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00:00This programme contains strong language and adult humour.
00:05APPLAUSE
00:31Good afternoon and welcome to the Countdown studio.
00:34Now, it's a great thing to be able to speak a second language.
00:37Of course, many people speak lots of languages,
00:39none more, I think, than my friend Tommy Baccarat.
00:42And, Rachel, I travel around sometimes with my mate Tommy,
00:45who was born in Buenos Aires but then lived in Holland for many years,
00:49now lives in Sweden.
00:51But if you're in a car and he imports vegetables from Spain,
00:56he just darts from one language to the other.
00:59It's an extraordinary facility.
01:01So I was intrigued to read an article, I'll read you some stats from this,
01:05about Nigel.
01:07Now, Nigel lived in Southern California
01:10and he spoke English with a very British accent.
01:12Right.
01:13But one day he disappeared.
01:15Boom. He was gone.
01:17And he returned four years later speaking perfect Spanish.
01:22It's a lovely story.
01:24Now, you might think that that's sort of unusual,
01:27because Nigel was an African grey parrot.
01:30It's a true story, apparently, according to this.
01:33He was a pet of a Brit and was only returned home to the Brit
01:36when a vet managed to track down one of those little, you know,
01:40little transistors or whatever they are.
01:42The chips.
01:43The chip. The chip, exactly.
01:45So there we are.
01:46So he'd been off somewhere for four years learning Spanish
01:49and apparently when he returned to his owner, the Brit,
01:52he said, I'm quoting from this article, he said,
01:55what happened in Spanish?
01:57Wow. Did he have a South American accent?
01:59No, well, he had a perfect Spanish accent, of course.
02:02Oh, OK. So he must have travelled a long way.
02:05Brilliant, isn't it?
02:06I love African greys. They're so clever, aren't they?
02:09My godmother, when I was little, they used to have an African grey.
02:12Tanya and Cyril.
02:13And when Tanya died, the parrot was called Billy.
02:16It was a boy called Billy.
02:17And when she died, it was so upset it laid an egg
02:20and it turned out that Billy was a girl.
02:22That's the only way they knew.
02:24Extraordinary.
02:25Yeah, lovely parrot, though.
02:26They live a long time, right?
02:27Yeah, I think at least 40 years, I think.
02:29How old was Billy?
02:30I'm not sure.
02:31Billy only went in the last couple of years, I think.
02:33Oh, right.
02:34But, yeah, he, she was around for a long time.
02:37They can give you a bit of a nip.
02:39Anyway, that was our friend Nigel, the African grey.
02:43Now then, Duncan McGregor, back with us again.
02:46Well done.
02:47From Stirling, train station assistant,
02:51scored 98 points in your first and only countdown game,
02:55but it wasn't enough to beat the 71 finalist, Tricia Pay.
02:59So you're here again. Good luck.
03:02I'd love to give you a teapot.
03:04And you're joined by Michael McDowell,
03:06computer programmer from Westcliff-on-Sea,
03:09won four games in Series 71,
03:11beginning with a triumph over Series finalist Paul Worsley,
03:14and went on to amass 397 points.
03:18Pleased to be back?
03:20Very pleased.
03:21You sound it. Excellent.
03:23Let's have a big round of applause for Michael McDowell and Duncan McGregor.
03:32And in the studio, of course,
03:35our beloved Susie Dent, joined by Arlene Phillips,
03:39choreographer, director, TV presenter, judge and all-round good sport.
03:43Welcome back.
03:45Welcome back.
03:46Now, let's get down to business, Duncan.
03:48Good luck.
03:49Letters.
03:50Hiya, Rachel.
03:51Hi, Duncan.
03:52Consonant, please.
03:53Thank you. Start today with S.
03:56And another one.
03:58N.
03:59And another.
04:01V.
04:03A vowel, please.
04:05E.
04:06Another vowel.
04:08O.
04:09A vowel.
04:11E.
04:13A consonant, please.
04:15R.
04:17Another consonant.
04:19P.
04:21And a final vowel, please.
04:23And a final A.
04:25And here's the Countdown Clock.
04:46CLOCK TICKS
04:58Yes, Duncan?
05:00Seven.
05:01A seven. How about Michael?
05:02Six.
05:03A six. Yes.
05:04Prince.
05:06And Duncan?
05:07Persona.
05:08Persona.
05:09Very good.
05:10Happy enough?
05:11Very happy.
05:12What else has the corner got? Arlene, Susie?
05:14I've got Openers.
05:16Yes.
05:17Seven.
05:18And Susie?
05:19Well, you can put the E at the end of Persona and have Personae.
05:22Oh, more than one.
05:23Yes, so that would take you up to eight.
05:25Mm. All right.
05:27Nonetheless, Duncan takes an early lead
05:29and we turn now to Michael for a letters game.
05:32I'll start with a consonant, please, Rachel.
05:34Thank you, Michael.
05:35G.
05:36And another.
05:38Y.
05:39A vowel.
05:41U.
05:43A vowel.
05:45A.
05:46Consonant.
05:48G.
05:50Consonant.
05:52R.
05:54And another.
05:56H.
05:59Consonant.
06:01N.
06:03And a vowel.
06:04And the last one.
06:06O.
06:07Countdown.
06:09MUSIC PLAYS
06:11MUSIC CONTINUES
06:38Yes, Michael?
06:40Just a five.
06:41A five.
06:42Duncan?
06:43I'll try a six.
06:45So, Michael?
06:46Raggy.
06:47Yep.
06:48Duncan?
06:49Grungy.
06:51Erm...
06:53Let's have a look. Raggy's absolutely fine.
06:56Erm... Excellent, yeah.
06:58It's spelt either with the EY at the end or just the Y.
07:01It can be grungy, dirty, grimy
07:04or perhaps a supporter of grunge music.
07:06Either way, it's in the dictionary.
07:08Grungy, well done.
07:09Good start there, Duncan.
07:10Now, in the corner.
07:12Susie and Arlene.
07:14Erm, six for hungry.
07:16Yes.
07:17Otherwise, just guano, which is, erm...
07:21stuff left by birds but used as a fertiliser.
07:23Droppings.
07:24Yes, OK, stuff left is a really bad definition, but, yes, droppings.
07:28Guano. Full of nutrients, apparently.
07:30Full of nutrients.
07:31So, Duncan, your first numbers game.
07:33Yep. One from the top, please, Rachel, and any other five.
07:36Thank you, Duncan. One large one.
07:38Five little ones coming up, and for the first time today,
07:41the little ones are four, one, nine,
07:45eight and seven, and the big one, 50.
07:49And the target, 209.
07:51209.
08:08MUSIC
08:24Duncan.
08:25209.
08:26Yes, Michael.
08:27209, no surprises.
08:29Yes, Duncan.
08:3050 times four plus nine.
08:32Yep, nice and easy.
08:33And Michael.
08:34Amazingly, it's the same.
08:35There we go.
08:36All right, let's pass swiftly on from that one, then,
08:39to a teatime teaser, which is Free Bits,
08:42and the clue,
08:43the cheese celebration certainly wasn't the longest.
08:46The cheese celebration certainly wasn't the longest.
08:58APPLAUSE
09:01MUSIC
09:04Welcome back.
09:05I left with the clue,
09:06the cheese celebration certainly wasn't the longest.
09:09In fact, it was the briefest.
09:11The briefest.
09:13Ooh.
09:1423 plays Michael's ten.
09:16Michael, you're back on with the letters game.
09:18A consonant, please.
09:19Thank you, Michael.
09:21L
09:22And another.
09:24N
09:25And a third.
09:27G
09:29And a vowel.
09:31I
09:32Consonant.
09:35C
09:37Another consonant.
09:39S
09:41Vowel.
09:43U
09:45And a consonant.
09:48T
09:49And a final vowel.
09:51And a final E.
09:54And bye.
09:59MUSIC
10:25Michael.
10:26Seven.
10:27Duncan.
10:29I'll try a seven.
10:31Michael.
10:32Singlet.
10:33A singlet and Duncan.
10:35Selting.
10:37S-E-L-T-I-N-G.
10:39S-E-L-T-I-N-G.
10:41Not there.
10:43Silting, salting, lots of things.
10:45Duncan, but not that one, sorry.
10:47And in the corner.
10:48Susie, Arlene.
10:49I got singlet.
10:51And sweet, but it's only five.
10:54And Susie.
10:55A couple more sevens.
10:56Utensil and ugliest.
10:58Utensil, it's a good one.
11:00All right, 23 plays Michael, 17.
11:03Duncan, you're back with a letters game.
11:05Consonant, please, Rachel.
11:06Thank you, Duncan.
11:07S
11:09And another one.
11:11P
11:12And another.
11:14V
11:16A vowel.
11:18I
11:20Another vowel.
11:22E
11:24The third one, please.
11:26A
11:28Consonant.
11:30G
11:32Consonant.
11:34R
11:36And a vowel, please.
11:37And the last one.
11:39E
11:41Duncan.
11:54E
12:14Duncan.
12:15Six.
12:16A six.
12:18Yes, Michael.
12:19Seven.
12:20Duncan.
12:21Givers.
12:23Gravies.
12:24Excellent.
12:25Well done.
12:26Very, very good.
12:27Leapt into a one-point lead there, Michael.
12:29Well done.
12:30Now then, Arlene and Susie.
12:32No, not for me, this one.
12:34No?
12:35I couldn't.
12:36No.
12:37What about Susie?
12:38A few sixescapers, vipers, gasper.
12:41Greaves is there for another seven.
12:44Thank you, Greaves.
12:46All right.
12:47So, Michael.
12:50One point ahead.
12:52And it's numbers for you.
12:54I'll have one large and five small, please, Rachel.
12:56You can, thank you, Michael.
12:58One from the top row and five more little ones.
13:01And this time the little ones are one, eight, two,
13:05another eight, five and the big one, 50 again.
13:10And the target, 372.
13:12372.
13:23MUSIC PLAYS
13:44Well, Michael?
13:46371.
13:47One away. Duncan?
13:49371, but I haven't written it down.
13:51Let's hear from you then, Duncan.
13:54Eight minus one is seven.
13:56Yep.
13:57Times 50.
13:58350.
13:59Eight times two is 16.
14:01The other eight, yep.
14:02Add that on and then add on the five.
14:04371, one away.
14:06Thank you, Michael.
14:0850 minus two.
14:0950 minus two, 48.
14:11Times eight.
14:12Times by eight is 384.
14:15Subtract five and eight.
14:17And then five and the other eight for 13
14:19and, yep, one away again.
14:21Well done, but 372 was the requirement.
14:24Rachel, how tricky is that?
14:26Yep, a few ways.
14:28We could have said 50 minus one is 49.
14:31Times by eight is 392.
14:34And then five times the other eight is 40.
14:37Divided by two is 20 to take off for 372.
14:40Yes. Thank you, Adam.
14:42APPLAUSE
14:43Well done.
14:46Always on the money there.
14:48Always on the money.
14:49Now let's turn to Arlene.
14:51Arlene, you've been friends for a long time
14:54with a chap that turned up here and sat in your seat
14:57and charmed us all.
14:58It was none other than David Emanuel.
15:00You've known him a long time, I think.
15:02A long, long time.
15:04He was absolutely the most charming man you could meet.
15:08And I think him and his then wife, Elizabeth Emanuel,
15:11as you know, they did the royal wedding dress.
15:14Everybody thought David was very fluffy.
15:16His public persona was very fluffy.
15:18But at home, where David and Elizabeth held wonderful parties
15:23with the jaggers there and just glorious parties,
15:27he was the most wonderful father to the two children,
15:32Oliver and Eloise, his daughter.
15:34Warm, loving, gentle, kind.
15:38But outside, his public persona was somewhat different.
15:42When I saw him on I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here,
15:46which he was runner-up for,
15:48you saw the man that I knew from his home,
15:53this warm, spreading warmth, fatherly, loving.
15:58And I just thought it was the loveliest thing
16:00because often a public persona is not what people really are.
16:06And for everyone to see David and his true warmth,
16:10I just thought was really touching.
16:14Nice man. I hope he comes back soon.
16:16And your point is well made.
16:18Don't just listen to other people.
16:20Judge for yourself when you meet them. Excellent stuff.
16:23Now then, Michael, one point ahead.
16:25Skinny lead on Duncan at 30.
16:28Where shall we go? Let's go to...
16:30Oh, Duncan, why not? Letters?
16:32Consonant, please, Rachel.
16:34Thank you, Duncan. C.
16:36And another one.
16:38And another.
16:40F.
16:42And a vowel, please.
16:44O.
16:46And a vowel.
16:48A.
16:50And a vowel.
16:52E.
16:54Consonant.
16:56S.
16:58Consonant.
17:00D.
17:04And a consonant.
17:06And my last one.
17:08S.
17:10And the clock starts now.
17:36Yes, Duncan?
17:38Five.
17:40A five. Michael?
17:42Six.
17:44And a six. Duncan?
17:46Faces.
17:48Thank you. Michael?
17:50Foamed.
17:52Yes, thank you. Foamed.
17:54Yes.
17:56Why not? Anything else, Arlene?
17:58Mine was foamed.
18:00And Susie?
18:02One more six would be masked, but it was a very tricky one, this one, Nick.
18:05All right. 32-Michaels-37.
18:07Michael's back with a letters game.
18:09Michael.
18:11A consonant, please, Rachel.
18:13Thank you, Michael. P.
18:15And another.
18:17S.
18:19A vowel.
18:21I.
18:23Another vowel.
18:25O.
18:27Consonant.
18:29L.
18:31Consonant.
18:33Vowel.
18:35E.
18:37Consonant.
18:39S.
18:43And a final vowel.
18:45And a final I.
18:47Stand by.
19:03MUSIC PLAYS
19:21Michael.
19:23Six.
19:25A six. Duncan?
19:27Six.
19:29Michael.
19:31Spoils. Now then, Arlene, Susie?
19:34Solves.
19:36Yes.
19:37There is a sort of linguistic eight there, Nick,
19:39which is plosives.
19:41P-L-O-S-I-V-E-S.
19:43And a plosive is a consonant that uses the lips, the teeth or the palate
19:47and makes sort of almost explosive sounds.
19:49So you've got T-K-P-B-D-G.
19:53Those are all plosive sounds.
19:55APPLAUSE
19:57Oh, interesting.
20:0036 to Michael's 43.
20:03Let's have a numbers game. Duncan.
20:05I'll try two big ones, a stain, Rachel, and then four small.
20:08Thank you, Duncan. Two from the top this time.
20:10Four little ones and for this round,
20:12the small ones are 4, 8, 2 and 3
20:17and the large ones, 100 and 75.
20:20And the target, 979.
20:22979.
20:24MUSIC PLAYS
20:30MUSIC CONTINUES
20:55Duncan.
20:57Well, four.
20:59Five away. Michael.
21:01979.
21:03979.
21:05Come on, then.
21:078 plus 3 minus 2...
21:09Is 9.
21:10..times 100.
21:11900.
21:12The 75 and the 4.
21:13979. Well done.
21:15Very nicely done, Michael.
21:17APPLAUSE
21:19Excellent. Very good.
21:2153 to 36 now.
21:23Very sweetly done.
21:25Let's have a tea time teaser, which is Enid Glenn
21:28and the clue, Enid and Glenn were always bugging each other.
21:32Enid and Glenn were always bugging each other.
21:36MUSIC PLAYS
21:43APPLAUSE
21:50Welcome back. I left with the clue,
21:52Enid and Glenn were always bugging each other.
21:55And the answer is, they were always needling.
21:58Needling each other.
22:00Needling.
22:0153 for Michael.
22:03Duncan on 36. Michael.
22:05Letters?
22:07I'll start with a vowel this time, please.
22:09Thank you, Michael. U.
22:10And another.
22:12A.
22:13Consonant.
22:15M.
22:17Another consonant.
22:19H.
22:20And a third.
22:21T.
22:23A vowel.
22:25I.
22:27Consonant.
22:29T.
22:31Consonant.
22:33R.
22:35And a vowel.
22:38And the last one, U.
22:40Stand by.
22:42MUSIC PLAYS
22:52MUSIC STOPS
23:13My word. Michael?
23:15Five.
23:16A five.
23:18Yes, Duncan?
23:19Five.
23:20And...
23:21It's the same one.
23:22That's your only one?
23:24Any more truths?
23:26I don't have that one.
23:28Atrium.
23:29Atrium. No, that's a good one.
23:31Yeah, very good. Six.
23:3258-41.
23:34Michael in the lead, Duncan's back. Letters game.
23:36Duncan?
23:37Consonant, please.
23:38Thank you, Duncan. L.
23:40And another.
23:42N.
23:43And another.
23:46R.
23:47A vowel, please.
23:49A.
23:50Another vowel.
23:52E.
23:53The third one.
23:55O.
23:56Consonant.
23:58T.
24:00Consonant.
24:02B.
24:07And a vowel, please.
24:09And the last one, E.
24:11Stand by.
24:13MUSIC PLAYS
24:19MUSIC CONTINUES
24:43Duncan?
24:44Seven.
24:45Seven. Michael?
24:46Seven.
24:47Duncan?
24:48Seven.
24:49And Michael, seven?
24:50Floater.
24:51Same again. Look at this.
24:53They're players, these two.
24:55Now, what has the corner got to offer?
24:57Baronet.
24:59A baronet.
25:00Really good.
25:01Racker.
25:02Very good. Susie?
25:03Notable is another seven, but there is an eight there,
25:06which is rentable.
25:07A rentable accommodation.
25:09Yeah.
25:10APPLAUSE
25:12A baronet. That's very good.
25:14That's terrific.
25:15Now, then, 65 to Duncan's 48.
25:20Now, Susie,
25:22what will you talk to us about today in your origins of words?
25:27I had an email from a very loyal Count D'Anvier
25:30who didn't want to be named, she's rather shy,
25:33but she, considering she was a she, asked where the word CD comes from.
25:37Usually it comes with motel, doesn't it?
25:40We normally talk about a CD motel
25:42and you get the picture of stained carpets,
25:45sort of worn curtains,
25:47and sort of reception desks, perhaps,
25:50full of bulletproof glass if you read detective novels.
25:53But the very last thing you think of is a vegetable,
25:56but that is, in fact, where it comes from,
25:58and I suppose that's quite obvious when you think about it.
26:01Vegetables run to seed if a farmer doesn't get to them in time,
26:04or harvests them in time.
26:06And so they're too full of seeds to be edible, in other words.
26:10They're useless, they're left to rot and decay,
26:13and that's where the sort of image of a dilapidated old motel came from.
26:17CD is, of course, worse than corny,
26:20and I think I've mentioned before that comes also from vegetables.
26:23It actually comes, a corny joke is the type of joke
26:26that was told in seed catalogues to farmers in sort of mid-19th century America.
26:32They'd sort of pepper the pages of these catalogues with really bad jokes
26:36to try and keep the farmers entertained.
26:38But going back to motel, that's a blend of hotel and motor, for motorcar.
26:45But hotel itself is related to hostel and also hospital.
26:49And you have to look back to the 1300s when a hotel or hostel
26:54was a house really intended for the reception of travellers.
26:59It took on the name of hospital, run by religious orders,
27:03and of course because they were so benevolent
27:05they would take in the sick and the needy
27:07and they would always charge for accommodation.
27:09And so that's how hospital came to mean sort of serving the needs of others,
27:13whether they were sick or not.
27:15But this sense of offering hospitality survives in names like the Greenwich Hospital,
27:21which was intended for retired mariners,
27:23and also the Royal Hospital in Chelsea,
27:25because that was intended, I think it was built in the time of Charles II,
27:28and it was intended for the care of war veterans.
27:31So that neutral sense of hospital survives there.
27:34But, yeah, I don't know whether you'd choose a hospital over a motel,
27:37but whichever, just don't choose a seedy one.
27:40Thank you very much. Well done, Susie.
27:46Brilliant as ever. 65 to Duncan's 48.
27:49Michael, you're back.
27:51Penultimate letters game.
27:54I'll start with any consonant this time.
27:56Thank you, Michael. J
27:58And another.
28:00S
28:02A third.
28:04C
28:05Vowel.
28:06A
28:07Another vowel.
28:09E
28:11Consonant.
28:13M
28:15Another consonant.
28:17T
28:19A vowel.
28:22I
28:25And a consonant.
28:27And the last one.
28:29X
28:30Vowel.
29:01Michael.
29:02Just five.
29:03And Duncan.
29:04Five.
29:05Michael.
29:06Times.
29:07Duncan.
29:08Steam.
29:09Steam.
29:11Nothing to squabble about.
29:13There is quite a long eight there, if you're lucky enough to find it,
29:16and it's majestic.
29:18Oh, very good. Majestic.
29:24A long eight, eh?
29:27Majestic. Very good.
29:2970 plays 53.
29:31Duncan on 53.
29:32Duncan, it's your letters game.
29:34Last one for today.
29:36Consonant, please, Rachel.
29:38Thank you, Duncan.
29:39L
29:40And a vowel.
29:42E
29:43Consonant.
29:45D
29:47And a vowel.
29:49O
29:51Consonant.
29:52W
29:54Consonant.
29:56T
29:59Vowel.
30:02E
30:05Consonant.
30:07R
30:10A final consonant, please.
30:12And a final D.
30:14Stand by.
30:28MUSIC PLAYS
30:46Duncan.
30:47Six.
30:48A six, Michael.
30:49Seven.
30:51And Duncan.
30:52Twelve.
30:53Thank you, Michael.
30:54Toddler.
30:55A toddler.
30:58Great.
30:59Now then, Arlene.
31:01I was toddler as well.
31:03Yep.
31:04That was it.
31:05All right. And Susie?
31:06One more seven, lowered.
31:08Lowered. Yeah, good.
31:10Toddler.
31:11Toddler.
31:12Michael on 77.
31:14Duncan, 53.
31:15As we go into the final numbers.
31:17Final numbers round from Michael.
31:19Your favourite, please, Rachel.
31:21One large, five small.
31:22Thank you, Michael.
31:23One large one, five little ones.
31:26Five little ones for the final time today.
31:29And these ones are three, five, six,
31:33another three and eight,
31:35and a large one, 100.
31:37And the target, 680.
31:39680.
31:41MUSIC PLAYS
31:57MUSIC STOPS
32:10Michael?
32:12I'll declare 680.
32:14680. Duncan?
32:16No, I'm not close enough.
32:17Nope.
32:18All right, Michael.
32:20Five times three.
32:22Yep, five times three, 15.
32:24Subtract it from the 100.
32:25100 minus 15 is 85.
32:27Multiply by it.
32:29Perfect. Fingers crossed.
32:31680.
32:32Very good.
32:33APPLAUSE
32:38That was very elegant.
32:40Very elegant indeed.
32:4187 plays 53 as we're in the final round.
32:45So, fingers on buzzers.
32:47Let's reveal today's Countdown Conundrum.
32:50MUSIC PLAYS
32:55MUSIC STOPS
33:16Michael?
33:17Psychotic.
33:19Let's see whether you're right.
33:21Psychotic.
33:23Well done.
33:25APPLAUSE
33:27Well done indeed.
33:29My word, that's tremendous.
33:3097 plays 53, just short of 100.
33:32Terrific stuff.
33:34No teapot for Duncan.
33:37Bad luck.
33:38But you get a goodie bag.
33:39You both get goodie bags.
33:41And you leave here with our blessing and goodwill.
33:43Great to see you both again.
33:45Excellent stuff.
33:46Good to see you, Susie, and Arlene, of course, as ever.
33:49Thank you so much for that lovely story about Mr Emmanuel.
33:53Yes.
33:54Lovely stuff.
33:56Thank you, Rachel.
33:57You're very welcome.
33:58And thank you for joining us here in the Countdown studio.
34:01Join us again next time.
34:02You'll be sure of it.
34:03Good afternoon.
34:04APPLAUSE
34:05You can contact the programme by email at countdown at channel4.com,
34:09by Twitter at c4countdown,
34:11or write to us at countdownleadsls31js.
34:15You can also find our web page at channel4.com forward slash countdown.
34:19APPLAUSE