8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
Contents |
Host
Co-hosts
Team captains: Sean Lock and Jon Richardson, Lee Mack (stand-in for Sean Lock, episode 3)
"Vital statistician": Rachel Riley
Lexicologist: Susie Dent
Broadcast
Zeppotron (an Endemol company), 2 January 2012 to present
Synopsis
On 2 January 2012, as part of celebrations to mark Channel 4's 30th year of broadcasting, the channel aired an evening of special programmes, entitled the Channel 4 Mash-Up, which saw the presenters of different Channel 4 series take part in a 'job swap'. One such swap, entitled saw the team from 8 Out of 10 Cats take over the Countdown studio, with Jimmy Carr presenting, and team captains Sean Lock and Jon Richardson playing against each other. This proved popular and what started off as a one-off special has become a series in its own right.
The game is played broadly in line with the format of Countdown, starting with one of the contestants picking vowels and consonants in a letters game. Unlike Countdown itself however, there are no rules regarding how many of each the contestants are allowed to select. After the 30 second countdown (and with some entertainment from the host - see Key Moments below), the contestants reveal what words they have found. Following this, and like in the parent programme, Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner then offers up some alternatives. In these games, the rules are occasionally bent - such as changing your declaration at the end of the countdown for instance. More letters games are played, before attention turns to the numbers game, which is played the same manner as the original Countdown programme, and oddly with the rule regarding your declaration being enforced rather more strongly than in the letters games. After a number of games have been played, which unlike Countdown do not necessarily follow the same pattern in each episode, there then follows the Countdown Conundrum. In this round, the word to be unscrambled has usually been arranged to read as either rude or suggestive. As usual, if a contestant can solve the conundrum, they score 10 points. The programme then draws to a close with the contestant who has scored the highest being declared the winner.
Key moments
During each 30 second countdown, Jimmy Carr engaging in some humorous activity. Originally these were in line with the type of humour found in 8 Out of 10 Cats - such as peering at Rachel Riley through binoculars or reading Fifty Shades of Grey. However as more episodes have been filmed, these activities have become more varied, including building a house of cards, or icing a large cake.
Like the Countdown Conundrum, the 'teatime teaser' - an anagram revealed before each commercial break with the answer afterwards - is typically a rude word, or one laden with innuendo. However upon being revealed, the word is usually quite innocent.
Theme music
The original Countdown theme music is used, however the opening titles feature images from both parent programmes.
Trivia
The first episode ended 45 to 21 in Richardson's favour. However his win could have been even more convincing as he (belatedly) spotted a nine-letter word in the selection (something Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner had not spotted). However as he had already declared a six-letter word, his nine-letter word could not be counted.
The first re-match, aired in August 2012 as part of Channel 4's 'Funny Fortnight'. This ended with Sean Lock as the victor. However this was arguably only because he had help from Rachel Riley and former contestant and professional footballer Clarke Carlisle during certain rounds.
