Events
Countdown is Filth - Brought to you by Gazz Wood -
The week of Gem inspired events is not yet over, as she secured us 8 tickets to go see Countdown filmed.
James has already been to Countdown once before, during the Live From New York Street era, but this was the first time so many of us had witnessed the show, as well as the first time we would all see the Leg.End that is Des Lynam in the flesh.
There was no way we were gonna let this momentous occasion simply slide by, so we ferried in the one man who could make it that bit more special. Gemma's Dad, Rodge. He's actually attended an event before, making an appearance at the Graduation Screening back in the summer of '05, but what better way to begin the year than with a reappearance of a LeedsMeUp.com Senior, which what I've just this second decided to call the parents of our members. I'm sure they'll love it.
Making up the LeedsMeUp.com studio audience was Gazz, James, Youd, Gem, Claire, Nath, Pete and obviously Rodge. When you get to ITV Yorkshire, which is what YTV is now called, they make you hang around in the reception before you can go into the studio itself. Upon arrival it's pretty clear that we are the youngest group of people in attendance, even with Rodge knocking up our average age to about 28. I haven't done the maths, but if you have then please... go outside. It's important that you do.
There's loads of posters about to showcase just what amazing television they have going on down there. This includes Booze Cruise and My Parents Are Aliens. Two top quality hits such as those, shot mere moments from our front door, was enough to send us giddy.
Gem spotted Vorderman making her way to the studios, and later she caught a glimpse of Dictionary Corner special guest, Leslie Garrett. That's probably not how she spells it, but I'm buggered if I'm looking her up on Google. She'll just have to sit with it.
Ushered into the studio, we're seated and given note pads and pens so we can play the game as well. I'm fairly shit at the numbers, but sometimes the letters do me all right I was hoping that tonight would be one of those times. We were issued instructions by the Floor Manager and then warmed up, oddly enough, by Warm Up comedian Dudley. Lovely fella. Made a crack about Claire and James being a couple, which I laughed my ass off about. Inside of course, because if I draw attention to myself I'm next. Thankfully he bypassed me and went right to Pete, alluding to the fact that he is a biker. He wishes.
Actually later on he called Rodge 'Big Fella', which I'm not sure he was too keen on, and he got one in about Nathan and then Gemma, so me and Youd were the only ones left unscathed.
The action kicked off shortly after we were introduced to the living Leg.End herself, Carol Vorderman. She's a lovely woman, bit orange, and she told us a story featuring the late Richard Whitely, a Countdown Tie, an unfortunately placed radio mic and the word Cunt. She didn't say cunt, because there were old folks about, but she might as well have done. We knew she wanted to.
Then it was time to meet the man himself. Desmond Lynam.
You might not think it to look at him, but that bastard is almost 6'2". He's an imposing figure, in his 'tache and sharp as you like suit. The old boy is smooth too, like Barry White for football fans and pensioners.
They cracked on with the game, Leslie Garrett found an excuse to sing and I realised that the other lass in the corner, Susie Dent, is actually pretty fit.
It's a little known fact that they shoot two shows simultaneously, then sheen the audience out, get a new bunch in, and shoot another two shows. I think we were in for the final two, because it was about 9 when we left and I can't see the olds sticking around to those hours.
Tonight they were shooting for January 28th and 30th, what with Countdown now being on Saturdays too, Des was understandably excited about the FA Cup fourth round. They got on with the action of playing Countdown and for a while I was doing pretty shit. Five letter words aren't gonna cut it in this game. James did pretty good with the numbers, but then he's a nerd, so I didn't feel too bad. After a time I managed an 8 letter word, Nitrates, which is better than the contestants got, as well as being the best they could come up with in Dictionary Corner. I felt accomplished.
After the show they sheen on, get changed, say goodbye to the loser [who is then forced to sit in the audience with everyone who just saw them lose] and in about fifteen minutes they re-emerge, new gear on, and shoot another show. The whole thing lasts about 2 and a half hours, what with pick ups and retakes of stuff, but it's very well organised. Everyone knows what they're doing and there's even an old fella who pulls the lever for the Countdown Conundrum board.
After the show we're invited to head down to the floor and meet the cast, all except Des, who must have buggered off back to Brighton pretty sharpish, I was sad that I couldn't meet Lynam, who is after all the sexiest man on television, but I did get a few words with Vorderman and Gemma even got her autograph, so no wasted journeys.
I decided to fuck off Leslie Garrett and we all made our way out, Youdy spotting a poster for the Batley Variety Club, which is obviously somewhere he played as a young buck on the Yorkshire folk music scene.