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00:30Hello, everybody. Welcome to Countdown, the last full week before Christmas.
00:35So whether it's at home or at work, I know it's a really tricky time.
00:38Loads going on in the cold.
00:41So thank you for carving out just a little bit of time for us.
00:44And you will not regret it because, Rachel, second semi-final today.
00:48I knew it had been a long time and we'd been asking for more female contestants.
00:52And we've gotten them.
00:53And it's just way to numbers and it's paying off.
00:55But you said you'd never had a female champion in your whole time here.
01:00I know.
01:01I don't want to look at Fiona too close.
01:03I don't want to put pressure on her.
01:05I know, that's a problem.
01:05You know, half of the country is relying on you, Fiona.
01:09You're wrong, 51%.
01:11We've had some brilliant women.
01:13We just need more.
01:14Like you say, it's a numbers game.
01:15And you called for the women and the women came towards you, Colin.
01:19And you need to call for more women.
01:20Yeah, we want more.
01:21OK, come on.
01:22In fact, it's just open to everybody.
01:24In every series, we hope we push the envelope in terms of all the different types of people who come into this studio and get to be on national television and Countdown.
01:33So, no matter who you are, you can apply to come on.
01:36Let us deal with any little wrinkles in making it work.
01:39Honestly, open to everybody.
01:41Countdown at Channel4.com.
01:43As we head over the dictionary corner and what is now Christmas tradition for us alongside Susie Dent, our G of the day.
01:50And it's Mr Christmas himself.
01:52Mr Biggins is back.
01:53Christopher, lovely to see you.
01:54Thank you very much.
01:56It's lovely to be back at this gorgeous time of year.
01:59It really is.
01:59And let's get straight to it.
02:00Our number two seed, Fiona Wode.
02:03I think we can just admit a few things to you now.
02:07You've got a real fan club in here, right?
02:10And I want to bring Biggins in in this.
02:12She was talking about Lauren Bacall yesterday.
02:14She's met so many greats.
02:15Lee, who, you know, has been in Countdown for so long, he makes us all look beautiful.
02:20He says, she's like an actress.
02:22She's like a superstar.
02:23Power, posture, fashion, the way she carries herself, Biggins, is unbelievable.
02:29Absolutely.
02:30And the hair, too.
02:31You've got wonderful hair.
02:32You look very stylish indeed.
02:34You're a gorgeous woman.
02:36So, listen, forget all that we just said about whatever.
02:39It's part of our family.
02:40We'll see what happens today.
02:41Best of luck to you.
02:42You're up against the gentleman, Terence Newnham.
02:45And this is me.
02:47If ever there was a case of after the Lord Mayor's show, or should we say after the Lady Mayorist show,
02:53it's this.
02:54I know.
02:55It does feel a bit like that when we go through all that.
02:58But what a quarterfinal you had.
03:00We loved it.
03:00We love you.
03:01Yeah.
03:01Because you won.
03:03You would only personally upset the seedings.
03:05Yeah.
03:05Yeah.
03:05It was going against, it was going with form.
03:08And then somehow it came along and about the trend.
03:10And you didn't score in four rounds of a quarterfinal.
03:15And still it wasn't even a crucial conundrum.
03:17I don't think I can afford to do that again today.
03:19I'm not sure you can afford to not score in one round.
03:22Yeah.
03:22But I also know we look at it, 730 points, octo-champ, big quarterfinal, high score of 110.
03:29Absolutely can be your day.
03:31And we would love it just as much if it was.
03:32So, Terence, Fiona, best of luck.
03:37Fiona, let's get those letters.
03:38Afternoon, Rachel.
03:39Afternoon, Fiona.
03:40I'll start with a consonant, please.
03:42Start this semifinal with T.
03:44And another.
03:46S.
03:48And another.
03:50M.
03:51And a vowel, please.
03:53A.
03:54And another.
03:56O.
03:57And another.
04:00E.
04:01And a consonant.
04:03N.
04:05And another consonant.
04:07J.
04:08And a final consonant, please.
04:11A final.
04:12F.
04:12At home and in the studio, let's play Countdown.
04:20Fiona, seven, seven from you.
04:34And Terence?
04:35No, just a six.
04:50Just a six.
04:51What's the six?
04:52Uh, stamen.
04:53Ah, yes.
04:53And Fiona?
04:55Foment.
04:55Foment, to stir up unrest, just to foment.
04:58That's absolutely brilliant.
04:59Well done.
04:59How did you get on, Krista?
05:00About the same.
05:01Yeah.
05:02Very good.
05:02Brilliant.
05:03Terence, you're choosing these.
05:04Hi, Rachel.
05:05Hi, Terence.
05:06Let's start with a consonant, please.
05:08Start with S.
05:09And another.
05:11H.
05:12And a third.
05:14D.
05:15And a vowel, please.
05:16A.
05:18And another.
05:19I.
05:20And another.
05:21A.
05:22A consonant.
05:24Q.
05:25And another.
05:28M.
05:29And a final consonant, please.
05:32Final G.
05:34All right, 30 seconds.
05:35We'll see you next time.
06:06Terence.
06:07Uh, six.
06:08Not written down.
06:09And Fiona?
06:11I'll try a six.
06:12Terence?
06:13Stigma.
06:13Stigma.
06:14And mites.
06:15Spell your mites.
06:16M-I-G-H-T-S.
06:18I'm just looking at it.
06:19It's used as a noun.
06:20It says maths noun, I'm afraid, Fiona.
06:22Yeah, military mite, but not mites.
06:24Sorry.
06:25Christopher?
06:26We had stigma as well.
06:28Did we have anything else?
06:28We had asthma.
06:29Oh, asthma, yes.
06:31You know you're struggling if it's the letters round and the only word you can say is maths.
06:34So let's get to the numbers.
06:36And you're choosing, Fiona.
06:37I'll have one large and five small, please.
06:40One large and five small.
06:42I wonder if the numbers will be decisive today.
06:44Only one way to find out.
06:46The first one.
06:47Six, two, eight, three, ten.
06:51And the large one, 75.
06:53And you need to reach 104.
06:55104.
06:56Number's up.
06:57one- fighter.
07:00Three, four, five, six, five, six, six, six, seven, six.
07:04Be, those who fascinate, five, ten.
07:06Yep.
07:07No, you're being, entre-go
07:20onder-credire.
07:21And theight discover Noah Lowe.
07:23Two, three, three, four, five, seven.
07:24Rightio, 104, very low target, Fiona.
07:32Yes, 104.
07:33Yes, no problem for you, the forensic accountant, and Terence.
07:38104, but not very well written down.
07:40Where does that fall, Rachel?
07:42Not very well written down.
07:43We've got to go with them.
07:44Yeah.
07:45Yeah, let's do it.
07:46Very convoluted.
07:473 times 10 is 30.
07:50Yep.
07:51Plus 75.
07:52105.
07:53105.
07:53And then 6 plus 2 is 8.
07:56Divided by 8 is 1.
07:58Yep.
07:58And then subtract.
07:59104.
08:00Fiona, well written down.
08:012 times 10 is 20.
08:04Plus 6 plus 3 is 29.
08:08Plus 75 is 104.
08:11Lovely.
08:12Easy one.
08:13Brilliant.
08:16Ten points each.
08:17Just one point in it as we get our first Tea Time teaser this semi-final Thursday.
08:23Sir Stout.
08:24Sir Stout.
08:26Annie and Co.
08:27That's the key.
08:28Annie and Co.
08:29Travelled a lot, but it was good to be back home again.
08:32Annie and Co.
08:33Travelled a lot, but it was good to be back home again.
08:35It's Annie Lennox and the tourists before Eurythmics.
09:04The tourists.
09:05Right.
09:06Let's get back to it, Terence.
09:07A consonant, please, Rachel.
09:08Thank you, Terence.
09:09C.
09:10And another.
09:12R.
09:13And a third.
09:15G.
09:16A vowel, please.
09:17U.
09:18And another.
09:19E.
09:20And another.
09:22I.
09:23A consonant.
09:24D.
09:25And another.
09:27T.
09:28And another consonant, please.
09:30Lastly, R.
09:32Thank you, Rachel.
09:33Thank you, Rachel.
10:04Terence?
10:05Seven.
10:06A seven for you. And Fiona?
10:07Seven.
10:08Seven too. All right, Terence?
10:10Recruit.
10:11Recruit. And what did you get, Fiona?
10:12Curried.
10:13Curried, there you go.
10:14Yes.
10:15Seven points each.
10:17Can you find anything else in there?
10:19No, but I mean,
10:20Curried is great because, of course, Boxing Day,
10:22we can have a turkey curried.
10:24And really, I love...
10:26Boxing Day is my favourite meal over Christmas.
10:29All the odds and sods, you know, you can have it, it's just wonderful.
10:32And the chocolate just there.
10:34Oh, yeah, it's wonderful.
10:35Brilliant. And nothing else, so we can just move on.
10:38Fiona, here we go.
10:40A consonant, please.
10:41Thank you, Fiona.
10:42T.
10:43And another.
10:45K.
10:47And another.
10:49B.
10:50And another.
10:52M.
10:54And a vowel.
10:56E.
10:57And another.
10:59I.
11:00And a consonant.
11:01S.
11:02And a final consonant, please.
11:03A final Z.
11:04Goodness me, half a minute.
11:05T.
11:06T.
11:07T.
11:08T.
11:09T.
11:10T.
11:11T.
11:12T.
11:13T.
11:14T.
11:15T.
11:16T.
11:17T.
11:18T.
11:19T.
11:20T.
11:21T.
11:22T.
11:23T.
11:24T.
11:25T.
11:26T.
11:27T.
11:28T.
11:29T.
11:30T.
11:31T.
11:32T.
11:33T.
11:34T.
11:35T.
11:36T.
11:37T.
11:38T.
11:39T.
11:40T.
11:41And that is a time.
11:4430 seconds passes in this semi-final.
11:47Fiona?
11:47Six.
11:48And Terence?
11:49No, just five.
11:50Just the five.
11:52And then take a breath.
11:53What have you got?
11:54Steak.
11:54And the six?
11:55Basket.
11:56A basket.
11:59Very nice.
12:00There you go.
12:00That collects you the six points.
12:03Christopher, difficult.
12:04Right, challenging, right?
12:05There are.
12:06There's a couple.
12:07Mistake.
12:08Yeah.
12:09Which is quite a good one.
12:11For seven.
12:12And also amaziest.
12:14Amaziest.
12:15Yes, the most confused or the giddiest.
12:17Right, which you touched on just the other day.
12:19I did, yeah.
12:20Amaziest.
12:20Great, great dialect word.
12:21And that's for a seven.
12:23Well, listen, another drop stitch by Terence,
12:25but so nip and tuck that we're still within that ten points.
12:28Just seven, isn't it, Big T?
12:30Never called you out before.
12:31Don't know why I called you out now.
12:32Why not start now?
12:33All right, Big T, let's get numbers.
12:34Let's go for it.
12:36Let's go for a T, shall we?
12:37Inverted T.
12:40An inverted T.
12:40You said you're not gambling, you're playing it safe.
12:42One from the top, as you and your nicknames.
12:45I didn't like that one.
12:46Could have at least had an upside down one.
12:47Right, or right way up one.
12:49Anyway, we have six, seven, eight, eight, two,
12:54and the large one, 50.
12:55And the target, 631.
12:58631, numbers up.
13:066-3-1. Terence?
13:336-3-2.
13:34One away. Fiona?
13:366-3-2.
13:37One away. Terence?
13:40OK, 6 plus 7 is 13.
13:42Yes.
13:43Times 50.
13:446-50.
13:456-50. Then 8 plus 8 plus 2 is...
13:48..18. Yes, subtract.
13:52Yep, 6-3-2.
13:53Excellent. For you, Fiona?
13:54Exactly the same.
13:55Excellent.
13:56Yep, bingo.
13:57And I wonder, given the standard of Fiona and Terence,
14:00does that make it impossible, Rachel?
14:02Mm-mm.
14:03Excellent. Off you go.
14:04First one I've had to do in a very long time.
14:06Yeah.
14:07Instead of 13, you want 12.
14:09Split the multiplication.
14:10So, 50 times 6 is 300.
14:13Add one of the 8s for 308.
14:16Times it by the 2 for 616 and add the remaining 8 and 7.
14:21Yes.
14:22APPLAUSE
14:24Even more impressive, Rachel, because you're rusty.
14:27You're right.
14:28It's like non-uniform week for you, standing there.
14:31It's like getting back from a holiday.
14:32Yeah, very impressive indeed.
14:35Well, listen, no signs of rust after decades and decades in the business
14:39for Christopher Biggins.
14:40And I love the start of any of your stories you tell us.
14:43And yesterday it was, well, I work with Lauren Bacall.
14:47LAUGHTER
14:48Can you better that as an opening line?
14:49Well, I didn't actually work with the next person, I'm going to say,
14:52but there was an American restaurant which came from New York
14:55and Los Angeles to London, and it was called Joe Allen's,
15:00and it was a very theatrical restaurant.
15:01And up until that point, I always felt that you went to eat lunch
15:05or dinner when you were hungry.
15:07I had no idea you would go to a restaurant for social purposes.
15:11LAUGHTER
15:12To meet people, to talk.
15:14And Joe Allen's being a theatrical restaurant, at night,
15:16it was packed with everybody from the theatre world.
15:20It was very, very exciting.
15:21You'd go in and you'd sit next to big stars appearing in the local theatre
15:26next to this restaurant in Covent Garden.
15:29Anyway, there was a table which was particularly good,
15:32and it was number 52, and it was against the wall,
15:36and you could see everybody who came in.
15:39And I went in with a friend of mine and we were...
15:42..the management said,
15:43''Would you mind sitting at table 40?''
15:46I said, ''I would mind, because table 40 was round the corner.
15:48''No-one would see me.''
15:49I mean, it was terrible.
15:51So they said, ''Please, please, would you,
15:53''because we've got someone very special coming in
15:55''and we want to put them opposite you so they're not disturbed.''
15:58So I thought, ''Well, they wouldn't tell me who it was.''
16:00So I said, ''All right, all right, I'll sit at this table.''
16:03Very angrily, I sat at this table 40.
16:06And we ordered our main...
16:08..our starter, which was soup, and it came.
16:11And at that particular moment, in walked Elizabeth Taylor.
16:14Darn it, A's.
16:15And she sat opposite me, and we smiled.
16:19And every time I lifted my spoon, our eyes locked.
16:22Yeah.
16:23And those unbelievably beautiful eyes.
16:25And not a word was spoken.
16:27We, Jeremy and I, talked.
16:28She was with the gentleman, they talked.
16:30And at the end, she stood up.
16:33And we stood up with her and she looked at us and said,
16:36''Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure.''
16:38Oh!
16:39I mean, it was just unbelievable.
16:42That's sensational.
16:44One line was all you made.
16:45I mean, it was just perfect, though, because that's exactly what she was.
16:49And once again, the hugest star ever.
16:51Liz Taylor following on from Lauren Bacall.
16:55APPLAUSE
16:56Hopefully tomorrow, we'll see.
16:58Yeah, tomorrow, if you're good.
17:00Yes.
17:0137 plays, 37 points in her second semi-final.
17:05Chris Kirby watching with interest.
17:07Who's he going to play tomorrow?
17:09Terence or Fiona?
17:10Fiona, slight lead.
17:12Your letters.
17:13Consonant, please.
17:14Thank you, Fiona.
17:15R.
17:16And another.
17:18D.
17:19And another.
17:21P.
17:22And a vowel.
17:24I.
17:26And another.
17:27O.
17:28And another.
17:30E.
17:31And a consonant.
17:34T.
17:35Another consonant.
17:37F.
17:39And a final vowel, please.
17:41A final O.
17:43And here we go again.
18:14Fiona? Eight.
18:16Terence? Also eight.
18:18What have you got, Fiona? Profited.
18:20Profited. And Terence? I also have profited.
18:23And there it is. And you both will to the tune of eight more points each.
18:27And with profited out, it leaves very little room for manoeuvre,
18:31I'd imagine, Dictionary Corner. No, I mean, profited, absolutely.
18:34But the other word I love is torpedo. Very nice.
18:37Which is a great word, I think. And that's there for a seven.
18:41Yeah, they torpedoed you, didn't they? Brilliant.
18:4445.30 as you were, so let's ply on.
18:47A consonant, please, Rachel. Thank you, Terence.
18:49N. And another.
18:51S. And another.
18:54L. And a vowel.
18:57E. And another.
18:59O. And a consonant.
19:02P. And another.
19:05T. A vowel.
19:08U. And another vowel, please.
19:12Lastly, A.
19:14And start the clock.
19:16Something shifts.
19:22Let's say, we will reach out.
19:24Thanks, guys.
19:26Let's naszego viewers.
19:27To go transmit these tidards off.
19:30But here next time, we are setting the coding system up here.
19:32To go transmit then descrição and attention somewhere.
19:36In our żyły environment.
19:38This could be dolent for him.
19:40And often we will show up what their happiness is.
19:42Terence?
19:48Eight.
19:49And for you, Fiona?
19:51A better goal for eight, then.
19:52Your eight.
19:53Polentas.
19:54Polentas.
19:55And...
19:56Same.
19:57Excellent.
19:58Yeah.
19:58Susie, this is...
19:59Listen, if Rachel has it easy in finals week,
20:02you'd count yourself and not brag it?
20:04Yes.
20:05Well, this is one where it does say a mass noun in the dictionary,
20:08but in the past, I think we have allowed it
20:11because you might order a couple of polentas in a restaurant
20:14and that is our exception, so I'm going to say yes.
20:18The U just left over there,
20:20so we're just enjoying the ride, I'd imagine.
20:22Down to Sevens.
20:23Yeah.
20:23What have we got?
20:24We had Apostle.
20:25Yeah.
20:25And we had Opulent.
20:27Very nice.
20:27Our studio.
20:28Yeah.
20:2953, 46.
20:31This one's felt tense from the very, very beginning.
20:35Let's go again.
20:36Third numbers, Fiona.
20:38I'll have three large and three small, please.
20:40Thank you, Fiona.
20:41Three from the top, three little.
20:43Things are getting a bit more serious.
20:46Yeah, small ones.
20:47Ten, nine, nine.
20:49This has got to be something interesting.
20:51And the big one, 75, 50, 100.
20:54Let's see if it's possible.
20:57224.
20:57Two, two, four.
20:58Numbers up.
20:59Two, three, four.
21:17Two, three, four.
21:26Time's up. 2, 2, 4, Fiona.
21:33Yes, 2, 2, 4. And Terence?
21:35Yeah, 2, 2, 4. Oh, Rachel's seizing it, this. Off you go, Fiona.
21:39100 plus 75 plus 50 is 2, 2, 5, and 9 over 9 is the one.
21:45Yeah, that's why.
21:47God, commentator's curse. Terence?
21:49If you feel I can get it, yeah, it's exactly the same way.
21:52Excellent. Well done.
21:53APPLAUSE
21:54Right, second Tea Time teaser this Thursday,
21:59semi-final, oil dunes, oil dunes.
22:03Victor Meldrew didn't believe it, and nor should you.
22:05Victor Meldrew didn't believe it, and nor should you.
22:08MUSIC
22:10APPLAUSE
22:24Hello again. Victor Meldrew didn't believe it, and nor should you.
22:28Delusion was the Tea Time teaser.
22:30Let's get straight back to this.
22:32An absolute nail-biter of a semi-final.
22:34Six rounds to go.
22:36Terence behind by just seven, and it's your letters.
22:39Consonant, please.
22:40Thank you, Terence.
22:41P.
22:42And another.
22:43S.
22:45And a third.
22:46P.
22:48And a vowel, please.
22:49I.
22:50And another.
22:51U.
22:52And another.
22:54I.
22:55A consonant.
22:57T.
22:58And another.
22:59R.
23:01Oof.
23:01Another vowel, please.
23:04A final E.
23:06And good luck.
23:07MUSIC PLAYS
23:37Now, time's up, Terence. Seven.
23:40And Fiona? Seven. Seven from you.
23:43Terence? Tippers. Tippers. And Fiona?
23:46Same. Yep. There you go.
23:49Can you find anything else in there? Tipsier,
23:52which seems perfect for Christmas. Yeah, exactly. Oh, tipsier,
23:55very good, yes. Indeed. Seven points still.
23:58Seven points still. Let's go again. Fiona, the driver.
24:02Consonant, please. Thank you, Fiona. M.
24:06And another. B.
24:09And another. D.
24:12And another. C.
24:16And a vowel. U.
24:19And another. E.
24:22And another. A.
24:25And a consonant. R.
24:30And a final consonant, please. A final. S.
24:34Let us play.
24:36A vowel.
24:37A vowel.
24:38And a vowel.
24:39One.
24:40One.
24:41One.
24:42Two.
24:43Two.
24:44One.
24:45Two.
24:46One.
24:47One.
24:48Two.
24:49One.
24:51Two.
24:53And that's time. Fiona?
25:09Seven. Seven from you. And Terence?
25:11Also seven. Excellent. What's your word, Fiona?
25:14Cambers. Cambers. And Terence?
25:17And crusade. Crusade and cambers, Susie Dent.
25:21Yes, camber is the slightly convex tilt of a road.
25:26That's absolutely fine. Crusade also rugged for seven.
25:28And can we add anything?
25:29So, when we've had our drink at Christmas,
25:32we could both do the rumba afterwards.
25:34We'd have rumba'd. We'd have rumba'd.
25:35Yes! Listen, whatever. I'll tango, rumba, whatever it is.
25:40Just seven points in it. Fiona, our number two seed.
25:43Had that slight lead for so long, right on that knife edge.
25:46And it's time for Origins of Words this Thursday afternoon.
25:50Susie? Yes.
25:51So, Paul Harper, who's a previous contestant,
25:53is asking about a word that is not at all relevant to today
25:58because it's all about hornswoggling.
26:00And to hornswoggle somebody is to deceive or cheat them.
26:04And there is absolutely no hornswoggling on Countdown.
26:06This comes from Paul Harper.
26:09And he said,
26:09Sadly, it is elusive in terms of its history.
26:23I didn't know this word was American,
26:24so I looked it up in the Merriam-Webster dictionary,
26:26American dictionary,
26:27and it will also say etymology unknown.
26:30But it will add a little bit to the mystery.
26:33So, it first appears in the southern US in the early 19th century.
26:38And the early record, earliest record that we have of it,
26:40is from the Virginia Literary Magazine of 1829.
26:45And it provides a glossary of current Americanisms.
26:48It says that hornswoggle comes from Kentucky.
26:52And it came out in exactly the same year, it seems,
26:55as the word honeyfoggle,
26:57which means exactly the same thing, to cheat or to deceive.
27:01More than that, we don't know.
27:02But I think the sound of it almost conveys what it is all about,
27:07especially the swoggle bit.
27:08And it joins bamboozle,
27:10another one with a frustratingly elusive origin,
27:13as a really colourful way of saying to deceive or to cheat,
27:16but with, I think, a slightly softer edge.
27:21OK, Terence, you're just seven points behind your letters.
27:25A consonant, please.
27:26Thank you, Terence.
27:28N.
27:29And another.
27:30S.
27:31And a vowel, please.
27:33O.
27:34And another.
27:35E.
27:36And a consonant.
27:38N.
27:39And another.
27:41D.
27:42And a third.
27:43R.
27:44A vowel.
27:46I.
27:47And another consonant, please.
27:49It's marginally better.
27:51A final G.
27:52Tone time.
27:52I.
28:16And that is time. Terence?
28:25Seven. Fiona? Nine.
28:28Yes, the tut from Terence. You knew there might have been something bigger.
28:32What's the seven? Regions.
28:34Right, the nine, Fiona, for an amazing moment.
28:37Endorsing. Yes.
28:38Yes.
28:39APPLAUSE
28:40Christopher, what can we possibly add?
28:45Well, I'm endorsing Fiona.
28:48Already, already. There you go.
28:51He's gone a bit early, but he could be at the end of this round.
28:55Fiona, to your letters.
28:57Consonant, please.
28:58Thank you, Fiona.
28:59T.
29:01And another.
29:02L.
29:04And another.
29:05V.
29:07And a vowel, please.
29:09E.
29:10And another.
29:11A.
29:13And another.
29:14E.
29:16And a consonant.
29:18L.
29:20And another vowel.
29:22Another A.
29:24And a final consonant, please.
29:26Final S.
29:27Last letters.
29:28l.
29:38As.
29:39Moon.
29:39One.
29:41One.
29:42Two.
29:44One.
29:45Two.
29:45One.
29:46Two.
29:48Two.
29:49One.
29:49One.
29:49One.
29:50Two.
29:50Two.
29:51Two.
29:52One.
29:52Two.
29:52Two.
29:52One.
29:53You.
29:53Two.
29:53One.
29:54Two.
29:55Three.
29:55Three.
29:55compassing.
29:56Let's just see. Fiona. Six.
30:01Six from you, Terence. Yeah, six.
30:05There you go. And with that, we're putting that nail in that coffin
30:08for the gentleman. Fiona. Valleys.
30:11Yes, and there's no point taking a risk if there's not anything that you've seen there.
30:14Terence. Svelte. There you go. Over to Dictionary Corner.
30:17Very nice with svelte. I haven't seen that one. Yes, we were sixes as well.
30:21We were. And it also leaves. And that's it?
30:24That is it. Six for us.
30:25Goodness me, it felt better. It really did feel better.
30:29And with that, we now know that our number one seed and our number two seed
30:33are going to play each other in our big final tomorrow.
30:35Just let's pause and just mark that. Brilliant, Fiona. Well done.
30:41And producing a nine under that type of pressure.
30:44And it's all power to your elbow, Terence, because as the underdog here,
30:48you've just been on her heels the whole way.
30:49So you should be so proud of that. Very impressive.
30:51Didn't quite get to the crucial, but final numbers for you now.
30:54So let's go for four large.
30:57Let's do it. We're going to give Fiona a bit of a practice now
31:00before the final tomorrow.
31:02Final numbers, just for fun.
31:04The little ones are one and eight.
31:06And the big four, 100, 25, 50 and 75.
31:11And the final target, 597.
31:14Five, nine, seven. Numbers up.
31:16And the big four, 100, 52 and 95.
31:17And the big four, 100, 25.
31:17Half- Nasıl
31:345, 9, 7. Terence?
31:50Nope, 600.
31:52Just missed it, Fiona.
31:53Yeah, 5, 9, 7.
31:54Yes, off you go.
31:558 times 75 is 600.
31:58Yep.
31:5950 over 25 is 2, plus the 1 is the 3, and take it away.
32:04There you go.
32:05Well done.
32:07There you go.
32:08Fiona would be forgiven at this stage for just thinking of tomorrow,
32:12that big Series 90 final.
32:14But let me just point out your highest score,
32:16this is your 10th appearance on Series 90 countdown,
32:19is 1-1-3.
32:21You're sitting on 1-1-1 now.
32:23Chris Kirby's at home.
32:24He's got little Beatrice in one knee.
32:26He's got Buddy the dog in the other,
32:28thinking he's the big I am, the number one seed,
32:30sending him a message.
32:31Let's do it.
32:32Here we go.
32:32Finger on the buzzer, Fiona.
32:35Same for you, Terence.
32:36This is our bittersweet goodbye,
32:38as we reveal today's semi-final Countdown Conundrum.
32:42Yoshi's.
32:46tongue-tack.
32:48Music.
32:49music.
33:11And that is time.
33:15Fiona and Terence did not spot today's Countdown Conundrum.
33:20As we head over to Rachel Riley to reveal, the answer is...
33:23Well, if you're asking Santa Baby for some diamonds,
33:25you might want a solitaire. Let's have a look.
33:28Well done. APPLAUSE
33:31Look at that, listen. We might call her the driver,
33:34but you were riding shotgun all the way until that maximum she pulled out.
33:39I just have to say, if I was going to lose to anyone,
33:41I would have wanted to lose to Fiona.
33:42What a fantastic contestant.
33:44She's been brilliant for the show.
33:46Yeah, absolutely. What a brilliant final we have.
33:48And so unpredictable, yet here we are with the one and two seed.
33:51It happens that way. Terence, you've been fantastic.
33:54We called you the gentleman for a reason.
33:56How could you want a better nickname than that when strangers call you that?
33:59So, safe home and thank you so much.
34:00Thank you very much.
34:01You rest easy and get ready for the big one. Well done.
34:03Thank you. Excellent.
34:04Christopher, Susie sells itself. What final?
34:07Yes, I cannot wait. One more sleep.
34:11Forget Santa Claus.
34:12This is what Christmas is all about.
34:14Ain't it funny we've ended up with the top two seeds, Rach?
34:17Yeah, and they're both cool as cucumbers,
34:19so I'm not sure nerves are going to play a part of it tomorrow.
34:21I don't know what's going to decide it, really.
34:23Absolutely.
34:24Let's just sit back and enjoy tomorrow 15 rounds of letters and numbers
34:27to decide who takes home the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy.
34:31We've crowned a champion tomorrow.
34:33Same time, same place.
34:34We'll be waiting for you in count on us.
34:38You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:42You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
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