No More Studio Audience at Countdown Post Covid

[Marc Meakin]

This is a surprise.
What is the rationale?

[Gavin Chipper]

What? Ever? Source?

[Mark Deeks]

Poor Dudley. He always brought the energy, no matter the odds.

[Jason William Larsen]

Philip Aston has the source, and I think it's a really bad decision!

[Rhys Benjamin]

Apparently Damian Eadie said this in ZoomDown chat, which Philip then disseminated... for what it's worth (admittedly not much, it would seem), I think it's an appalling decision!

[Marc Meakin]

This must be for financial reasons as it must be cheaper to make a show without an audience.
Some would say that the majority of dayrime quizzes do not have an audience but countdown always has had one.
So when someone scores a nine, no applause no asking the audience to solve a conundrum.
Maybe Anne asked for it

[Mark Deeks]

As a viewer, can't see it making a difference, and that really is the one that matters. As a former contestant, though, and as a former participant in the flanges of 2013 or whatever it was, having an audience was dope. A shame.

[Marc Meakin]

Canned applause maybe

[Paul Anderson]

What? Ever? Source?

Yeah, he confirmed it to me too. They seem to think we'll never be fully in a post covid situation, so is an audience necessary when it can save costs on staff, insurance etc.
Shame for finals though. Hope they at least increase the +1 to a +3 for finalists

[Martin Hurst]

Probably a sensible decision, even if marking the end of an era. What was the last ever episode recorded that had an audience?

[Philip A]

A statement from me as a fan of Countdown since 2003:

When Damian Eadie announced this in ZoomDown chat, I wanted to take this transparency onboard and disseminate the news on my Facebook wall in order to bring us – the Countdown community – up-to-date with what’s going on with the programme’s future.

I also wanted to prevent fans from reading or overhearing any overblown or inaccurate gossip or reports in mainstream media regarding the show’s future.

Damian Eadie said in the live chat for the ZoomDown episode broadcast on 11 March 2021 that he thinks it is permanent, when a viewer expressed hope that it would be temporary, and on that basis time will prove I am absolutely certain, based on my understanding and interpretation, that Countdown WILL NO LONGER record the programmes in front of a live studio audience – even after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

The reasons why have not been explicitly stated, but historically – speaking as a game show diehard – many years ago game shows such as Fifteen to One, Wipeout, Family Fortunes and Catchphrase have axed studio audiences before.

After nearly 40 years of this tradition, this is a huge disappointment for Countdown’s loyal fanbase. Many of us have made friends with regular audience attendees and contestants, and it is truly disappointing that these friends will not be cheering potential Championship of Champions XVI participants on in the studio. Nonetheless, I think it is an understandable and respectable decision; it will save money, time and probably make filming easier overall.

Stay safe, everyone.

[Gavin Chipper]

Thanks Philip. I saw your post on Facebook as soon as I questioned it on here actually. c4c before Facebook.

[Carl Harrison]

This doesn't particularly surprise me to some extent. Very few daytime quiz shows seem to have an audience now, and it seems odd that Countdown very rarely actually shows the audience in the show at all these days, apart from when someone is asked to solve a conundrum - apart from that you wouldn't really know they were there (hence the show hasn't looked different at all post-Covid with all the canned applause). Not sure why that changed - way back when, you used to see a shot of the whole audience at the start of the show, and they would speak to the next day's competitor (sitting in the audience) at the end of each show.

The one thing I do hope can be retained is for competitors to be able to bring along more than 1 person to support them - people have always been able to bring along a number of people to sit in the audience to watch them and it will be a real shame for that to go. Perhaps the +1 can be increased to a +2 or 3 at least, even if extras just sit in the (very small) audience rather than going into the green room. Otherwise it will be hard choosing between my wife and parents (all avid Countdown fans) to come along if / when I ever get on!

[James Haughton]

I can understand it. It probably makes financial sense, and it probably helps time-wise on what are long days of filming. It's sad, though, met friends through people being in the audience and that won't happen for others going forward.

[Jason William Larsen]

Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy in the US will have audiences after the pandemic is over. They want to keep their fanbase. Countdown, however, will not have audiences then. They just want to alienate their daytime fanbase.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Countdown has run its course in daytime. It needs a bit of a rest, and then it should come back in primetime with an audience.

[Philip A]

UK television operates to a more limited budget than US television, Jason.

[Jason William Larsen]

I wish it didn't

[Marc Meakin]

Maybe the should sell it to Channel 5

[Jason William Larsen]

How would that help?

[James Robinson]

Very, very sad if that's the case. So many great days (and nights) out, such is the way of the world.....

[Philip A]

Poor Dudley. He always brought the energy, no matter the odds.

FYI, Dudley left Countdown at the end of Series 79.

[Jason William Larsen]

I wonder what Jonathan and Lou will do then!

[Philip A]

Couple months on, I haven’t heard anything by my understanding remains that it is permanent.

[Marc Meakin]

Im guessing you will share the update Philip

[Philip A]

Yep, sure:

Okay, this is what Countdown producer Damian Eadie has said about no more audiences at Countdown (I spoke to him on Apterous today):

“Think the Covid thing has affected lots of future practices.

Saves ITV a fair bit of cash, insurance, nurses, warm up chap, ushers, water, biscuits, security men etc etc.

It's what it is, I guess Philip. Ever evolving ways I suppose.”

There is another permanent change: from the next series onwards, the Oxford English Dictionaries given to the series champion have also been abolished. The Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy will remain.

“They're not relevant any longer and become obsolete within days of being printed,” said Mr Eadie.

“We’ll sort out something for a replacement, I hope.”

[Rhys Benjamin]

When the challenger said her fiance was in the audience, they cut to a shot of him. Yeah, he wasn't in the audience. He was the audience. Still wearing a face mask though!

If we're not going to have an audience, can we at least stop pretending that there is one?