Eight prelim wins?

[Dave Preece]

Sorry if this is either obvious or has been pointed out before:

Why is eight the limit to the number of prelim wins you can have, I realise there HAS to be a limit, but why eight and not a more 'friendly' looking number, like, five or ten?

I'm thinking I might have nearly answered my own question, after typing this out!

[Johnny Canuck]

In the (very) old days, Countdown used to be broadcast only four days a week, meaning that eight episodes would equate to two weeks of airtime. The production crew must have thought that after two weeks of seeing the same person over and over again, the viewers would be getting bored and want new contestants.

Thanks to someone for this info. I don't remember whom.

[James S Roper]

What Johnny said ^ plus 'octochamp' suits as it has 9 letters, pentachamp has 10 so it would look slightly more out of place.

[Dave Preece]

Cheers guys...

Just thought it was 8 because that's between 5 and 10, or somethign daft?