Second place.

[JackHurst]

Okay, so the winner of a series currently gets a Top of the range Laptop (~£500), Lifetime subscription to OED online, and The complete 20 volume second Edition OED. The Runner up gets £1000. If you won a series, and off set they gave the the chance to swap the prizes, would you?

I sold my laptop to Josh (which then broke and messed up his Masters Dissertation), and am looking to get rid of my dictionaries. There is no way I will see £1000 out of them both. As for the OED online, I let one of my friends who studies English use it.
Overall, I'm glad I won my final, but if I could swap the prizes round, I would.

[Jon Corby]

Yeah, the second prize does seem to be better IMO. Can't imagine there's many people that want two tonnes of dictionaries. Then again, maybe that's intentional - it would seem preferable that Countdown is won by a retired crossword compiler living in a 7 acre country estate in Sunningdale, than by a cash-strapped student. If Countdown had purely cash prizes it would be even more incentive to the NBGs, and it would seem that's undesirable. I reckon first prize will change to a Stannah Stairlift or a bath door or something soon.

[Joseph Krol]

I heard that a past series winner took it with him when he went fishing so he could listen to the radio, but then he accidentally dropped it in the water. It was a Dell rolling in the deep.

Seriously though, as someone who likes reference works as a rule, I would prefer not to swap. I already have free access to the OED online through Bradford Libraries though, so I'm not sure really.

[Thomas Carey]

Isn't the RRP of the dictionaries about £4200? Or is that when they were leather-bound?

[Michael Wallace]

Defo swap. I did wonder if they decided to change the winner's prize following Jack's comments to the press during his series about deliberately losing the final.

[Innis Carson]

Think pretty much everyone would agree that the runner-up's prize is a better prize in itself, but in a way it's nice to have it like that, it softens the blow for whoever loses the final and keeps the contest friendly. If the winner's prize was something highly valuable/desirable, the runner-up could conceivably be genuinely upset at coming so close but missing out on it, and it wouldn't really suit the atmosphere of Countdown to end a series on that note.

[David Williams]

At least the winner gets a laptop nowadays. I think the prize used to be just the dictionaries. There's perhaps an unintended irony - you've shown you've learnt all these amazing words, now you can find out what they mean. It's actually having a cash prize at all that's a bit out of character. Let's face it, this is a show where nearly all the contestants are motivated mainly by the prospect of winning a teapot!

[Mark Deeks]

On this subject, and with a little bit of bias present, I think you should get a prize for being a losing semi finalist. Nothing great, like. But at least something. A standard class return rail fare to anywhere in the country. A book token. Lunch. I dunno, something.

[Jon O'Neill]

On this subject, and with a little bit of bias present, I think you should get a prize for being a losing semi finalist. Nothing great, like. But at least something. A standard class return rail fare to anywhere in the country. A book token. Lunch. I dunno, something.

There should be some sort of support group for people like this.

[David Williams]

On this subject, and with a little bit of bias present, I think you should get a prize for being a losing semi finalist. Nothing great, like. But at least something. A standard class return rail fare to anywhere in the country. A book token. Lunch. I dunno, something.

Write to Damian and point out you've already saved him seven teapots during your octochamp run. I'm sure he'll be sympathetic.

[Phil Reynolds]

On this subject, and with a little bit of bias present, I think you should get a prize for being a losing semi finalist. Nothing great, like. But at least something. A standard class return rail fare to anywhere in the country. A book token. Lunch. I dunno, something.

How about return rail fare to Manchester, a couple of nights' accommodation at a moderately comfortable hotel (say the Jury's Inn), a chance to see behind the scenes at the iconic Granada Studios, and - best of all - access to the free end-of-series piss-up (assuming that still takes place)?

[Mark Deeks]

Quarter finalists get that too. So do backup contestants. There ought be something to something to commemorate that extra win.

[Phil Reynolds]

Quarter finalists get that too. So do backup contestants.

Fair point. In fact, as far as the piss-up goes, it also applies to "random nobodies who've managed to blag their way in".

[Jon O'Neill]

Quarter finalists get that too. So do backup contestants.

Fair point. In fact, as far as the piss-up goes, it also applies to "random nobodies who've managed to blag their way in".

Actually that's Susie Dent, she's on the show.

[Graeme Cole]

I think the reason the winner gets a laptop and the online dictionary subscription in addition to the dictionaries nowadays is simply because the full ODE is no longer the leather-bound gold-leafed set. I seem to recall it's because they don't make that any more.

Also agree that the existence of a cash prize has always looked a little out of place on a show where it's more about the competition than the prizes. Not sure what you'd put in its place though. Anyway, in my opinion having your name on the trophy is worth more than any of it. You don't enter Countdown to win prizes any more than you enter Mastermind to win a fruit bowl.

[Gavin Chipper]

On this subject, and with a little bit of bias present, I think you should get a prize for being a losing semi finalist. Nothing great, like. But at least something. A standard class return rail fare to anywhere in the country. A book token. Lunch. I dunno, something.

15 to 1 used to have a prize for the person who was top of the finals board, which is equivalent to number one seed. You'd have more chance going for that angle. Maybe a packet of crisps. I'll buy you one at COLIN if you want. It won't be official, but you will at least know that I wouldn't have bought it for you if you hadn't been the number one seed so it counts for something.

[Mark Deeks]

Heh, it's really not about me. I mean for the future. Countdown's not about the prizes, obviously, but it can be a big gap between heats and finals. And if you go through that gap, win a game, and yet get the same prize as someone who didn't, it feels a bit underwhelming. Just spent like an extra £20 on a steak dinner or something. Job done.

[Adam Gillard]

in my opinion having your name on the trophy is worth more than any of it

Runner-up's prize: £1000
Winner's prize: Dictionaries and laptop
Graeme's expression upon hearing the words "Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy" during the presentation (34:15 on 4oD): Priceless.

[Adam Gillard]

as far as the piss-up goes, it also applies to "random nobodies who've managed to blag their way in"

They've gone very strict on this now. Chris Davies was at the after-party for Ed's series for a little while, but this time round they were very firm on the point that it was only for contestants from the latest series and Chris was forcefully ejected (some truths may have been embellished for dramatic effect).

[Phil Reynolds]

as far as the piss-up goes, it also applies to "random nobodies who've managed to blag their way in"

They've gone very strict on this now. Chris Davies was at the after-party for Ed's series for a little while, but this time round they were very firm on the point that it was only for contestants from the latest series and Chris was forcefully ejected (some truths may have been embellished for dramatic effect).

Wow. That policy would have resulted in not only me, but also Charlie, Jono, Raccoon, Rich Priest and several other luminaries being evicted from the same piss-up (viz the one following the Series 60 final, the last recording of Countdown at the studios in Leeds).

[Mark Deeks]

You didn't miss much in the way of unrepeatable drama. Basically, Jeff left fairly early to a big cheer, Damian made a very brief appearance, Jon Culshaw was somewhat quieter than I expected, Graeme walked around in a circle for an hour unable to settle down, Nikki stared loathingly at Carl's trousers, and I humiliated myself by trying to kiss Susie and eat a crisp at the same time. Then we all went to a pub.

[Richard Priest]

as far as the piss-up goes, it also applies to "random nobodies who've managed to blag their way in"

They've gone very strict on this now. Chris Davies was at the after-party for Ed's series for a little while, but this time round they were very firm on the point that it was only for contestants from the latest series and Chris was forcefully ejected (some truths may have been embellished for dramatic effect).

Wow. That policy would have resulted in not only me, but also Charlie, Jono, Raccoon, Rich Priest and several other luminaries being evicted from the same piss-up (viz the one following the Series 60 final, the last recording of Countdown at the studios in Leeds).

I think the main thing they used to worry about was whether there was going to be enough champagne/nibbles etc. to go round if they allowed too many people in, that was the impression I got from speaking to members of the production team.

[Kirk Bevins]

I've been invited in by a few of the crew/presenters in a series after mine but all it took was for one member of the crew to not let me in to make me never go in again. To be fair I shouldn't really be allowed to gatecrash somebody elses after party but when you've built up a rapport with the show's staff and they invite you it hurts when another of the staff refuses you entry.

[Gavin Chipper]

Surely the best solution is to organise your own rival after-party and persuade all the contestants that the "official" one isn't the best one.

[Matt Morrison]

Which dick was it Kirk?

[Ben Wilson]

On a related note, has any guest of a contestant ever been thrown out of the green room before, or are myself and Chris Wills alone in holding this dubious honour?

[Kirk Bevins]

Which dick was it Kirk?

I'm not mentioning names of course - just thought it was an interesting true story to add.

[Gavin Chipper]

On a related note, has any guest of a contestant ever been thrown out of the green room before, or are myself and Chris Wills alone in holding this dubious honour?

What were you thrown out for? And who were you guests of?

[Ben Wilson]

On a related note, has any guest of a contestant ever been thrown out of the green room before, or are myself and Chris Wills alone in holding this dubious honour?

What were you thrown out for? And who were you guests of?

Being in there and Jim Bentley, respectively.