Countdown, the doyen of television quiz shows, began its first run of 2009 this week. It opens with the first appearance of two folk unfamiliar to terrestrial TV viewers: sports journalist Jeff Stelling and newcomer Rachel Riley.
For occasional viewers such as yours truly, nothing seems to have changed since the show launched Channel Four way back in 1982. The format is as simple yet challenging as ever; the jokes and puns are perfect for the target audience, and the coupling of attractive young lady and genial older man remains.
Oxford maths graduate Riley seems to be a good replacement for Carol Vorderman. She can crunch the numbers and display the letters just fine. Of greater interest is Jeff Stelling's switch from sports presenter to game-show host. He still fronts Sky Sport's Soccer Saturday but follows in the steps of Alan Partridge from sports to light entertainment. Unlike Partridge however, Spelling is likeable and seems to enjoy presenting. An example of his humour follows: Stelling has explained Soccer Saturday as “it's a football show with no football. You see no shots, no near misses, no goals – it's a bit like watching Newcastle [United].”
Countdown is a quiz seemingly out of place with modern television: there is no audience interaction (unless no-one gets the conundrum); no cash competition for the viewers at home; no dramatic pauses. It features a special guest (Andrew Sachs this week) who invariably reminisces with an anecdote, dictionary corner, the prize for winning is a teapot and a chunk of the show is literally spent clock-watching. Yet it remains a timeless show. No-one could ever call it must-see TV, but it remains a very British cornerstone of daytime television.
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