New Countdown Host

SKY Sports presenter Jeff Stelling HAS landed the Countdown job, The Sun can reveal.

The sharp-witted Soccer Saturday frontman will replace retiring host Des O’Connor — just as we predicted last month.

Stelling, a cult hero on Sky’s six-hour footie results show, was up against comic Alexander Armstrong for the job.

Armstrong was offered a contract, but turned it down, leaving C4 chiefs in the lurch.

Dad-of-three Stelling will be unveiled as the fourth host in the quiz’s 26-year history later this week. He was linked with Countdown in 2005 after presenter Richard Whiteley died. But bosses plumped for Des Lynam.

O’Connor then took over, but quit this year along with the show’s brainbox Carol Vorderman.

Hartlepool Utd fan Stelling, who writes for The Sun, will NOT quit Soccer Saturday.

A Countdown source said the star had not yet had a screen test because he was on holiday.

The insider added: “Barring any problems, he has the job.”

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I've never heard of him

I used to like Countdown, but then like most quizzes the waffling started taking over the show. The people in dictionary corner just started to drone on too much with every word I stopped watching it.
It was the ame with Eggheads, when the contenders started saying 'I know its not XXX because......., and its not XXX because......, so that makes it XXX which I know because my great Uncle Bulgaria, sixteen teacups removed blah, blah, blah....' :wall: Just answer the question!

LOL @ Lou.

I agree with you, what's happening with quiz shows these days? I just want them to give the bloomin' answer instead of waffling on and on but this is happening in so many quiz shows that I believe the contestants have been told to do that. Maybe the producers think it increases the anticipation? Not in this household. :wall:

Worse when they have adverts in between. They end up instead of being a 30 min show, a 1hr long.

COUNTDOWN bosses have confirmed that TV presenter Jeff Stelling and maths whizz Rachel Riley will front the show’s new series, which starts in January.

As The Sun revealed earlier this month, the Sky Sports presenter has bagged Des O’Connor’s role.

The dad-of-three is best known for presenting Soccer Saturday on the sports channel.

He said: “I am delighted to be hosting Countdown and follow in the footsteps of such great broadcasters as Richard Whitely, Des Lynam and Des O’Connor.”

Carol Vorderman’s replacement is 22-year-old Oxford graduate Rachel – who has no previous TV experience and was chosen from over 1,000 applicants for the job.

She was tested on her maths skills and abilities in front of the camera before being offered the part.

Rachel exclaimed: “This is the best graduate job in the world. There’s only one cool maths job around and I was lucky enough to get it so I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Helen Warner, Head of Channel 4 Daytime, added: “I’m very excited that Jeff and Rachel will be picking up the Countdown baton from 2009.

"They make a great team and I feel certain that our much-loved words and numbers game will go from strength to strength with them at the helm.”

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Hmmm Countdown without Carol, doesnt seem right