Carol Vorderman resigned from Countdown.

COUNTDOWN is the very first programme to air on Channel 4

The show’s debut in the 80s also saw Carol Vorderman, a young maths genius, make a splash.

Richard Whiteley and Carol Vorderman on Countdown in the 80s

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Carol Vorderman and Richard Whiteley on Countdown to the 80sCredit: PA Press Association

Carol Vorderman resigned from Countdown.

Carol was just 20 years old when she joined Countdown’s first episode in 1982.

After her mother saw a newspaper advertisement looking for women with numerical skills, she arranged for her mother to make an audition for the show.

Despite her young age Carol bagged the job and appeared on Countdown with the late Richard Whiteley from 1982 until his death in June 2005.

Des Lynam and Des O’Connor later died. She continued on.

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Channel 4 announced on July 25, 2008 that Carol would be stepping down as Countdown’s host.

She later said she had resigned after failing to agree terms with Channel 4 for a new contract, and it was reported that she had been asked to take a cut of 90% from her previous salary, estimated as £900,000.

When Richard Whiteley, the original show’s host, died in 2005 she considered quitting but she stayed on until Des O’Connor retired.

When did Rachel Riley replace Carol Vorderman on Countdown?

Rachel Riley rose to fame when she replaced Carol on Countdown 2009

She is responsible for picking out the numbers and the answers to maths problems, just like her predecessor.

Rachel studied mathematics at Oriel College Oxford before starting her television career. After that, she worked as a statistical analyst on a website that compares prices.

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Who has hosted Countdown in the past?

There were seven Countdown hosts as of November 2022.

These are the most famous presenters who have been on the hot seat:

  • Richard Whitely – 1982 – 2005
  • Des Lynam- 2005-2006
  • Des O’Connor – 2007 – 2008
  • Jeff Stelling – 2009 – 2011
  • Nick Hewer – 2012-2021
  • Anne Robinson – 2021-2022
  • Colin Murray – from 2022 to the present

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