[SuperSajuuk]

I can agree with the above. I religiously watched Countdown during the Nick Hewer times, and when he left [for understandable reasons], I basically stopped watching because it felt too wooden. When Colin returned as temporary host after Anne quit, I started watching again and now its back on the series link record because he's just the perfect host for the programme imo: he gets involved in all aspects that he can, he makes viewers at home feel like they're part of the show and he's clearly been a long term fan of the programme before he became host. All of that adds to a winning formula to be host of the programme imo.

[fanoftv]

I totally agree. I have watched the programme a few times recently and it flows a lot better than before with Anne & Nick (imo). I personally still miss the studio audience as (again imo) it feels a little flat. However, I do love that they still mention days and celebrations.

[JMT1985]

In the future, one person who could become host of Stephen Fry, who is also a huge fan of the show, and loves it so much that he would make a great host - he would probably be brilliant at both words and numbers with that mind of his, which feels like is the size of Westminster Abbey.

---

Are they still not producing the show with a studio audience? The Covid restrictions are long gone - feels like a bit of laziness here, not worth bothering offering tickets, and recording the episodes in an even more conveyor belt style of production

Do they still record five shows a day?

[Spencer]

In the future, one person who could become host of Stephen Fry, who is also a huge fan of the show, and loves it so much that he would make a great host - he would probably be brilliant at both words and numbers with that mind of his, which feels like is the size of Westminster Abbey.

He has presented it before.

youtu.be 

[JMT1985]

He has presented it before.

youtu.be 

SLOBLOCK - I wonder if that would pass dictionary corner now in 2023?

[SuperSajuuk]

In the future, one person who could become host of Stephen Fry, who is also a huge fan of the show, and loves it so much that he would make a great host - he would probably be brilliant at both words and numbers with that mind of his, which feels like is the size of Westminster Abbey.

---

Are they still not producing the show with a studio audience? The Covid restrictions are long gone - feels like a bit of laziness here, not worth bothering offering tickets, and recording the episodes in an even more conveyor belt style of production

Do they still record five shows a day?

The lack of audience is a cost-cutting measure: remember that getting an audience requires a whole range of other costs to be included, such as the need to pay for stewards to make sure only ticketed people entered the studio, security to monitor for suspicious audience members, insurance to cover for any incidents involving audience members, the floor manager needing to keep the audience in check etc. These all mount up over the course of a series, and cutting that out from a production allows them to focus the money on other things instead.

Also, to my understanding, the studio used by Countdown now doesn't support audiences being present in any way at all. If they wanted audiences back, they would have to pay more for a larger studio to support having an audience. In todays' highly inflated society, there's just no scope for Channel 4 to support bringing it back. I wouldn't say no to them having a limited audience for series finals though, then it won't cost as much and will make the final more authentic.

As for number of episodes per day, as confirmed by a contestant who'd appeared on the programme on another website, its 6 a day now with breaks of 2-3 weeks in filming at presumably scripted parts of the year.

[Brekkie]

It's still 5 a day at the moment based on the weekly rotation of guests- they just did one six episode day to get back in sync to the guest appearing Mon-Fri.

I can't see that changing considering Colin has an evening job too.

[JMT1985]

The lack of audience is a cost-cutting measure: remember that getting an audience requires a whole range of other costs to be included, such as the need to pay for stewards to make sure only ticketed people entered the studio, security to monitor for suspicious audience members, insurance to cover for any incidents involving audience members, the floor manager needing to keep the audience in check etc. These all mount up over the course of a series, and cutting that out from a production allows them to focus the money on other things instead.

Also, to my understanding, the studio used by Countdown now doesn't support audiences being present in any way at all. If they wanted audiences back, they would have to pay more for a larger studio to support having an audience. In todays' highly inflated society, there's just no scope for Channel 4 to support bringing it back. I wouldn't say no to them having a limited audience for series finals though, then it won't cost as much and will make the final more authentic.

As for number of episodes per day, as confirmed by a contestant who'd appeared on the programme on another website, its 6 a day now with breaks of 2-3 weeks in filming at presumably scripted parts of the year.

Countdown has used Dock10 studios in Salford for many many years, when Yorkshire Television studios mostly closed down (only local news and Emmerdale being made there) and so they initially moved to Granada Studios, before moving into Dock10 when Granada Studios closed. 

Dock10 has large studios which they could use - HQ4 is a studio they used, and probably currently use, which has space for an audience of around 300 - so it is not about the size of studio that is the problem, it seems when Covid hit, this was of course the main reason for having no audience, but when all restrictions were abolished, and life returned to normal, the production seemed to think why waste our time in bringing in an audience again. 

However, with all that saved cash, what else can they spend it on in Countdown, larger salary for Colin, Rachel and Susie? Probably benefits Channel 4's current cost cutting measures.

[Johnr]

I went to see Countdown in the late Nick Hewer era and even then they struggled to get an audience…most of them were regulars anyway

Dudley Doolittle was a good warm up though!

[nwtv2003]

I went to see Countdown in the late Nick Hewer era and even then they struggled to get an audience…most of them were regulars anyway

Dudley Doolittle was a good warm up though!

Unfortunately the low studio numbers was common during the Jeff Stelling era. I went to a recording at Granada Studios and there were barely 30 people in the audience. In one episode in this recording block an audience member guessed the Conundrum and the production team asked a few people to move seats to make it look less empty on camera.

A shame they no longer have a studio audience yes, but utterly understandable. From memory for the afternoon block of recordings they gave you free food and drink also. 

I would also add Dudley was a great a warmup man. You might not recognise his face, but you’ve certainly heard his laugh.