Dictionary Corner Guests for the new series

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:33 pm

Are there actually going to be any new guests coming up soon?

There hasn't been a new one since Ian Hyland back in July.

I see that Penny Smith is in DC for the first time in nearly 10 years next week.

UPDATE: Just seen on uk-tv guide.com that Sun journalist Jane Moore will be in DC in 2 weeks. That'll be her debut on the show I believe.

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:13 am

Dr Hilary Jones, Amanda Lamb, John Parrott, Greg Wallace and Lethal Bizzle, to name but a few.

Alec Rivers · Post by **Alec Rivers** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:08 pm

I know not all of these are original suggestions, but my list would include:

Stephen Fry — my philological hero
Helen Chamberlain — eye candy
Hugh Laurie — quality humour
Bill Bailey — addictive zaniness
Eddie Izzard — unexpected tangents
Joanna Lumley — can't quite put my finger on it
Paul Merton — great satire
Rhod Gilbert — punchy delivery
Dylan Moran — observational genius

How apt they are for the show is another matter.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:14 pm

Alec, all those choices are very good. Of course Stephen Fry has been on the show before, albeit not for a while.

D Eadie wrote:Dr Hilary Jones, Amanda Lamb, John Parrott, Greg Wallace and Lethal Bizzle, to name but a few.

Damian, are all those coming on the show pretty soon? Lethal Bizzle seems a very random guest to have on the show

Do you do all the booking yourself or is there a sort of mini committee regarding guests, such as suitability, etc. Are there any you've tried to get, but have so far failed.

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:33 pm

Okay i lied about Lethal Bizzle.

No, no, no and yes. We can't press gang people into coming on. They either want to do it or they don't.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:04 pm

So, who actually does the guest booking then and does it go through everyone upto Jeff & Rachel?

Darren Carter · Post by **Darren Carter** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:36 pm

Another non-important question - do they all get paid the same or do they get different amounts depending on who it is?

AnnieHall · Post by **AnnieHall** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:41 pm

How do you know who's coming up? I will be recording my show on 2nd Nov (To be shown week commencing16th Nov) any idea who it will be, please?

Martyn Simpson · Post by **Martyn Simpson** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:21 pm

I was discussing this with someone, we both agreed that Tim Vine is just about the ultimate DC guest. The next day I got a phonecall telling me he will be the guest when I film next week

I've always thought Dave Gorman would be a tremendous guest to have, too.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:24 pm

Martyn Simpson wrote:I was discussing this with someone, we both agreed that Tim Vine is just about the ultimate DC guest. The next day I got a phonecall telling me he will be the guest when I film next week.

Fantastic news, Martyn. Tim Vine is fantastic. He's a brill guy. I should know. He was guest when I was on. I'm actually seeing him on his tour next year. Should be fantastic.

Martyn Simpson · Post by **Martyn Simpson** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:26 pm

I'm also planning on seeing him on his tour - and I may now even be able to blag some free tickets!

Liam Tiernan · Post by **Liam Tiernan** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:09 pm

Darren Carter wrote:Another non-important question - do they all get paid the same or do they get different amounts depending on who it is?

I don't think Damian would be free to answer that, and even if he could, he probably wouldn't. Though with Carol gone, the budget in that area has hopefully gone up.

Darren Carter · Post by **Darren Carter** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Talking about DC guests, I can't stand this Penny woman who has just finished. She tries to be funny yet she is about as funny as genital warts.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 1:11 am

Darren Carter wrote:Talking about DC guests, I can't stand this Penny woman who has just finished. She tries to be funny yet she is about as funny as genital warts.

Really? Some of her stuff is quite humorous as is the banter with Jeff. The audience seemed to like her too. Shame she kept going on about how tired she was.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 1:27 am

Kirk Bevins wrote: Really? Some of her stuff is quite humorous as is the banter with Des. The audience seemed to like her too. Shame she kept going on about how tired she was.

Dunno if you've caught the show lately, Kirk, but I think Des has been replaced by this new guy called Jeff. He's similar but not as deaf.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 2:05 am

Charlie Reams wrote: Dunno if you've caught the show lately, Kirk, but I think Des has been replaced by this new guy called Jeff. He's similar but not as deaf.

Ah fuck - knew I should never post on here after a night out.

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 7:37 am

Darren Carter wrote:Talking about DC guests, I can't stand this Penny woman who has just finished. She tries to be funny yet she is about as funny as genital warts.

Says the man who posted this.

Sue Sanders · Post by **Sue Sanders** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 10:51 am

Phil Reynolds wrote:
Darren Carter wrote:Talking about DC guests, I can't stand this Penny woman who has just finished. She tries to be funny yet she is about as funny as genital warts.
Says the man who posted this.

Point well made, Phillip.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:00 pm

Anyone read Karren Brady's column in the Sun this morning?

It says that "she and Countdown have been pals for years".

Why has she never been invited on the show then?

She'd add more brains & beauty in abundance. (Not that we need any more brains & beauty on the show!)

Darren Carter · Post by **Darren Carter** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:06 pm

James Robinson wrote:Anyone read Karren Brady's column in the Sun this morning?

It says that "she and Countdown have been pals for years".

Why has she never been invited on the show then?

She'd add more brains & beauty in abundance. (Not that we need any more brains & beauty on the show!)

Yeah I read that article, expecting it to be about Countdown but it wasn't really!

Martin Smith · Post by **Martin Smith** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:57 am

I take it someone in the production team is a big snooker fan? We've already had Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis this year. Have there ever been any motorsport figures on the show? Martin Brundle or Eddie Irvine could be good.

Liam Gallagher's a known fan who's free now too....

Alec Rivers · Post by **Alec Rivers** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 11:02 am

Martin Smith wrote:Martin Brundle or Eddie Irvine could be good.

Just don't ask for Schumacher - I don't think the studio is the right shape for his chin.

John Bosley · Post by **John Bosley** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:33 am

Martyn Simpson said that Tim Vine is just about the ultimate DC guest.

By 'ultimate' I suppose you mean 'limiting' ?

AnnieHall · Post by **AnnieHall** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:45 pm

One of my favourites was Richard Stilgoe, he makes anagrams out of everyone's name, he hasn't been on it since Des Lynam was in charge, I think I may ask why when I go up there. I liked Richard Stilgoe.
Likewise Tom O'Connor, he hasn't been on for ages, either.

Martyn Simpson · Post by **Martyn Simpson** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:28 pm

John Bosley wrote:Martyn Simpson said that Tim Vine is just about the ultimate DC guest.

By 'ultimate' I suppose you mean 'limiting' ?

No, by 'ultimate', what I actually meant was 'ultimate'. I was fortunate enough to be a contestant at filming yesterday where Tim Vine was the DC guest. He was simply awesome, both backstage and in front of the cameras too.

AnnieHall · Post by **AnnieHall** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:42 pm

I was contacted today by Sarah about my appearence next week on the show... and the DC guest will be? Amanda or Susan lamb or something- some unknown journalist apparently, oh well- bang goes my chance of meeting somebody famous...............

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:45 pm

AnnieHall wrote:I was contacted today by Sarah about my appearence next week on the show... and the DC guest will be? Amanda or Susan lamb or something- some unknown journalist apparently, oh well- bang goes my chance of meeting somebody famous...............

Amanda Lamb is a television presenter, who presents those foreign property shows that sometimes come on around Countdown. She has received complaints about her cleavage before when she has appeared as a panellist on five's The Wright Stuff, so now that cleavage rules have been relaxed on Countdown (for DC guests at least), male members may be a bit more happy than you evidently are to see her.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:46 pm

AnnieHall wrote:I was contacted today by Sarah about my appearence next week on the show... and the DC guest will be? Amanda or Susan lamb or something- some unknown journalist apparently, oh well- bang goes my chance of meeting somebody famous...............

I don't know who Susan Lamb is, but Amanda Lamb is pretty hot. Is that any consolation?

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:46 pm

AnnieHall wrote:I was contacted today by Sarah about my appearence next week on the show... and the DC guest will be? Amanda or Susan lamb or something- some unknown journalist apparently, oh well- bang goes my chance of meeting somebody famous...............

If it's the gorgeous Amanda Lamb off of A Place in the Sun, I'd hardly call her unknown.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:47 pm

AnnieHall wrote:I was contacted today by Sarah about my appearence next week on the show... and the DC guest will be? Amanda or Susan lamb or something- some unknown journalist apparently, oh well- bang goes my chance of meeting somebody famous...............

Must be the TV presenter Amanda Lamb, from Channel 4's A Place In The Sun and those other shows she does. Damian did mention above that she was going to be on the show.

D Eadie wrote:Dr Hilary Jones, Amanda Lamb, John Parrott and Greg Wallace to name but a few.

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:53 pm

Derek Hazell wrote:male members may be a bit more happy than you evidently are to see her.

Change that "may" to a "will" on the evidence of four males rushing immediately to reply about her in the five minutes after you posted!

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:57 pm

Derek Hazell wrote:
Derek Hazell wrote:male members may be a bit more happy than you evidently are to see her.
Change that "may" to a "will" on the evidence of four males rushing immediately to reply about her in the five minutes after you posted!

In fairness three of them are gay and the other has a distinctly camp avatar.

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:03 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:In fairness three of them are gay and the other has a distinctly camp avatar.

Almost replied with a Jim Davidson-esque "ooh Charlie, you naughty boy" then, but Phil would never talk to me again if I did.

AnnieHall · Post by **AnnieHall** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:07 pm

She's unknown to me- I don't watch any reality telly

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:10 pm

AnnieHall wrote:She's unknown to me- I don't watch any reality telly

She's on realty telly mostly

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:22 pm

AnnieHall wrote:She's unknown to me- I don't watch any reality telly

Who said anything about reality telly?

Rosemary Roberts · Post by **Rosemary Roberts** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:23 pm

Jon Corby wrote:
AnnieHall wrote:She's unknown to me- I don't watch any reality telly
She's on realty telly mostly

AnnieHall · Post by **AnnieHall** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:49 pm

Well, she could be next to me on a bus and I wouldn't have a clue who she is.
Never seen "A Place in the Sun"

Karen Pearson · Post by **Karen Pearson** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:45 pm

I wonder if Greg Wallace is going to shout?

JimBentley · Post by **JimBentley** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:55 pm

Karen Pearson wrote:I wonder if Greg Wallace is going to shout?

I think that's a given. He only has two modes, the talking one (shouting) and the not talking one (looking a bit constipated). But hey, I'm happy to be proved wrong, he might be amazing.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:42 am

Was anyone at the shows that are to be broadcast w/c November 9th?

Everywhere there seems to be different messages going around.

Who was in DC? Was it Tim Vine, as some people say, or was it the author Marian Keyes, as most TV guides say? Does anyone know the answer?

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:36 pm

James Robinson wrote:Was anyone at the shows that are to be broadcast w/c November 9th?

Everywhere there seems to be different messages going around.

Who was in DC? Was it Tim Vine, as some people say, or was it the author Marian Keyes, as most TV guides say? Does anyone know the answer?

The DC guest on the week commencing 9th November is definitely Tim Vine.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 1:33 pm

I thought it was. I believe Martyn Simpson was playing that day and he said it was Tim Vine, but I was wondering if it was some elaborate hoax played by him. I didn't think it was, but there you go.

I wonder if Marian Keyes was the original guest and she had to pull out

If only there was someone who works on the show who could tell us the answer.

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:26 pm

James Robinson wrote:I wonder if Marian Keyes was the original guest and she had to pull out

The listings are obviously wrong, it was always Tim Vine, we've never booked Marian Keyes.

Davy Affleck · Post by **Davy Affleck** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:16 pm

Is the Sun secretly sponsoring Countdown? There seems to have been a few "writers" from this right wing rag on recently.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:07 pm

D Eadie wrote:
James Robinson wrote:I wonder if Marian Keyes was the original guest and she had to pull out
The listings are obviously wrong, it was always Tim Vine, we've never booked Marian Keyes.

Thank goodness, Tim Vine is definitely the best new guest this year. He was brilliant when I was doing my shows and he even remembered me when I went to the first Manchester recordings in May.

Having said that, I've just read that he's on Celebrity Total Wipeout over Christmas, so I can't wait to see how he does on that.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a18 ... ealed.html

Martyn Simpson · Post by **Martyn Simpson** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:23 pm

James Robinson wrote:I thought it was. I believe Martyn Simpson was playing that day and he said it was Tim Vine, but I was wondering if it was some elaborate hoax played by him. I didn't think it was, but there you go.

I wonder if Marian Keyes was the original guest and she had to pull out If only there was someone who works on the show who could tell us the answer.

I'm not normally a player of elaborate hoaxes, but if I was, please rest assured that I would come up with something a tad more interesting than lying about the DC guest!

Sue Sanders · Post by **Sue Sanders** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:17 am

Charlie Reams wrote:
Derek Hazell wrote:
Derek Hazell wrote:male members may be a bit more happy than you evidently are to see her.
Change that "may" to a "will" on the evidence of four males rushing immediately to reply about her in the five minutes after you posted!
In fairness three of them are gay and the other has a distinctly camp avatar.

Yep, everyone's gay, regardless of their sexuality. 'We get it'

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:01 am

Sue Sanders wrote:Yep, everyone's gay, regardless of their sexuality. 'We get it'

Haha, I have a beautiful image of you spending hours browsing through my old posts looking for some way you could make exactly the same joke as me, and evidently still failing to find one where it would actually make any sense, but rather than give up you just completely miss the joke and then post some kind of confused accusation of homophobia, although the whole post is so baffling that I'm really not sure. Must be those awesome social skills you keep bragging about!

Sue Sanders · Post by **Sue Sanders** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:34 am

Charlie Reams wrote: joke

Optimistic description

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:36 am

Super Sue Sanders, Champion of the People wrote: Optimistic description

You're not able to understand jokes which are not about penises. We get it.

Chris Corby · Post by **Chris Corby** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:44 am

Phil Reynolds wrote: If it's the gorgeous Amanda Lamb off of A Place in the Sun, I'd hardly call her unknown.

I think it is actually Amanda Mutton - she just dresses up like Lamb.....

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:50 am

Chris Corby wrote:I think it is actually Amanda Mutton - she just dresses up like Lamb.....

Haha. Imagine the pre-show introductions in the green room:

"This is Amanda Mutton, Jeff."

"Amanda who?"

"Mutton, Jeff."

"Pardon?"

etc.

Chris Corby · Post by **Chris Corby** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:53 am

Sue Sanders · Post by **Sue Sanders** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:58 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:
Sue Sanders wrote:Yep, everyone's gay, regardless of their sexuality. 'We get it'
Haha, I have a beautiful image of you spending hours browsing through my old posts looking for some way you could make exactly the same joke as me, and evidently still failing to find one where it would actually make any sense, but rather than give up you just completely miss the joke and then post some kind of confused accusation of homophobia, although the whole post is so baffling that I'm really not sure. Must be those awesome social skills you keep bragging about!

Nope Charlie, don't think you're homophobic. But you put your gaydar on and it appears to be faulty.

Browsing your posts? Again. Nope.

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:07 pm

Charlie Reams wrote:Must be those awesome social skills you keep bragging about!

Well I'm a misanthropic antisocial bastard, and she managed to socialise with me - so she may be onto something.

David Roe · Post by **David Roe** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:46 pm

Rumour has it that one of the Premier League's finest centre halves (Clark Carlisle, Burnley) is due to be on in January. Can anyone confirm?

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:01 pm

David Roe wrote:Rumour has it that one of the Premier League's finest centre halves (Clarke Carlisle, Burnley) is due to be on in January. Can anyone confirm?

Are we talking as a contestant or DC guest?

He did win Britain's Brainiest Footballer or something along those lines a couple of years ago.

Surely, he'll be too busy trying to keep Burnley in the top flight?

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 2:55 pm

D Eadie wrote:
Derek Hazell wrote:From today's Metro:

"Steve Jones* has admitted his lust for Countdown girl Rachel Riley - so bosses have offered him the chance to appear in Dictionary Corner . . ."
News to me.

I have just discovered that in a similar story, on 19th October 2006, The Sun reported on page 3 that David Hasselhoff was begging Countdown bosses to let him be a "judge" in Dictionary Corner, because he fancied Carol Vorderman.

Yet more evidence of all newspaper stories about Countdown being nonsense probably.
But, at least it gets talked about.

Ian Fitzpatrick · Post by **Ian Fitzpatrick** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 2:57 pm

Derek Hazell wrote:
D Eadie wrote:
Derek Hazell wrote:From today's Metro:

"Steve Jones* has admitted his lust for Countdown girl Rachel Riley - so bosses have offered him the chance to appear in Dictionary Corner . . ."
News to me.
I have just discovered that in a similar story, on 19th October 2006, The Sun reported on page 3 that David Hasselhoff was begging Countdown bosses to let him be a "judge" in Dictionary Corner, because he fancied Carol Vorderman.

Yet more evidence of all newspaper stories about Countdown being nonsense probably.
But, at least it gets talked about.

Did Liz Thomas (of the Dail Mail) work for the Sun in those days then?