8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown: 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Christmas Special 2023


10:00 pm - 11:05 pm, Today on Channel 4 (4)

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About this Broadcast

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8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Christmas Special 2023
Season 1, Episode 1

Jimmy Carr hosts a festive edition of the comedy words-and-numbers quiz packed with festive surprises. Danny Dyer and Joe Lycett take on Jon Richardson and Roisin Conaty with Mr Swallow joining lexicographer Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner. Regular Countdown mathematician Rachel Riley is on hand to adjudicate


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Comedy Game Show/Quiz/Contest Movie/Drama Show/Game Show

Cast & Crew

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Susie Dent (Contributor)
Rachel Riley (Contributor)
Danny Dyer (Contestant)
Joe Lycett (Contestant)
Jon Richardson (Contestant)
Roisin Conaty (Contestant)
Mr Swallow (Guest)
Jodie Krstic (Series producer)
Richard Cohen (Executive producer)
Ruth Phillips (Executive producer)

More Information

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Did You Know..

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Jimmy Carr (Host)
Born: September 15, 1972 in Slough
Best Known For: His stand-up comedy
Early-life: James Anthony Patrick Carr was born in Slough on September 15, 1972, one of three sons of Irish immigrants. His parents split in 1994, though the marriage didn't end until the death of his mother in 2001. Jimmy did well at school and studied political science at Cambridge before moving into advertising. He landed a job in the marketing department of Shell Oil, but felt unfulfilled. When the company offered him voluntary redundancy, he took it, and decided to pursue a career in comedy.
Career: Carr began performing on the stand-up circuit, doing up to 300 shows a year for three years, before taking his act to the Edinburgh festival in 2002. This brought him to the attention of TV bosses, and before long he was presenting series such as Your Face or Mine and Distraction. Since then, he's rarely been off TVscreens, hosting the first run of the Friday Night Project, 8 Out of 10 Cats and numerous Channel 4 list shows. He's also made a move into acting, appearing in Alien Autopsy, Confetti, Stormbreaker and Telstar. He is one of Britain's busiest comics and his DVDs are big sellers.
Quote: "I'm not being condescending, I'm too busy thinking about far more important things you wouldn't understand."
Trivia: In February 2007, Carr was the first major comedian to perform in the virtual reality world Second Life.
Susie Dent (Contributor)
Rachel Riley (Contributor)
Born: January 11, 1986 in Rochford, Essex
Best Known For: Countdown.
Early-life: Rachel Annabelle Riley was born in Rochford, Essex, on January 11, 1986. She studied mathematics at Oriel College, Oxford.
Career: Riley's big break came in 2008 when she was chosen from more than 1,000 applicants to replace Carol Vorderman on Countdown. She presented her first show alongside Jeff Stelling in January 2009, and reached her 1,000th episode in June 2013. Away from the numbers and letters on Countdown, she began co-hosting The Gadget Show alongside Jason Bradbury in June 2013. She was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and was the fifth celebrity to be eliminated.
Quote: "I don't want girls to aspire to being famous for the sake of being famous. If I was only known for wearing a dress, that wouldn't have any value for me."
Trivia: Riley won £36,000 for charity on a celebrity edition of The Bank Job. She supports Manchester United.
Danny Dyer (Contestant)
Born: July 24, 1977 in London
Best Known For: Playing Mick Carter in EastEnders.
Early-life: Danny Dyer was born in Canning Town, London, on July 24, 1977 to Antony and Christine. He began a lifelong love of football as a boy and is an ardent West Ham United supporter. After being spotted by an agent while still at school he made his TV acting debut at the age of 16 in Prime Suspect 3. He went on to appear in episodes of Cadfael, A Touch of Frost, Ruth Rendell Mysteries, The Bill and Soldier Soldier.
Career: Dyer's first film was 1999's Human Traffic and he followed this up with roles in a number of low-budget movies, including Borstal Boy (2000), High Heels and Low Lifes (2001), Mean Machine (2001), The Football Factory (2004), Adulthood (2008) and Vendetta (2013). Dyer had a lead role in Run for Your Wife (2013), which was savaged by film critics and only took £602 during its opening weekend. He has also appeared in a number of stage productions, including Celebration and No Man's Land, and has presented documentaries about football and hardmen. In 2013, he joined the cast of EastEnders as Mick Carter.
Quote: His views on film critic Mark Kermode, who has made disparaging remarks about Dyer's work: "If I see him I don't know how I'm going to react. I'll probably just put the nut on him."
Trivia: In 2007, Dyer became the chairman of non-league football team Greenwich Borough.
Joe Lycett (Contestant)
Jon Richardson (Contestant)
Born: September 26, 1982 in Lancaster
Best Known For: 8 Out of 10 Cats.
Early-life: Jon Joel Richardson was born on September 26, 1982, in Lancaster. He has a sister. His parents split up when he was very young, and he was raised by his mother and her long-term partner; he also maintained a relationship with his father. Jon's teachers often noted what a good sense of humour he had on his school reports, and although he dreamed of being a comedian, didn't think it would be possible. He studied Spanish and Portuguese at university but dropped out, became a chef, then decided to give stand-up a go.
Career: In 2003, Richardson won his heat of the BBC New Talent Comedy Search, and a year later did well in the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year competition and J20 Last Laugh Comedy Search. Encouraged by these successes and kind words from Jasper Carrott and Dave Spikey for a performance at the Criterion Theatre in London, his confidence grew. More stand-up followed, including appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He went on to feature on numerous radio shows before moving into TV. Richardson appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Have I Got News For You before becoming a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats. He's since published his first book, It's Not Me, It's You! and taken part in various documentaries.
Quote: "My big thing is that you should be comfortable on your own in the dark. There's nothing eating away at you."
Trivia: Richardson fronted the documentary A Little Bit OCD in which he examined the lives of OCD sufferers while trying to work out if he also had the condition. It won a Mind Award for best documentary in 2013.
Roisin Conaty (Contestant)
Born: March 26, 1979 in London
Best Known For: Being a comedian and starring in Man Down.
Early-life: Roisin was born in London on March 26, 1979. In 2010, she won the Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Festival. In the same year, she appeared on Russell Howard's Good News on BBC Three and performed alongside other female comedians for charity on Victoria Wood's Angina Monologues on Sky One.
Career: Conaty stars in the BBC's hidden camera series Impractical Jokers and she has appeared as a guest on a number of panel shows, including Have I Got News for You, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In 2013, she began playing Jo in Channel 4 sitcom Man Down.
Quote: "I'm a terrible dresser. I wouldn't know what's in or what season I'm in. It's a real effort for me not to look mad."
Trivia: Conaty also performs as one half of female double act The Cakes with Caroline Ginty.
Mr Swallow (Guest)
Jodie Krstic (Series producer)
Richard Cohen (Executive producer)
Ruth Phillips (Executive producer)