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Broadcast on Friday 20th December 2024.
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00:31Hello, everybody. This is what we play for today.
00:34The Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy, 2nd of November, 1982.
00:39Series 1, show 1.
00:40And here we are on the very last programme of Series 90.
00:45Nine-zero.
00:46It feels as important sitting here as presenter,
00:49which still sounds like some sort of fantasy dream that I had,
00:52as it was as a kid, watching those titles roll for that first show.
00:55And here we are. I don't know about you,
00:57but the excitement levels about what we're about to witness.
01:00I mean, you can see how excited you are. You've put a suit on.
01:02I know.
01:03I mean, I don't think it goes with the budgie smugglers,
01:05but you need to get changed before the final part.
01:07Listen, we have so many stories today, but it's funny, isn't it?
01:11Because we said rightfully, the final eight, we couldn't choose a winner.
01:14Sod's law, we've got the one and two seeds.
01:17Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
01:18But, I mean, today, they both like a one large.
01:21Yes.
01:22And if they both go with one...
01:23I mean, I'm just trying to convince them to do something more interesting.
01:26What's some good numbers for this final?
01:27We want to put them to the test.
01:28I think you've absolutely nailed it.
01:29Our one and two seeds are just absolute nails.
01:33Calm under fire.
01:34They have their way of playing the game.
01:37We have the immovable object and the unstoppable force,
01:40and they're just going to go...
01:42..today.
01:43I'm going to say it right now.
01:44If this is not a crucial conundrum,
01:47I will metaphorically eat that dictionary.
01:50It has to be, right?
01:51We can't separate them.
01:53I like how you stuck in metaphorically there, just in case.
01:56Because you've been caught out with these before.
01:57You accidentally ended up with a mankini running through Belfast,
02:01didn't you, because of one of those?
02:02So metaphorically is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
02:04It is indeed.
02:05Well, the reality is we have to hand that trophy out very, very shortly.
02:09I'm watching it all, of course, making sure we do everything right.
02:13It's Susie Dent.
02:14And making sure we do it all with a smile on her face.
02:16It's Christopher Biggins.
02:17APPLAUSE
02:18So, Chris Kirby is our number one seed,
02:22our last octo-champ of this series.
02:24Harley had a chance to go home for a shower, and here he is.
02:2896-101 to get you in the final.
02:32Couple of little waivers,
02:34but I think you're just playing it with great spirit.
02:37Yeah, its motto throughout has just been enjoyment,
02:40so, yeah, today's just all about enjoyment.
02:42Fiona's a great player as well, so, yeah.
02:46Que sera.
02:46Exactly.
02:48Yeah.
02:48OK, Fiona Wood is here.
02:51You outscored, significantly outscored, Chris Kirby over the quarterfinal and semifinal,
02:57but you find yourself in a place that you haven't been in so long, the challenger's chair.
03:03Do you feel like the underdog?
03:04I feel like I've got nothing to lose now, having got to the final, so I'm hoping to just enjoy it.
03:09Well, I'd like to thank you both, because I don't care who wins today, because my only wish on the first episode of Series 90 is that we had a winner who was born in the 20th century.
03:20It's been quite some time, so either way, I'll be definitely happy. Best of luck to Fiona and Chris.
03:25APPLAUSE
03:26OK, the grip. Let's get a grip in this first round. Your letters.
03:31Hi, Rachel.
03:32Hi, the grip.
03:33Can I start with a consonant, please?
03:34Good luck, both of you. Start the final with G.
03:37And a vowel.
03:38E.
03:40A consonant.
03:41W.
03:43Vowel.
03:44Vowel.
03:45I.
03:46A consonant.
03:47R.
03:48A vowel.
03:49A.
03:50A consonant.
03:51B.
03:52Another consonant.
03:53P.
03:54And a final consonant, please.
03:56Final S.
03:57At home and in the studio for the last time in 2024, let's play Countdown.
04:11Great.
04:12Have a great day.
04:14Good night.
04:15Come on.
04:16Thanks, everyone.
04:17Have a great day.
04:18See you next time.
04:20Bye.
04:21Bye.
04:22Bye.
04:24Bye.
04:25Bye.
04:26Bye.
04:27Bye.
04:28Bye.
04:29Bye.
04:30Bye.
04:31Bye.
04:32Bye.
04:33Bye.
04:34Bye.
04:35Bye.
04:36Bye.
04:37Bye.
04:38Bye.
04:39Bye.
04:40Bye.
04:41Time's up. Chris. Seven. Fiona. Seven. Here we go. Chris. Earwigs. Earwigs. And Fiona. Waspier.
04:50There you go. A creature start to the day. We've got waspier and we've got earwigs.
04:56So, right from the off, I'm afraid I have to disallow waspier. So, it comes from the acronym WASP,
05:02upper or middle class American, and it keeps that capital for the adjective. Yeah, I'm so sorry.
05:09I genuinely thought you were about to rule out earwig for a hyphen or something strange.
05:14No, no. So, I'm earwigging in. What have you got to say? Chris, anything else?
05:18Well, I'm earwigging in as well. That's it? That's it, I'm afraid.
05:21That was ours. And just to say waspish, I think, is the usual adjective for like a wasp.
05:26All right, Fiona, here we go. Your letters.
05:29Afternoon, Rachel. Afternoon, Fiona. I'll start with a consonant, please.
05:33Thank you. Start with G. And another.
05:36N. And another.
05:39T. And a vowel.
05:45E. And another.
05:48I. And another.
05:51A. And a consonant.
05:56P. And a final consonant, please.
05:59And a final S.
06:01And 30 seconds.
06:02P. And a consonant.
06:03P. And a consonant.
06:04P. And a consonant.
06:04P. And a consonant.
06:05P. And a consonant.
06:05P. And a consonant.
06:05P. And a consonant.
06:06P. And a consonant.
06:06P. And a consonant.
06:07P. And a consonant.
06:07P. And a consonant.
06:08P. And a consonant.
06:08P. And a consonant.
06:09P. And a consonant.
06:09P. And a consonant.
06:09P. And a consonant.
06:10P. And a consonant.
06:11P. And a consonant.
06:11P. And a consonant.
06:12P. And a consonant.
06:13P. And a consonant.
06:13P. And a consonant.
06:14P. And a consonant.
06:15P. And a consonant.
06:16P. And a consonant.
06:17P. And a consonant.
06:17P. And a consonant.
06:18MUSIC PLAYS
06:33Fiona?
06:34Seven.
06:35Seven. Chris?
06:37Seven.
06:37OK, Fiona, let this one be in.
06:39Pisting.
06:40Pisting, we know what it is.
06:42And Chris?
06:43Sapient.
06:44Sapient.
06:45Very wise, that's what that means.
06:47Very good indeed.
06:48There you go.
06:49After that shock of the first round,
06:52normal service resumed.
06:53Two sevens.
06:55And with these two minds,
06:56you'll be doing brilliant if you can get beyond it.
06:58I've got another ing word, which is jesting.
07:00Yeah.
07:00Yeah, very suitable.
07:02Yeah.
07:02And that was it for us.
07:04OK.
07:05First numbers round of the day.
07:07Chris usually plays it safe.
07:09Will he change that in the final?
07:11Six more, please.
07:11Six more, yes!
07:12We've broken him.
07:14I've broken him.
07:15You're not happy, I am.
07:16Here we go.
07:16This is what a final's about.
07:18Six little ones.
07:20Right, let's find you something to test you.
07:22They are five, eight, two, five, one, and six.
07:29And you need to make with them 292.
07:32Number's up.
07:34One, two, three, four, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five, five
08:04292. Chris?
08:06292, not written down.
08:07And for you, Fiona? 292. Off you go, Chris.
08:10Six times five times five times two.
08:1230 times ten, 300.
08:15Minus eight. Well done, 292.
08:17Fiona? The same.
08:18Going round the houses. Yeah.
08:20Well done.
08:23The Tea Times teaser is Got Store. Got Store.
08:27They've got two of these at the toy store this Christmas.
08:30They've got two of these at the toy store this Christmas.
08:34Welcome back, everybody. Nice festive Tea Time teaser.
08:52They've got two of these at the toy store this Christmas.
08:55Must be a big toy store. Grotto's. Grotto's is the answer.
08:59Right. Let's get back to it. Fiona, here we go. Your letters.
09:02Consonant, please. Thank you, Fiona. T.
09:05And another. M.
09:08And a vowel, please. E.
09:11And another. U.
09:13And another. I.
09:16And a consonant. G.
09:19And another. C.
09:22Another consonant. X.
09:25And a final consonant, please. A final T.
09:29And here we go.
09:31We are.
09:32The Zero.
09:35The Ñ–Ù….
09:41Yeah.
09:42They're probably not.
09:44They're hard to recognize it.
09:45But we don't remember it.
09:46I was, with regard to it.
09:47Theistan must conclude in theizeding passage.
09:48What?
09:49Do this thing?
09:50Hello.
09:51Yeah.
09:52It's good.
09:53Some.
09:54You should mean it.
09:55Mallory.
09:56MUSIC CONTINUES
10:02Time is up, Fiona. Five.
10:05And for you, Chris? Try a six.
10:06I'm going to try a six. Fiona, the five? Cutie.
10:09And the six? Cutie.
10:11Cutie, with two T's in the IE.
10:14No, so you could have Cutie with a Y, short or shortened,
10:18a Cutie Sark, as in that meaning,
10:21but it's not there with an IE, I'm afraid.
10:23So Cutie gets the point.
10:26You were trying to be too cute, Chris.
10:28So were there any sixes or dare I even say above that?
10:31Not that we can say. No, I mean, we're both cutie, aren't we, over here?
10:35Chris, back to you then. There's just two points in it.
10:38Consonant, please. Thank you, Chris.
10:41L. And a vowel.
10:43U. Consonant.
10:45D. A vowel.
10:48A. Consonant.
10:51R. A vowel.
10:53I. Consonant.
10:56S.
10:57S.
10:57A vowel.
11:00O.
11:03And a final vowel, please.
11:08A final A.
11:09Half a minute.
11:10E.
11:13E.
11:13A vowel.
11:21So...
11:23MUSIC CONTINUES
11:53Not connected, somehow sound like they are.
11:56I know.
11:57Just two very sensual words, a famous like that.
12:00Yes. We can add one more seven to the list.
12:02Pseudaria, plural of pseudarium,
12:05which is a cloth supposedly impressed with an image of Christ.
12:08Right, two points in it. Back to the numbers.
12:11Fiona Wood, you're choosing.
12:12Will you be throwing caution to the wind like Kirby?
12:15I'll have three large and three small, please.
12:17That's all I'm talking about.
12:18You've got to earn this trophy.
12:20Three large, three little this time.
12:22And they are six, three, three, 25, 50 and 75.
12:29And the target, 202.
12:32202. Numbers up.
12:34MUSIC CONTINUES
12:46They didn't even blink. They did not even a blink. Fiona?
13:07202. Yeah. And for you, Chris?
13:09202.
13:09Off you go, Fiona.
13:11D times 75 is 225.
13:13Yep.
13:14Minus 25 is 200.
13:17And six over three is a two and add it on.
13:19Nothing taxing about that. Well done.
13:21And Chris?
13:22Yeah, got the same way.
13:23Nice.
13:24APPLAUSE
13:25Right. Let's get over to the dictionary corner,
13:28because as if things could get any more exciting,
13:30Biggins promised us a Cilla Black story today.
13:33Well, I had the great honour of working with Cilla Black,
13:37and it was fantastic.
13:39We did a show called Surprise, Surprise.
13:42And it was...
13:44The first six episodes we did were live,
13:46and live television is the best television ever.
13:51And it was very exciting,
13:52and I think it was about episode three,
13:54we decided...
13:56Well, rather, we had a couple come in.
13:59Cilla was on one sofa next to the man,
14:02and I was on the other sofa next to the woman.
14:04And this man wanted to marry this woman
14:09and wanted to propose to her live on television.
14:13Yeah.
14:13So this man came over and knelt towards me and his girlfriend,
14:19and he said,
14:21Will you marry me?
14:22And she went,
14:23No.
14:24No.
14:24And I...
14:26I can remember now, vividly,
14:28I said,
14:29Oh, go on.
14:31And so that was a natural thing to do, you know.
14:34I mean, but...
14:34And then Cilla then sort of panicked and said,
14:38No, no, no, you must say yes.
14:40I mean, we were in a predicament,
14:41because this was supposed to go on for, you know,
14:44at least ten minutes.
14:45Yeah.
14:46And it was all over.
14:47Oh, no.
14:47And so she walked off, the woman,
14:50and the man followed her.
14:52Well, no, he went the other way, funny enough.
14:53Didn't follow her.
14:55And we were left to chat to ourselves about some inane subject.
15:00But that was what was the wonderful thing about live television,
15:03and also working with someone like Cilla Black,
15:05who was a legend.
15:07And she'd just come out of retirement to do that series,
15:10because she brought up three wonderful boys.
15:12And it was a joy,
15:14and we had such a good time.
15:17That's the exciting thing about live television.
15:19Have you thought about doing this show live?
15:21It's live every day.
15:24I don't know what you're talking about.
15:27Love it, Biggins.
15:28Thank you very much.
15:30APPLAUSE
15:31If we did the show live with Biggins here,
15:34you'd miss the Channel 4 News.
15:37Let's get back to it.
15:3841-39.
15:39In our series 90 final,
15:42Chris Kirby are number one seed,
15:44Fiona Wood are number two seed.
15:46It's as close as you would imagine.
15:48And Chris, you're choosing these letters.
15:49Can I have a consonant, please?
15:50Thank you, Chris.
15:52R.
15:52And a vowel.
15:53And a final vowel, please.
16:16Final E.
16:18May we go again?
16:23MUSIC PLAYS
16:50Chris.
16:508.
16:51Fiona.
16:527.
16:52The 7 is...
16:54Promote.
16:54And they get a 10-point lead.
16:56Promote-y.
16:57Oh!
16:58Oh, it's not there.
16:59Oh, my goodness.
17:00Oh, Chris.
17:01No, not in, I'm afraid.
17:03How do we get on, Christopher and Susie?
17:05Well, I say, Fiona, that was it, I think, wasn't it?
17:08We had promote, also permute,
17:09which is to submit to change,
17:11but still 7.
17:12Wow.
17:13What a moment.
17:14What a moment.
17:15One for the highlights reel.
17:16More to come, Fiona.
17:18Consonant, please.
17:19Thank you, Fiona.
17:20R.
17:20And another.
17:22And another.
17:22T.
17:23And another.
17:24And another.
17:25N.
17:27And another.
17:28G.
17:30And a vowel.
17:31O.
17:33And another.
17:34I.
17:35And another.
17:37E.
17:39And a consonant.
17:41V.
17:43And a final vowel, please.
17:46A final.
17:48U.
17:49And start that clock.
17:50And then, yeah.
18:02Bye-bye.
18:03Bye-bye.
18:12Bye-bye.
18:14Fiona, how many?
18:22Seven.
18:23Chris?
18:24Eight.
18:25And an eight.
18:26Fiona?
18:27Vertigo.
18:27What have you spotted?
18:28Routing, with the E.
18:30Absolutely.
18:31Yes, that is in.
18:32Well done.
18:32Fantastic.
18:35And you would imagine, then, that is all she wrote for an eye?
18:38Definitely was.
18:39Good.
18:39Excellent.
18:40So the lead switches hands again.
18:42It's exactly the final we dreamt about when we went to bed last night.
18:46Certainly I did.
18:47Three points in it the other way.
18:48Now, come on.
18:49Can we just play 30 rounds instead of 15?
18:51This is great.
18:52Chris, your numbers.
18:54Let's mix it up four yards, please.
18:56Come on.
18:57This is brilliant.
18:58This is what I dreamed of.
18:59This is the final I really wanted.
19:01And the two little ones this time.
19:03One and nine in the big ones.
19:0625, 75, 100 and 50.
19:10And the target, 345.
19:133, 4, 5.
19:14Numbers up.
19:343, 4, 5, Chris.
19:473, 4, 6.
19:48One away, Fiona.
19:493, 4, 6.
19:52Every time there's a little window.
19:54Chris.
19:5575 minus 1.
19:5775 minus 1, 74.
19:59Times 100 over 25.
20:00Times 100 over 25 for 4 and 296.
20:06Add 50.
20:07Oh, you are going to kick yourself.
20:09OK, and to Fiona.
20:109 times 50 is 450.
20:139 times 50, 450.
20:16Take away the 100.
20:18350.
20:19Take away the 1 and then 75 over 25 is 3 and take that away.
20:24Yeah, I mean, you can't separate you two on the maths.
20:27Well, I think you're about to do the kicking, Rachel.
20:29Off you go.
20:30Well, just manipulating Chris's method.
20:3375 plus 1, 76.
20:37100 divided by 25 is 4.
20:41Times those together for 304.
20:43And then you can add the 50 and take the 9.
20:473, 4, 5.
20:48Brilliant.
20:50Our last tea time teaser of this entire year is Urge Toil.
20:56Urge Toil.
20:57A three-way discussion about tasting the Christmas chocolate cake.
21:01A three-way discussion about tasting the Christmas chocolate cake.
21:05A three-way discussion about tasting the Christmas chocolate cake.
21:25A try-log.
21:25A try-log.
21:27Well, listen, the cherry in the cake would be that trophy for either our number one seed or number two seed.
21:33And we're still none the wiser as to who's going to have their cake and eat it.
21:36Chris Kirby and Fiona Wood.
21:38Just three points in it.
21:40Six rounds to go.
21:41Deep breath, everyone.
21:42Fiona, your letters.
21:43Consonant, please.
21:45Thank you, Fiona.
21:46D.
21:47And another.
21:49C.
21:50And another.
21:51H.
21:53And a vowel.
21:54O.
21:55And another.
21:57E.
21:58And another.
22:00O.
22:01And a consonant.
22:03L.
22:04And another consonant.
22:06R.
22:07And a final consonant, please.
22:10A final C.
22:11Good luck.
22:12Good luck.
22:42Fiona, how many?
22:45Six.
22:46And Chris?
22:46Six.
22:47Fiona?
22:47Cooler.
22:48Ah, Chris.
22:49Cooled.
22:51Well, we always say these two are, obviously, don't sweat at all.
22:55And under this pressure, my hands are clamming.
22:57Cooler.
22:58Cooled.
22:59Not surprised.
23:00Christopher?
23:01Well, I've got drool.
23:03Yeah.
23:04And I am.
23:08Collar, is there?
23:09C-H-O-L-E-R.
23:10One of the four bodily humours.
23:12Yellow bile, but still six.
23:14All right, Chris, your letters.
23:16Start with a consonant, please.
23:17Thank you, Chris.
23:18S.
23:19And a vowel.
23:21I.
23:22A consonant.
23:23Q.
23:24A vowel.
23:25E.
23:26A consonant.
23:27D.
23:28A vowel.
23:29A.
23:30A consonant.
23:31S.
23:32A vowel.
23:33A vowel.
23:36E.
23:38And a final vowel, please.
23:42Final I.
23:44And let's play.
23:44A vowel.
23:46A vowel.
23:47A vowel.
24:04F vocabulary.
24:05A vowel.
24:05A vowel.
24:06A vowel.
24:07THEY CONFER
24:15Chris Kirby? Seven.
24:17Fiona Wood? Seven. Yes. Chris?
24:19Disease? Yes. Disease. Right.
24:22Seaside's a bit nicer. I was going to say, do you know how many beautiful
24:26seven-letter words are in there and both of you give us disease on a day like today?
24:30Film them in, Chris. Oh, seaside? Yes.
24:33You know, lovely world. We'd all like to go there, wouldn't we?
24:36Absolutely. What about daisies?
24:38Come in, I have some daisies.
24:40LAUGHTER
24:41Goodness me, disease.
24:44LAUGHTER
24:45Right. As you were, four rounds to go, it's still perfectly poised.
24:50The entire series kick them down to a crucial countdown conundrum.
24:54But let's get our final origins of words of 2024.
24:58Well, I'm going to talk about a word which means the most perfect
25:02or wonderful example of a particular quality,
25:06which I think applies to both our contestants.
25:10They are the quintessence of Countdown.
25:12And the reason I'm talking about this was an email from Adam Kite.
25:15He's always been curious about it.
25:17What does quintessential and quintessence really mean?
25:20And is there any link to the number five?
25:22So hopefully I've given you the meaning, the most typical, perfect example.
25:27But it goes all the way back to the ancient world when philosophers and scientists believed
25:31that the world we inhabit was entirely made up of four elements,
25:36so earth, air, fire and water.
25:39But it was Aristotle who added a fifth element, the ether,
25:44which he spelt A-E-T-H-E-R.
25:47And he used this to describe the material that kind of fills the rest of space.
25:52And it goes back to the Greek for upper air because he believes that it occupied space beyond the sphere of the moon.
26:00It encompassed the stars and the planets that were all full of this sort of wonderful, invisible light or fire.
26:07And in the Middle Ages, it was referred to as the quintessentia, the fifth element.
26:12And it isn't surprising, I suppose, that it came to stand anything so perfect
26:17because it was thought to surpass the limitations of us, of humanity and of the earth.
26:23And today we do use it a bit more loosely, that is the quintessential quality or whatever,
26:28to represent the best of its kind.
26:30But I like to think that it has kept that element of perfection
26:34as something that is so far removed, because it is the distillation of everything that we should strive for.
26:41And I think that's what this final is all about.
26:42Brilliant.
26:45Well, this is the quintessential countdown classic, not just because it's the final,
26:49but it's sixes, it's sevens, it's eights, it's four large, it's three large, it's six small,
26:54and we've been going all around the houses and we can't separate our two contestants.
26:58That's when the show is at its best.
27:01Still everybody smiles and we get more letters from Fiona.
27:04Consonant, please.
27:06Thank you, Fiona.
27:07R.
27:08And another.
27:09L.
27:11And another.
27:12N.
27:14And a vowel.
27:15A.
27:16And another.
27:17E.
27:19And another.
27:20O.
27:21And a consonant.
27:23S.
27:25Another consonant.
27:27R.
27:29And a final consonant, please.
27:31Final N.
27:32See you next time.
27:32Good night.
27:331
27:34Tony Lundberg
28:05Seven.
28:06Chris.
28:07Seven.
28:08Fiona.
28:09Loners.
28:10Chris.
28:11Yep, same again.
28:12Excellent.
28:13OK, a very common count-down word, but seeing it under pressure is key.
28:17Susie and Chris, under this pressure, did they miss anything?
28:21No, not that we could see.
28:23We have a beautiful seven, Lanners, and they are falcons,
28:27with dark brown buff caps found in south-east Europe.
28:32That gap remains too close to call, with three rounds to go.
28:37Last letters.
28:38Chris.
28:39A consonant, please.
28:40Thank you, Chris.
28:41P.
28:42And a vowel.
28:43O.
28:44A consonant.
28:45H.
28:46A vowel.
28:47I.
28:48A consonant.
28:49F.
28:50A vowel.
28:51A.
28:52A consonant.
28:53T.
28:54T.
28:55A vowel.
28:56O.
28:57And a final vowel, please.
29:00A final E.
29:01Last letters.
29:02And a final vowel, please.
29:04A final E.
29:06Last letters.
29:07B toilet.
29:08BAsstock.
29:09Fatless.
29:10Candidate.
29:11Fartless.
29:12Will rinse the south.
29:13It may then have sky.
29:14Potts impact the south.
29:15An off Marian.
29:16The presidente, all isид off a
29:36Time's up, Chris.
29:39Six.
29:40For you, Fiona.
29:41Six.
29:42Chris.
29:42Opiates.
29:43Shh, Fiona.
29:44Same.
29:45Oh.
29:46Yeah.
29:46Not only can we not move the dial here, they keep getting the same word now.
29:50Right, last numbers round.
29:52Will it be a crucial countdown conundrum to decide the title?
29:56One round at a time.
29:57We're more nervous than Fiona.
29:59And Chris, let's be honest, let's do it.
30:01Last numbers, Fiona.
30:02Three large and three small again, please.
30:04Taking it into your own hands, I like this.
30:07Three large, three small.
30:08Could be a crucial, could be game over.
30:10Let's see.
30:11Final numbers of this final.
30:12Six, three, four.
30:15And the large three, 75, 125.
30:19Come on, Button.
30:20Do us good.
30:22834.
30:23Eight, three, four last numbers.
30:34Eight, three, four.
30:57Fiona.
30:58836, I think.
30:59Missed it by two, Chris.
31:00832.
31:01Two the other way!
31:05Fiona, off you go.
31:07Six plus three is nine.
31:09Six plus three, nine.
31:12100 plus four is 104.
31:14Yeah.
31:15Multiply together is 936.
31:19And take away the 75 and the 25.
31:21Well done.
31:23Chris.
31:23100 plus 25.
31:25Yep, 125.
31:26Times six.
31:28Times six, 750.
31:30Plus 75.
31:31825.
31:32And plus four, plus three.
31:34And two the other way.
31:36Wow, what a final.
31:37Wow.
31:38834.
31:39Rachel.
31:41You're going to have to come back to me.
31:42It was a tricky one.
31:43All right.
31:44Let's keep this very, very simple.
31:46Because if we're being honest, it's felt destined to end like this.
31:53But who's destined to take home the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy?
31:59Chris Kirby, put your finger on the buzzer.
32:01Fiona Wood, put your finger on the buzzer.
32:04This is Series 90.
32:06And this is the crucial countdown conundrum.
32:11Fiona for the title.
32:31Lassitude.
32:32Let's have a look.
32:34It is.
32:35Oh, wow.
32:41Wow, wow.
32:44Well, first of all, let's do everything in the right order.
32:47Chris Kirby, not just sensational on camera, but off it, an absolute delight.
32:53The grip has been sensational.
32:55Series runner-up, Chris Kirby.
32:56Yay!
32:59Ladies and gentlemen, our first female countdown champion since 1998,
33:05Fiona Wood!
33:06CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
33:08And by the magic of television, here we are.
33:14And Christopher Biggins, for decades, knows all about the magic of television.
33:18And it feels like we just had an all-time magic moment.
33:21Well, it was...
33:22The whole finale was magical, absolutely magical.
33:25And I can't believe that, alas, won it with Lassitude.
33:29And that's, listen, the big question.
33:32I want to say what's on everyone's lips at home.
33:34What the heck's Lassitude?
33:35It means weariness, but not any more.
33:37I don't know, but you are ready to sleep for a week here.
33:40Can't wait for Christmas Day.
33:41So Lassitude maybe needs a new meaning now.
33:43I think it does.
33:44I think Fiona's given it a new meaning for all of us.
33:47Absolutely.
33:47And I think Chris said it beautifully, didn't he,
33:49about just to be involved in this moment.
33:5226 years, Fiona, since a female champion, you know?
33:56That's unbelievable.
33:57That's literally half a countdown life ago.
34:00How are you feeling right now about what just transpired?
34:03I just can't believe it.
34:04I'm not known for being decisive,
34:06and I thought long and hard before I decided to apply,
34:09and I'm just so glad that I did.
34:11I mean, we gave you your nickname, The Driver,
34:12because you were number one wood.
34:14And you certainly earned that nickname.
34:16This is the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy,
34:18and your name is going to go on it.
34:19So I'm so pleased to be giving this to you.
34:21Well done, Fiona.
34:26Series 91, January the 6th.
34:29You know you can count on us to be here from everyone at Countdown.
34:32And Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
34:35You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com.
34:40You can also find our webpage at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:46We'll see you next time.
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