Susie Dent says Rachel Riley’s dad “records every episode” of ‘Countdown’.
Rachel Riley's dad records every Countdown episode
The 57-year-old wordsmith revealed the 36-year-old math whizz's father saves a copy of the Channel 4 daytime game show on a daily basis to ensure he has a keepsake of his daughter's time on the programme.
Susie told OK! magazine: “I think it’s because the game is just so compulsive. It’s part of the fabric of our lives and I think it is for a lot of our viewers, too. Rachel Riley’s dad still records every episode, so he has every episode she’s ever been on!”
The Dictionary Corner queen has a lot of “laughs” with the ex ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ star - who replaced Carol Vorderman as 'Countdown' co-host in 2008 - while they film the show, despite the “freezing” conditions in the studio.
Susie said: “I love all the laughs we have. Myself and Rachel are always freezing in the studio, so we actually have joint custody of a hot water bottle!
“We film five shows a day, so it’s a hectic schedule. Rachel has to change her whole outfit for every show, whereas I only have to change my top half as people don’t ever really see my legs, but I do have them! It’s a cliché to say, as people talk about TV families, but I do think ‘Countdown’ is one of the best. It’s something I’d really miss.”
Susie praised Anne Robinson, who took over hosting duties from Nick Hewer last summer before quitting the programme, for her “amazing work ethic”.
She said: “She has the most amazing work ethic. The thing I love about that time was that she really brought the contestants’ stories out and I don’t think we’d had that to that degree before.
“Every single host has brought something new to the show. I was asked the other day to come up with a word to describe each host and the one I chose for Anne was ‘consummate’.”
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