The Countdown Thread

[HarveyB]

According to the Apterous Countdown Wiki the latest casualty is the button to start the Countdown clock when Anne takes over (although not straight away)

"Another feature of the show set to be abolished at some point later on in this series is the clock starter button: after being repositioned twice, the clock will be started in the gallery instead of in the studio."

https://wiki.apterous.org/Series_84

What is the point is moving the clock start Button TWICE in the same series? And why do the team at Countdown think that moving the Clock start Button to the gallery is a good move?

Maybe it was moved on all these occasions at the presenters request? Either way they’ll be some logistical reason behind it, they won’t be moving it for fun.

Maybe. I get why they're moving it to Robinsons right (because she's right handed) but In My Opinion, it should really be the host's job to start the Clock.

[Brekkie]

Clearly though they've had an issue with Anne starting it so initially moved it to try and make it easier for her and then when that didn't work moved it to the gallery.

[James2001]

Be thankful they've still kept the clock... and the tiles, rather than gone fully digital which would be so easy to do.

[HarveyB]

Be thankful they've still kept the clock... and the tiles, rather than gone fully digital which would be so easy to do.

I don't even think they really can because thats also Countdown Tradition. If they do remove those then thats countdown done for me

[HarveyB]

Clearly though they've had an issue with Anne starting it so initially moved it to try and make it easier for her and then when that didn't work moved it to the gallery.

I just hope that this change is only for the Anne Robinson era of Countdown and they give her replacement(s) a choice of whether they want to start the clock themselves of if they want the Gallery to start it

[Jon]

Clearly though they've had an issue with Anne starting it so initially moved it to try and make it easier for her and then when that didn't work moved it to the gallery.

I just hope that this change is only for the Anne Robinson era of Countdown and they give her replacement(s) a choice of whether they want to start the clock themselves of if they want the Gallery to start it

Why does it matter so much? It certainly won’t be the most noticeable change in the shows history and it’ll make no difference to the gameplay.

[Brekkie]

Exactly - it's the sort of thing where on many shows the gallery would probably control it anyway, even if it appears otherwise. Presumably the music and lighting all has to be synched together anyway, as well as the clock movement, so even though in recent times it's probably possible for that to all be controlled with one button I suspect it may not have always been the case.

[JK1985]

Adam Beales, the Blue Peter presenter and a fellow Derry man told his YouTube fans that Blue Peter has moved studios. They have moved out of the small 1,600 Sq Ft Studio HQ7 at Dock10 and are now going to be using the larger 6,275 Sq Ft Studio HQ4 with a larger studio set design in place.

I assume this means Countdown under Anne Robinson will now be using a different studio? I don't think they will be sharing with Blue Peter, as BP is on every week. Is this right?

[Brekkie]

Countdown usually films Monday to Wednesday IIRC and Blue Peter on Thursdays so not really a problem.

[Fanoftv]

Adam Beales, the Blue Peter presenter and a fellow Derry man told his YouTube fans that Blue Peter has moved studios. They have moved out of the small 1,600 Sq Ft Studio HQ7 at Dock10 and are now going to be using the larger 6,275 Sq Ft Studio HQ4 with a larger studio set design in place.

I assume this means Countdown under Anne Robinson will now be using a different studio? I don't think they will be sharing with Blue Peter, as BP is on every week. Is this right?

Hasn’t it been that way for Blue Peter & Saturday Mash-Up since the BBC green studio was built?

[JK1985]

Adam Beales, the Blue Peter presenter and a fellow Derry man told his YouTube fans that Blue Peter has moved studios. They have moved out of the small 1,600 Sq Ft Studio HQ7 at Dock10 and are now going to be using the larger 6,275 Sq Ft Studio HQ4 with a larger studio set design in place.

I assume this means Countdown under Anne Robinson will now be using a different studio? I don't think they will be sharing with Blue Peter, as BP is on every week. Is this right?

Hasn’t it been that way for Blue Peter & Saturday Mash-Up since the BBC green studio was built?

There is a different between BP and Mash Up sharing a studio, and then BP and Countdown sharing a studio. I just thought Countdown might have just moved into HQ2 where 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown is filmed.

[Brekkie]

No difference at all - just a case of striking the set. The broadcaster isn't relevant.

[Flux]

Apart from the button move, have there been any reports of a revamp for the Countdown set and/or graphics? I assumed they’d use Anne Robinson’s debut as a chance to at least freshen it up a bit.

[Steve in Pudsey]

Countdown without an audience might fit into the studio BP are vacating?

[HarveyB]

I really don't know why Countdown doesn't move back to Leeds. Especially since there's a new studio opening on Whitehall Road Which is just down the road from the Majestic Building which is Channel 4's Headquarters and it's not that far away from countdown's Production Offices at ITV Yorkshire. Even if it doesn't happen, I think it should be a consideration for the Countdown team at the very least