Nick Hewer quits Countdown

Two things on that, knowing two people went on the civilian version of show as contestants and seeing some of the inner workings of the production in the studio

1) You can't be sure that was her line to ask it that way. A lot of the Anne > Contestant banter was scripted questions by the production team for her to say based on the application form, the audition day, and overhearing stray comments between the contestants before recording.

2) You have to think that after recording, a producer or researcher would have asked the contestant, if she was happy with that exchange, and if she said 'yes' it went in.

Something the bone headed Twitterarti would never consider.

I don't think either is a defence really. Whether coming from producers or Anne the statement is still made. And chances are most people would be too intimidated to speak up in that situation.


Anyhow, that is another show at another time. That said though outside of the initial reaction here I wouldn't say the response has been that positive. I think the situation with Colin stepping in and being well received made it difficult for anyone they gave the role to who wasn't the person who'd settled in very quickly as a stand in.

Also let's not forget the audience would have lapped it up. That line was very much tapping into that weird ASBO/tag obsession of the mid-noughties where every day there was a clutch of new news stories demonising the poor to the absolute delight of society at large. I was taken aback watching that clip but then loads of shows from that era were unbelievably unpleasant to anyone the format believed deserving of it, look at the early years of X Factor and BGT for example. But no-one would bat an eyelid because for whatever reason cruelness was incredibly in fashion and seen as entertaining.

What Not to Wear was another one which was cruel to its participants.

There were a range of relatively "cruel" shows/rounds in the gameshow stakes besides Weakest Link at around the time that was on air. Divided's end game for example. Golden Balls was the same in its Split or Steal end game and, well it was relatively unique in which one could feel you could cut the atmosphere with a knife if the steal was morally questionable and it was over a certain amount. For a few hundred pounds it probably didn't matter if you lost it, you had a good day out. by the time we get to four figure sums and the occasional five figures...

Dog Eat Dog and the infamous Shafted also spring to mind.

Surely nobody goes on these shows without knowing what they are signing up for?

The initial batch of contestants in the first series of anything won't know. Anybody else from series 2 onwards probably has a better idea of what they've let themselves in for. Doesn't stop them getting upset and running off to the Daily Fail afterwards though.

Here’s my favourite Golden Balls split or steal, the one for £100,000.

In the case of the Weakest Link clip, the issue is more the fact that it reinforces a damaging stereotype that single mothers are lazy scroungers with unruly kids. An unfortunate but not altogether unique sign of the times.

Ooh, that's a nasty steal. IIRC that was the episode they did where they were all former "losers". So she became a winner, and he became a double loser.

Surprising actually I believe that's the only gameshow Jasper Carrott has ever hosted, as he was quite good at that. I know he's primarily a stand up comic and actor by trade (the likes of Canned Carrott isn't "presenting" as such, its just effectively stand up comic wrapped round a few sketches, much like whatever that other show he did that was dressed up as a court case) - and coming back to the original topic from umpteen pages ago Carrott for Countdown one day maybe?

You’re thinking of The Jasper Carrott Trial, which was a series of sketches of Carrott on trial, but wrapped around clips of previous sketches and stand up routines.