Countdown (game show) Stelling was confirmed as the new host, with Oxford graduate Rachel Riley in the Vorderman role. It was announced on 24 May 2011 that Stelling would be leaving the programme, and he presented his final show on 16 December 2011. On 16 November 2011, it was announced that Nick Hewer would be taking over as host, with his first show broadcast on 9 January 2012. "Countdown" quickly established cult status within British television – an image which it maintains today, despite numerous changes of rules and personnel. The programme's audience comprises mainly students, homemakers and pensioners, owing to the "teatime"
Countdown (game show) co-host, who had also been on the programme since it began, left the show in December 2008, at the same time as Des O'Connor. She was replaced by Rachel Riley. Cathy Hytner originally placed letters on the board for the letters games and in series 1 and 2 Beverly Isherwood placed the numbers up on the board from series 3 Cathy Hytner put the numbers up on the board, in 1987 Karen Loughlin took over from Hytner but only lasted 3 series after this Lucy Summers took over but she only lasted 3 months and Countdown stayed they couldn’t be