"revealed he had refused the job. Anthea Turner, Ulrika Jonsson, and Myleene Klass were all linked with Vorderman's job; however, Channel 4 then began to search for a previously unknown male or female arithmetician with ""charm and charisma"". Eventually, on 21 November 2008, after O'Connor and Vorderman had finished filming, it was confirmed that Stelling and Oxford maths graduate Rachel Riley would join the show, with Susie Dent continuing as resident lexicographer. ""Countdown"" has occupied a tea-time broadcast slot since its inception. Currently an episode lasts around 45 minutes including advertising breaks. During the normal series, the winner of each"
"Carol Vorderman Carol Jean Vorderman, (born 24 December 1960) is a British media personality, best known for co-hosting the popular game show ""Countdown"" for 26 years from 1982 until 2008, publishing newspaper columns on internet topics, writing books on subjects ranging from school textbooks on mathematics to a #1 best-selling book on Detox diets, advocating for numerous charities, and hosting the Pride of Britain awards each year to honour British people who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging situations. Vorderman's career began in 1982 when she joined Channel 4 game show ""Countdown"". She appeared on the show most recently"
"presenter vacated by the recently deceased Richard Whiteley. Vorderman declined, and a search for a new presenter began while the show went into a four-month hiatus. In October 2005, Des Lynam replaced Whiteley and co-hosted with Vorderman. In January 2007 Des O'Connor replaced Lynam; Vorderman continued to co-host the show. On 25 July 2008, after 26 unbroken years with the show, it was announced that Vorderman was stepping down from ""Countdown"". She later said she had resigned after failing to agree terms with Channel 4 for a new contract, and it was reported that she had been asked to take"
"a cut of 90% from her previous salary, estimated as £900,000. She had considered leaving the show when the show's original host Richard Whiteley died in 2005, but remained on the show when Lynam took over, and until 2008 when his eventual replacement O'Connor announced he was also to step down as the show's host. Vorderman and O'Connor both left the show in December 2008. Vorderman recorded her last ""Countdown"" show on 13 November 2008 which was broadcast on 12 December 2008. Both her children were in the audience, together with many of the previous guests from ""Dictionary Corner"". After"
"who would like to become a game show hostess. Unlike almost any other game show hostess of the time, however, the advertisement also made it clear that the applicants' appearance would be less important than their talent as a mathematician. Gradually the tasks performed by the extra presenters were taken over by Carol Vorderman, whose role within the show essentially became that of co-presenter. Whiteley fell ill with septicaemia in 2005, and as a result he was no longer able to record ""Countdown"". Although Whiteley made a slow recovery from his illness, he died on 26 June 2005, after a"
"Vorderman to commend Channel 4 on its success of ""Countdown"". On 26 March 2010, Queen Elizabeth II congratulated ""Countdown"" for amassing 5,000 episodes. On 5 September 2014, the programme received a Guinness World Record at the end of its 6,000th show for the longest-running television programme of its kind during the course of its 71st series. On 23 July 2008, it was announced that O'Connor would be leaving the show at the end of the 59th series in December 2008 to concentrate on other projects. ITV Studios announced on 25 July 2008 that Carol Vorderman would also be leaving at"
"stated that the concept had proved disastrous, and was abandoned. ""Calendar Countdown"" was presented by Richard Whiteley, with Cathy Hytner and Denise McFarland-Cruickshanks managing the numbers and letters rounds respectively. When ""Countdown"" was commissioned for Channel 4, the number of hostesses expanded further: Cathy Hytner and Beverley Isherwood selected the letters and numbers tiles respectively, and calculations in the numbers rounds were checked by Linda Barrett or Carol Vorderman. Vorderman, a Cambridge graduate and member of Mensa, was appointed as one of the numbers experts after responding to an advertisement in a national newspaper which asked for a young woman"
"the previous hosts, Kelly Osbourne and Jeff Brazier, in Australia. Because they were having a child in early 2009, they did not return to present series 9. Durden-Smith also presented the show, from the UK, for the final time. Series 9 to 10 saw new presenter Caroline Flack take over with roving reporter Joe Swash, email/people reporter Russell Kane, and a panel of celebrity pundits, which changed approximately every three to five days. For series 11, Flack left in order to present another ITV2 show, ""The Xtra Factor"", and was replaced by Laura Whitmore. Swash and Kane both stayed on"
"an exact solution in the numbers rounds if the contestants are unable to do so. Riley's appointment to ""Countdown"" was announced at the same time as the announcement of a new main host, Jeff Stelling, replacing Des O'Connor; the duo of Stelling and Riley were in place for the new series beginning in January 2009. Although she had no ambition to be a television presenter, she was encouraged to apply by her mother, and decided to do so because she was interested in the numbers part of the game. Having beaten 1,000 applicants for the role, she commented, ""There's only"
"stated that they were removing both Olbermann and Chris Matthews as live political event anchors, and replacing them with David Gregory, due to growing criticism that they were ""too opinionated to be seen as neutral in the heat of the presidential campaign"". Olbermann continued to broadcast ""Countdown"" both before and after the presidential and vice-presidential debates, and both Matthews and Olbermann joined Gregory on the channel's election night coverage. In September 2009, a Pew Research Poll showed that Democrats were much more likely than Republicans to rate the channel favorably and Republicans were much more likely than Democrats to see"
"""The Gadget Show,"" although her profile was significantly boosted by her appearance as a contestant on ""Strictly Come Dancing"", which largely ""catapulted [Riley] onto the A-list"" and opened up the doors for new television roles, according to another commentator. In 2014, two years before her role on ""It's Not Rocket Science"", she said, ""I'd love to present a popular science programme because it's something I feel very passionate about."" On ""Countdown"", Riley replaced the long-serving Carol Vorderman. Like Vorderman, Riley's role is to handle the placement of tiles on the board for the letters and numbers rounds and to find"
"1979 and 1999, the annual year-end countdown show was cut to one week (4 hours) to accommodate the special countdown, though in 2009, they aired a third special week after their usual two-week Top 100. The decade-end shows counted down the Top 50 of the 1970s, and the Top 40s of the 1990s and 2000s. There was no decade-end countdown for the 1980s. Over 50 celebrities—among them radio personalities, game show hosts, and (particularly since Ryan Seacrest took over hosting duties) charting artists—have substituted for these three throughout the show's run. Radio announcer Charlie Van Dyke filled in for Casey"
"2009, Kim Perez left for ""PM Edition"" and Kevin Robinson left for ""Your Weather Today"". Carl Parker and Heather Tesch replaced them beginning March 7, 2009. In November 2010, Parker and Tesch started anchoring ""Day Planner"" five days a week. Soon, Maria LaRosa and Todd Santos replaced them. In April 2012, Maria LaRosa left the show to host ""First Outlook"" and ""Your Weather Today"". On April 14, 2012, Heather Tesch returned to ""Weekend Now"" as the new host, along with Todd Santos. Julie Martin joined the show in June 2012 as a digital media correspondent and hosting various segments on"
"the prizegiving at the end of the show, Des O'Connor was presented with a bouquet of flowers by the show's lexicographer Susie Dent, and Vorderman received one from Gyles Brandreth. She was too moved to complete her farewells. A special show, ""One Last Consonant, Please Carol"", hosted by Brandreth and featuring Vorderman's highs and lows during the 26 years of the show, was also filmed and transmitted just before her final ""Countdown"" appearance. After leaving ""Countdown,"" Vorderman continued to contribute her column to the British magazine ""Reveal"". In July 2011, Vorderman and Sally Lindsay were tipped for roles on ""Loose"
"""most recognizable face"". In September 2008, MSNBC stated that Olbermann and Chris Matthews would no longer anchor live political events, with David Gregory assuming that role. MSNBC cited the growing criticism that they were ""too opinionated to be seen as neutral in the heat of the presidential campaign."" Olbermann's show ""Countdown"" continued to run before and after the presidential and vice presidential debates, and both Matthews and Olbermann joined Gregory on the channel's election night coverage. On November 13, 2009, in the days leading up to the release of 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's book """", MSNBC's Dylan"
"January 2001 ITV aired ""An Audience with Des O'Connor"". From 2002 to 2006 O'Connor co-hosted ""Today with Des and Mel"" opposite Melanie Sykes. The show was a live afternoon light entertainment programme aired on ITV. On 12 May 2006 the channel announced that the show would be one of a number to be axed in a ""painful, but utterly necessary"" move. On 2 January 2007 O'Connor replaced Des Lynam as co-presenter of the Channel 4 game show ""Countdown"" with Carol Vorderman. He left the show in 2008 to spend more time on theatre and entertainment-based projects. In 2009 O'Connor was"
"shared by McLean and Jackie Brambles. Following Jackie Brambles departure in August 2009, Kate Thornton took over from her during the following month and continued to present the show in rotation with Andrea McLean until August 2011. Jane McDonald also took a 16-month hiatus to focus of her music, returning in 2012. On 14 December Jane McDonald announced her return live on air with a surprise phone call. Following a relaunch in September 2011, the role of presenter was shared between McLean and Carol Vorderman, replacing Kate Thornton, coinciding with the departures of Coleen Nolan, Zoë Tyler and Lynda Bellingham."
"look at the teaching of mathematics. David Cameron commented, ""Carol has got a passion for maths. We have all seen that on ""Countdown"" with her brilliant mental arithmetic and she is going to lead this task force so we can get the answers right."" In an appearance on ""Question Time"" in March 2010, Vorderman was critical of all three major parties for hypocrisy in taking donations from non-domiciled taxpayers. Vorderman is a patron of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA) (her older brother, Anton, was born with a cleft lip and palate). In 2005 she was the winner of"
"contribution to the show was the numbers game, and she formed part of a five-person presentation team. However, over the following years, the team was pared down, and Vorderman's contribution increased. Vorderman thus became a new type of game show hostess, revealing her intellectual ability by carrying out fast and accurate arithmetical calculations during the show. Her lasting success on the show led to her becoming one of the highest-paid women in Britain, ultimately earning her an estimated £1 million per year. In June 2005, the producers of ""Countdown"" asked Vorderman if she wanted to fill the role of main"
"included: In December 2009, Felicity Whelan began presenting the weather on ""Weekend Today"" after she was chosen through the weekend weather competition, Whelan also filled in for Steven Jacobs on ""Today"". However, in April 2010, main fill-in weather presenter, Emma Freedman replaced Whelan who joined Network Ten. Due to budget cuts at the Nine Network, Emma Freedman was made redundant in late 2014. In 2015, Natalia Cooper was appointed as weather presenter. In December 2016, Steve Jacobs announced that he would be leaving ""Today"" to join ""Weekend Today"" as weather presenter. Weather presenters have included: In February 2009, Michele Mahone"
"Steele will be replacing Michael Wilbon as host, ending Wilbon's 8-year run on Countdown. Magic Johnson and Michael Wilbon are slated to return to the program in January 2017 to join Sage Steele for pregame coverage for the ""NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC"" series. With the 2017 playoffs looming, ESPN replaced Sage Steele with Michelle Beadle as the host of NBA Countdown on ABC and ESPN. Beadle joined NBA Countdown at the start of the 2016-2017 season, and has led ESPN’s regular Wednesday and Friday episodes. Beadle has been named the full time host and will lead Disney’s NBA pre-game"
"television continuously since 1965. ""Countdown"" was initially recorded at The Leeds Studios for 27 years, before moving to Manchester-based Granada Studios in 2009. Following the development of MediaCityUK, Countdown moved again in 2013 to the new purpose build studios at Dock10, Greater Manchester. The programme was presented by Richard Whiteley for over 20 years, until his sudden death in June 2005. It was then presented by Des Lynam until the end of 2006, Des O'Connor until the end of 2008, and Jeff Stelling until the end of 2011; Nick Hewer has presented the show since 2012. Carol Vorderman, the show's"
"it was announced that McLean would quit working on ""GMTV"" to focus on her role on ""Loose Women,"" to share the permanent host job with Brambles. Brambles left the show on 7 August 2009, Kate Thornton took her place as the new anchor when the show returned for its 10th anniversary on 1 September 2009 and shared the job with McLean. In 2011, Thornton was replaced by Carol Vorderman. In 2013, Kaye Adams became an anchor and Ruth Langsford returned to the programme in January 2014. In July 2014, Vorderman announced her departure from ""Loose Women"". McLean now co-anchors ""Loose"
"show more political, aping the approach taken by ""The Daily Show"" under Jon Stewart. On June 1, 2009, Conan O'Brien (who had succeeded Letterman as host of ""Late Night"" in 1993) took over as host of ""The Tonight Show""—an event Letterman referenced in his own show's Top Ten List on that night—and Letterman's ""feud"" with Leno temporarily ceased. In 2008 Letterman told ""Rolling Stone"" that he would welcome Leno on his show once Leno's tenure ended. Letterman said on competing with O'Brien, ""I still find it hard to believe that Jay won't be there."" The interview was held prior to"
"hosted by Tom Allen weekdays and Molly Johnson weekends. Allen left the program in 2009 to become host of ""Shift"", and was succeeded by Bob Mackowycz as weekday host; in 2011, Mackowycz left the program and was succeeded by Tom Power. Johnson left as weekend host in December 2013, and was succeeded Talia Schlanger in January. In August 2016, the CBC announced that Power would be leaving the program to become host of the network's entertainment magazine show ""Q""; around the same time, Schlanger left the program to take a job as contributing producer for the NPR music series ""World"
"co-host, who had also been on the programme since it began, left the show in December 2008, at the same time as Des O'Connor. She was replaced by Rachel Riley. Cathy Hytner originally placed letters on the board for the letters games and in series 1 and 2 Beverly Isherwood placed the numbers up on the board from series 3 Cathy Hytner put the numbers up on the board, in 1987 Karen Loughlin took over from Hytner but only lasted 3 series after this Lucy Summers took over but she only lasted 3 months and Countdown stayed they couldn’t be"
"during Campbell's tenure, and included Ashley Blake, Saima Mohsin, Nick Lawrence, and Dan Penteado. Between 2001-2004, Campbell was joined by Kate Sanderson as the other main presenter of the programme, while between 2005-2009, he was joined by Julia Bradbury, who was temporarily replaced during her last series in 2009 by Anita Rani between 6 February and 20 April; Rani was retained as a reporter following this, taking the place of Mohsin. On 10 May 2009, the BBC announced plans to relaunch the format for ""Watchdog"", which included bringing back Anne Robinson to host the programme, and extending the length of"
"didn't want to continue with the talk show. Carolina Gynning and Carina Berg will be hosting the audition part of Idol 2007 in Sweden. The talk show started airing again on 12 October 2009 live from ""Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel"" in Stockholm with Elisabet Höglund, Yvonne Ryding and Carin da Silva as host. In February 2010 Elisabet Höglund left the program and was replaced by Carolina Gynning, in week 12 same year she temporarily replace by Agneta Sjödin and Hans Fahlén. In the next season, starting 4 October 2010, the program hosts were replaced by Agneta Sjödin, Carolina Gynning,"
"December. Sixteen candidates took part in the sixth series, with Stella English becoming the overall winner. Excluding the specials, the series averaged around 7.87 million viewers during its broadcast. Upon receiving applications from potential participants, production staff held regional auditions and interviews throughout July 2009, followed by a second round of interviews and assessments in London to determine the final selection of sixteen candidates. Prior to work beginning on the series, Alan Sugar was required to appoint a successor to Margaret Mountford, following her decision to quit her role in the show earlier that year, leading to Karren Brady, one"
"program featured live updates on the then-unfolding War in Iraq. ""Countdown"" was broadcast at 8:00 p.m. on weekday nights, having replaced a cancelled talk show hosted by Phil Donahue. Olbermann—who left MSNBC in the late 1990s—returned to the network around this time and replaced Holt, becoming the permanent host for the renamed ""Countdown with Keith Olbermann"". The show did not feature political commentary in its first few years, simply recapping the news of the day in a ""5-4-3-2-1"" format as the title suggested. ""Countdown"" began to attract liberal and progressive viewers in 2005, when Olbermann began critiquing and satirizing conservative"
"8 in California on November 4, 2008, for which he was awarded the 2009 GLAAD Media Award for ""Outstanding TV Journalism Segment"". Olbermann's Special Comments were compared to Edward R. Murrow's signature essays. On two occasions, guest hosts for ""Countdown"" proved popular enough to be given their own MSNBC shows, contributing to a widespread perception of MSNBC being a left-leaning network. In 2008, Air America Radio personality Rachel Maddow hosted ""Countdown"" in Olbermann's absence, leading to the debut of her own program, ""The Rachel Maddow Show"". In 2009, left-wing political analyst Lawrence O'Donnell hosted ""Countdown"" for an extended period, leading"
"David Gregory and MSNBC's election coverage as well as a frequent contributor on ""Countdown with Keith Olbermann."" In 2008, Maddow was the substitute host for ""Countdown with Keith Olbermann"", her first time hosting a program on MSNBC. Maddow described herself on air as ""nervous"". Keith Olbermann complimented her work, and she was brought back to host ""Countdown"" the next month. The show she hosted was the highest-rated news program among people aged 25 to 54. For her success, Olbermann ranked Maddow third in his show's segment ""World's Best Persons"". In July 2008, Maddow filled in again for several broadcasts. Maddow"
"June 2009. In November 2009, it was announced that Lance would leave CMT and the Top 20 Countdown at the end of the year and return to acting. On August 6, 2012, Lance joined the program, ""The Daily Buzz"", alongside actor Charles Divins; veteran TV anchor Lisa Spooner; and radio personality Jessica Reyes, replacing Andy Campbell, Mitch English, and Kia Malone, thus being the new on-air team. Original co-host Andrea Jackson remains with the program, though now serves as a technology expert and correspondent for the GalTime feature segments. In July 2015, the Studio 18 Podcast launched with Smith as"