"Countdown" Holds Guinness Record For "Most Series Broadcast For A TV Game Show"

It wasn't too long ago when Alex Trebek was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter". Yesterday, Guinness had officially awarded  Channel 4's Countdown the record for the "most series broadcast for a TV game show" with a running total of 70. The long-running afternoon game show is now in its 71st series with host Nick Hewer and math genius Rachael Riley and lexicographer Susie Dent at his aid. Countdown has been a cornerstone program for Channel 4 since the very beginning as it was the first show to air on the network in 1982.

Since then, 6,000 episodes have aired with five hosts (the first and longest serving host being Richard Whiteley) and multiple co-hosts including the original numbers wizard, Mensa member Carol Vorderman. Out of the hundreds of contestants that have competed on Countdown, 70 have been crowned series champions, including the reigning series champion Mark Murray and 180 have been deemed "octochamps" for winning at least eight games prior to series tournaments. The show has even inspired an 8 Out Of 10 Cats spinoff aptly titled 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, meshing the tea-time game show with the hilarity of the cast of the comedy panel show. (By the way, a new series of the aforementioned show kicks off tonight at 9:00pm BST on Channel 4.) Countdown is a perfect example of a game show that is entertaining and engaging to watch without needing to add insane cash prizes, crazy gimmicks or brightly-colored, seizure-inducing sets. The gameplay is simple, anyone can play it and its intellectual depth gives viewers a chance to learn new words, the origins of words and more.

Congratulations to Countdown for its longevity on television and entry into the record books and if you haven't seen the show before, here's your chance to check it out in the video below. You have no excuse now.

Sources: BBC News, The Countdown Wiki