Jeff Stelling of the year, after three years at the helm, to concentrate on football, including his new Champions League role. He was replaced by Nick Hewer. In August 2016, Stelling presented a new 10-part daytime game show for ITV called "Alphabetical". The show returned for a second series of 20 episodes in October 2017. On 23 November 2007 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Professional Studies by the University of Teesside. Stelling was named Sports Broadcaster of the Year for four successive years by the Sports Journalists' Association, based on a poll of its members. On 12 March 2010, he
Rachel Riley an exact solution in the numbers rounds if the contestants are unable to do so. Riley's appointment to "Countdown" was announced at the same time as the announcement of a new main host, Jeff Stelling, replacing Des O'Connor; the duo of Stelling and Riley were in place for the new series beginning in January 2009. Although she had no ambition to be a television presenter, she was encouraged to apply by her mother, and decided to do so because she was interested in the numbers part of the game. Having beaten 1,000 applicants for the role, she commented, "There's only