‘Countdown’ will remain on screens until at least the end of next year.
The popular game show, which sees contestants tackle tough word and number puzzles under a tight time schedule, doesn’t look like it’ll be leaving the small screen any time soon as Channel 4 boss Jay Hunt has called for more episodes per year.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, host Nick Hewer said: "The show is doing great. I don’t know about the opposition from other shows as scheduling is a mystery to me. All I know is that C4 want 260 shows a year which is more than last year so obviously they are happy. The show works like clockwork and they want more. The show is in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest running show."
‘Countdown’, which was originally hosted by Richard Whiteley with Carol Vorderman as his sidekick, first hit television screens when the network began in November 1982.
Since then, it’s screened more than 6,500 episodes and seen Richard replaced by Nick and his new sidekick Rachel Riley, who has proven a huge hit with male fans.
Asked if he’d ever take part in the competition, Nick said: "I would be terrible on the show. I used to be quite good on the letters but I am hopeless now. I am better on the numbers."
It looks like Channel 4’s decision to pump more money in ‘Countdown’ comes just months after it was reported that the money game show ‘Deal or No Deal’ had been axed.
A source said previously: ‘Deal Or No Deal’ doesn’t get the ratings it used to and it is not a cheap daytime show to make. Noel [Edmondson, the presenter] and ‘Deal’ had a great run but bosses have just decided it is the right time to end the series."
The final episode will air in the autumn and bosses have arranged for a special tour to take place in order to give the long-running show the send-off it truly deserves.
The decision to axe the programme won’t come as too much of a surprise to Noel – who has fronted the show since the first episode – as he admitted last year he didn’t know whether bosses were planning to recommission it.
‘Million Pound Drop’, which was presented by Davina McCall, was also given the chop.
Countdown to remain on screen until 2018
