First aired in November 1982, Countdown is a British game show produced by the ITV Network for Channel 4.

The programme primarily focuses on puzzles which involve words and figures and features two contestants per episode who must each attempt to progress beyond  the first stage and go on to win the series.

It is one of Britain’s longest running and most popular shows.

Countdown is currently presented by Nick Hewer, who is supported by Rachel Riley and Susie Dent (the show’s lexicographer).

It consists of a ‘Letters Round’, during which each contestant randomly selects letters from a pile and attempts to form the longest possible word from them.
 
The following stage of the show is the ‘Numbers Round’   during which each contestant must create a mathematical equation from a series of numbers to achieve a result closest to a figure randomly generated by a computer.

The ‘Countdown Conundrum’ is the final round of the game during which contestants must solve an anagram consisting of nine letters within thirty seconds. 

The winner of the day’s show returns for the next day’s competition and is allowed to do so for a total of eight games.

During the finals of the series the eight players with the highest scores of the season are selected to compete against each other, with the winner of the grand finale becoming the series champion.

Countdown is based on the French game show ‘Des chiffres et des lettres’ (Numbers and Letters), and was brought to Britain by  a Belgian record executive named  Marcel Stellman, who having watched it, was convinced that the show would be a hit abroad. It also employs a similar set of rules with the only difference between the two shows being the length of the rounds.

In spite of being one of Channel 4’s most popular programs, Countdown has never won an award.

Previous episodes of the show can be viewed on 4oD, the channel’s online television service.

Similar programs: Britain's Best Brain, Brainteaser.

Watch all episodes of Countdown here. Countdown is a tv-programme of BBC One. You can see all episodes of Countdown here via Youriplayer.co.uk.