Top News

A man who featured on Countdown has lifted the lid on a behind-the-scenes secret.

The popular Channel 4 quiz show has proved a favourite with viewers since it first broadcast back in 1982. The programme is currently presented by Colin Murray, who assumed the role in 2022 and was confirmed on a permanent basis in January 2023.

Meanwhile, Rachel Riley serves as the letters and numbers assistant, while Susie Dent occupies the dictionary corner. The show pits two contestants against each other across 15 rounds to claim the title of daily Countdown champion. It tests contestants on their arithmetic and vocabulary skills under the pressure of a 30-second timer.

Ian Kinsella previously took part in the Channel 4 hit game show and has now disclosed the one thing audiences don't witness on television, reports The Mirror.

The former contestant revealed that they are compelled to re-record their answer using a different word if they accidentally produce an offensive term, despite it being correct.

Speaking to Smooth Spins, he explained: "If an offensive word is declared and it's in the dictionary, the player will get the points for that. But what they'll do is Susie (Dent) might give you another word and they'll record you saying that instead."

He added: "It happened in one round where the player I was playing against declared a word which was bad language. The host Colin said that he was one hundred per cent right, and it was a valid word, but we tried to find another word in the tiles."

During his stint on the programme, Ian managed to secure eight victories, though he revealed that interaction with his opponents prior to filming was fairly limited.

He said: "All of the players are told to arrive before the actual game they're going to be playing, so there's an overlap with opponents.

"The green room they were using at the time when I was recording was really small, so in terms of meeting the player you're playing against, it's kind of unavoidable. There is a bit of chat and a bit of banter."

The contestant went on to say: "I won all my eight games, so there were some players that I'd met, and they had seen the game, so they knew they were going to be playing against me. You kind of sense a bit of trepidation in them, like 'Oh wow, he's well able to play.'"

Ian also recalled the moment he first encountered Susie and Rachel, describing it as "interesting". He said: "I remember when I sat down and got the microphone on me, Susie (Dent) arrived.

"And then Rachel (Riley) came after. She came down texting on her phone with her two shoes in her hand. That was interesting."

You can catch up on Countdown on Channel 4