know who has been on Countdown/Champion of Champions several times that Dictionary Corner people wear ear-pieces and get fed the long/good words!

Who is that guy with Susie in Dictionary Corner this week I have never heard of him before.

Regards

Google for 'David Lloyd cricketer'.

Another employee of Sky Sports too

I'm really enjoying David Lloyds stint in Dictionary corner, but I am looking forward to next weeks guest. Don't know if I am allowed to say who it is.