Countdown - Des Lynam's First Episode - Part 1 Of 4

[JamesParkersStuff]

Carol lives in my town. Oooh yeh... 

[Ampex196]

Not an easy task to take over from the legendary Richard Whiteley. Richard was in the 'seat' for a very long time: - it was his show!

I've never been a sport fan so had not seen Des Lynam on air (apart from an odd Grandstand clip here or there). Nevertheless, I think he did a great job during his time on Countdown.

[ryanads]

I think Carol used to just act up in these times.

[ryanads]

@tysonthepooper I thought he was the most miserable Countdown host ever. Jeff and Rachel are better

[Snowman3151]

Please can someone find des lynams last episode

[countdowngoofs]

@TheVhsfinds At the moment no, sorry.

[resilienceman]

I'd give Carol Vorderman an angry anal anyday of the week.

[HardDoor]

Glad to see the back of Lynam. This donkey thought his job was just to start the clock. What a disaster Lynam was! Even Carol hated his guts and just din't click with him. There was no banter, no chit chat, no humour - nothing from Lynam. Why Channel 4 even thought dry-as-dust Lynam was suitable for the job in the first place is a mystery. Des O'Connor was brilliant and knew what the job was about - ENTERTAINMENT!! It's arguable that Lynam put the final nail in Countdown's coffin.

[HardDoor]

din't = didn't

[supagan]

@HardDoor say what you will about Lynam, but he got Countdown's biggest audiences in 8 years. He was getting over 2m at times (exceptional figure for 3.30) and after Des O'Connor arrived that halved. More people watched his final show than Vorderman's.

[supagan]

@HardDoor Oh yeah, because I'd love to have a life and track UFOs....

And Supergranny HAHAHAHA you're just too much. Absolute comedy genius.

All I was saying is that Lynam was much more successful than you seem to think. If all you can respond to that with is 'get a life', maybe you should think about taking your own advice and give up posting inane comments on the internet.

[HardDoor]

@HardDoor Co-erection! For 'Maybe you could giving up' Read ' Maybe you could give up'

[DAVlDMlCHEALROBlNSON]

@supagan Lynam was a disaster. He was totally unsuited to the job. Within months of taking the job he started whingeing about the long drive up to Leeds

where the show is recorded. Surely he knew this before he accepted the job.

Only after he had left Countdown did he give the real reason why he quit.

It had nothing to do with the long drive. Lynam admitted that he, himself, soon realized he was not the right person for the job. For that he must be admired.

As for ratings, what are your sources?

[supagan]

@DAVlDMlCHEALROBlNSON I never said I liked Des Lynam as host. I didn't particularly, to be honest (although I wouldn't say he was a disaster). All I said was that he clearly was doing something right when he consistently got half a million more than Richard, and more than double what Des O'Connor pulled in at times.

And the ratings are from the BARB website. It shows Countdown charting a number of times over his reign.

[DAVlDMlCHEALROBlNSON]

@supagan Des is on record as saying - after the Leeds travel nonsense - that he left because he didn't fancy spending the rest of his professional life starting the clock on Countdown. I have no opinions either way as regards liking or disliking Des but I do feel he did not have the intellectual interest of Richard Whitely in the programme. There was no repartee or chit chat or even a laugh with Des. Des O'Connor was a comedian who I thought enjoyed himself.

I felt Des Lynam didn't..I felt

[DAVlDMlCHEALROBlNSON]

@DAVlDMlCHEALROBlNSON Finally and this is my last word on this.I felt Des Lynam and Carol did not get on.I remember that Des made some remark that carrots or some vegetable repeated (maybe this is on YouTube) on him.Carol tried to get him going on it for a laugh and Des just cut her off. He wasn't interested. Des introduced a sort of cut throat competitive edge to the game which in my view was totally out of place.Countdown is not the FA Cup Final. It is or was a mild easy going game for fun.

[DAVlDMlCHEALROBlNSON]

@DAVlDMlCHEALROBlNSON Now I think of it....It was cucumber sandwiches

that Des said made him burp although he used the word 'repeat'. Carol tries immediately to draw Des out on what he means. Carol plays the innocent. You get the impression she wants to tease this 'repeating' cucumber sandwich thing out and milk it for all it is worth in laughs and fun. Unfortunately Des is having none of it and more or less cuts Carol off at the knees.This episode may be on YouTube.

[gameshowfreak2007]

does anyone have the xmas special with Carol playing Richard I've been wanting to see it for a long time.

[JonRDow]

I second that request!

[formulacountdown]

@gameshowfreak2007 Lewie80 does

[sampsonspocks]

Say, would you happen to have Des O'Connors first episode?

[countdowngoofs]

Hi, we don't at the moment but we are trying to locate it

[mongrelvids]

Nice one, I quite liked Des Lynam as host. He wasn't the best but I thought he was better at it than Des O'Connor.

But I think RW is getting some serious competition for best host from Jeff Stelling, he's awesome!

[countdowngoofs]

The episode is currently on it's way to us

Just let me know if there is anything else I can get you

Thanks

[bradbeaver]

Has anyone played the dvd game of Countdown? Brad

[countdowngoofs]

Yeh its good apart from the fact you don't select your own letters and they don't stay visible during the clock.

Its good for a rainy day

[supagan]

Nice addition. Thanks :)

[countdowngoofs]

I will be getting it in the next few months

[countdownisdabest]

haave you got his last episode