
Countdown is a show/game show series airing on UK television.
The broadcast scheduled for 6 February 2026 is a television episode that falls within the words‑and‑numbers genre. Presented as a programme rather than a series, it follows the familiar format of a quiz‑style show where contestants tackle both linguistic and numerical challenges. The episode is structured to blend quick‑fire rounds with more reflective segments, keeping the pace lively throughout. At the heart of the show is the words‑and‑numbers game, a hybrid contest that tests participants' vocabulary knowledge and arithmetic agility. Players are prompted to solve puzzles that require them to decode letters, form words, and perform calculations under time pressure. The blend of wordplay and number work creates a balanced challenge that engages both sides of the brain. The episode is presented by Colin Murray and Rachel Riley, who take on the role of hosts. Murray guides the flow of the game, introducing rounds and keeping contestants on track, while Riley adds her expertise in numerical puzzles, offering insights and encouragement as the competition unfolds. Their combined presence aims to maintain an upbeat atmosphere throughout the broadcast. Joining them in Dictionary Corner are Dr Ranj Singh and lexicographer Susie Dent. Singh contributes medical and scientific perspectives when word meanings intersect with health topics, whereas Dent provides authoritative explanations of word origins and usage. Their collaboration in the corner adds depth to the linguistic portion of the show, offering viewers additional context for the puzzles presented.
It’s a long‑established game that mixes wordplay with numerical challenges.
Colin Murray and Rachel Riley take on the presenting duties for the words‑and‑numbers competition, steering contestants through each round and keeping the pace lively. In the show's Dictionary Corner, Dr Ranj Singh joins regular resident Susie Dent, offering his expertise and adding a fresh perspective to the linguistic side of the programme. Together, the trio creates a balanced mix of maths‑based challenges and wordplay, with Murray and Riley handling the main gameplay while Singh and Dent provide the necessary lexical support. The format remains unchanged, with the hosts guiding the action and the Dictionary Corner team supplying the essential definitions and language insights.
It’s a long‑established game that mixes wordplay with numerical challenges.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the show, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. In each episode, contestants are put under a time limit, challenging them to solve a series of word‑based and numerical puzzles. The trio of hosts guide the participants through the rapid‑fire rounds, offering clues and keeping the pace brisk. With the clock ticking, players must rely on quick thinking and a solid grasp of vocabulary and arithmetic to stay ahead. The format pits mental agility against the pressure of time, making every round a fast‑paced contest of wit. Viewers watch as the tension builds with each ticking second, highlighting the contestants’ sharpness.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the show, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. In each episode, contestants are put under a time limit, challenging them to solve a series of word‑based and numerical puzzles. The trio of hosts guide the participants through the rapid‑fire rounds, offering clues and keeping the pace brisk. With the clock ticking, players must rely on quick thinking and a solid grasp of vocabulary and arithmetic to stay ahead. The format pits mental agility against the pressure of time, making every round a fast‑paced contest of wit. Viewers watch as the tension builds with each ticking second, highlighting the contestants’ sharpness.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the show, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. In each episode, contestants are put under a time limit, challenging them to solve a series of word‑based and numerical puzzles. The trio of hosts guide the participants through the rapid‑fire rounds, offering clues and keeping the pace brisk. With the clock ticking, players must rely on quick thinking and a solid grasp of vocabulary and arithmetic to stay ahead. The format pits mental agility against the pressure of time, making every round a fast‑paced contest of wit. Viewers watch as the tension builds with each ticking second, highlighting the contestants’ sharpness.
It’s a long‑established game that mixes wordplay with numerical challenges.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the show, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. In each episode, contestants are put under a time limit, challenging them to solve a series of word‑based and numerical puzzles. The trio of hosts guide the participants through the rapid‑fire rounds, offering clues and keeping the pace brisk. With the clock ticking, players must rely on quick thinking and a solid grasp of vocabulary and arithmetic to stay ahead. The format pits mental agility against the pressure of time, making every round a fast‑paced contest of wit. Viewers watch as the tension builds with each ticking second, highlighting the contestants’ sharpness.
It’s a long‑established game that mixes wordplay with numerical challenges.
Colin Murray, with his quick‑wit presenting style, joins Rachel Riley, whose mathematical background adds a sharp edge, to host the words‑and‑numbers competition. Together they steer the contestants through a blend of lexical puzzles and arithmetic challenges, offering commentary, keeping the tempo lively and ensuring each round flows smoothly. In Dictionary Corner, dating specialist Mel Schilling appears alongside regular resident Susie Dent. Schilling contributes relationship advice and insights, while Dent delivers her usual authoritative commentary on spelling, word origins and usage, providing a balanced mix of love‑related tips and linguistic expertise for the audience, to viewers at home and for the studio participants alike.
Colin Murray, with his quick‑wit presenting style, joins Rachel Riley, whose mathematical background adds a sharp edge, to host the words‑and‑numbers competition. Together they steer the contestants through a blend of lexical puzzles and arithmetic challenges, offering commentary, keeping the tempo lively and ensuring each round flows smoothly. In Dictionary Corner, dating specialist Mel Schilling appears alongside regular resident Susie Dent. Schilling contributes relationship advice and insights, while Dent delivers her usual authoritative commentary on spelling, word origins and usage, providing a balanced mix of love‑related tips and linguistic expertise for the audience, to viewers at home and for the studio participants alike.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the show, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. In each episode, contestants are put under a time limit, challenging them to solve a series of word‑based and numerical puzzles. The trio of hosts guide the participants through the rapid‑fire rounds, offering clues and keeping the pace brisk. With the clock ticking, players must rely on quick thinking and a solid grasp of vocabulary and arithmetic to stay ahead. The format pits mental agility against the pressure of time, making every round a fast‑paced contest of wit. Viewers watch as the tension builds with each ticking second, highlighting the contestants’ sharpness.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the show, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. In each episode, contestants are put under a time limit, challenging them to solve a series of word‑based and numerical puzzles. The trio of hosts guide the participants through the rapid‑fire rounds, offering clues and keeping the pace brisk. With the clock ticking, players must rely on quick thinking and a solid grasp of vocabulary and arithmetic to stay ahead. The format pits mental agility against the pressure of time, making every round a fast‑paced contest of wit. Viewers watch as the tension builds with each ticking second, highlighting the contestants’ sharpness.
Colin Murray teams up with Rachel Riley to present the words‑and‑numbers quiz, guiding contestants through the mix of vocabulary and arithmetic challenges. In the programme’s Dictionary Corner, dating specialist Mel Schilling sits alongside Susie Dent, offering his relationship insights while Dent provides the usual lexical commentary. Together, the trio adds a blend of expertise – Murray and Riley handling the main game, Schilling contributing his matchmaking perspective, and Dent delivering the definitive word definitions. Their combined presence shapes the episode’s distinctive format, which unfolds in a lively, fast‑paced setting, keeping the focus firmly on the interplay of language, numbers and a touch of romance‑related advice.
Colin Murray teams up with Rachel Riley to present the words‑and‑numbers quiz, guiding contestants through the mix of vocabulary and arithmetic challenges. In the programme’s Dictionary Corner, dating specialist Mel Schilling sits alongside Susie Dent, offering his relationship insights while Dent provides the usual lexical commentary. Together, the trio adds a blend of expertise – Murray and Riley handling the main game, Schilling contributing his matchmaking perspective, and Dent delivering the definitive word definitions. Their combined presence shapes the episode’s distinctive format, which unfolds in a lively, fast‑paced setting, keeping the focus firmly on the interplay of language, numbers and a touch of romance‑related advice.
Colin Murray teams up with Rachel Riley to present the words‑and‑numbers quiz, guiding contestants through the mix of vocabulary and arithmetic challenges. In the programme’s Dictionary Corner, dating specialist Mel Schilling sits alongside Susie Dent, offering his relationship insights while Dent provides the usual lexical commentary. Together, the trio adds a blend of expertise – Murray and Riley handling the main game, Schilling contributing his matchmaking perspective, and Dent delivering the definitive word definitions. Their combined presence shapes the episode’s distinctive format, which unfolds in a lively, fast‑paced setting, keeping the focus firmly on the interplay of language, numbers and a touch of romance‑related advice.
Colin Murray teams up with Rachel Riley to present the words‑and‑numbers quiz, guiding contestants through the mix of vocabulary and arithmetic challenges. In the programme’s Dictionary Corner, dating specialist Mel Schilling sits alongside Susie Dent, offering his relationship insights while Dent provides the usual lexical commentary. Together, the trio adds a blend of expertise – Murray and Riley handling the main game, Schilling contributing his matchmaking perspective, and Dent delivering the definitive word definitions. Their combined presence shapes the episode’s distinctive format, which unfolds in a lively, fast‑paced setting, keeping the focus firmly on the interplay of language, numbers and a touch of romance‑related advice.
On the episode dated 12 February 2026, the panel is fronted by Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. Together they steer the show as participants tackle a rapid‑fire challenge, and the trio shares presenting duties, while Schilling offers his lexical insights from Dictionary Corner. Contestants are required to think on their feet, pitting their knowledge of language against arithmetic under a ticking clock. Each round forces them to solve word‑based puzzles, spell out answers and carry out calculations before time expires, putting their mental agility to the test. The time pressure adds urgency, making every second count as participants scramble to deliver correct responses.
On the episode dated 12 February 2026, the panel is fronted by Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. Together they steer the show as participants tackle a rapid‑fire challenge, and the trio shares presenting duties, while Schilling offers his lexical insights from Dictionary Corner. Contestants are required to think on their feet, pitting their knowledge of language against arithmetic under a ticking clock. Each round forces them to solve word‑based puzzles, spell out answers and carry out calculations before time expires, putting their mental agility to the test. The time pressure adds urgency, making every second count as participants scramble to deliver correct responses.
On the episode dated 12 February 2026, the panel is fronted by Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. Together they steer the show as participants tackle a rapid‑fire challenge, and the trio shares presenting duties, while Schilling offers his lexical insights from Dictionary Corner. Contestants are required to think on their feet, pitting their knowledge of language against arithmetic under a ticking clock. Each round forces them to solve word‑based puzzles, spell out answers and carry out calculations before time expires, putting their mental agility to the test. The time pressure adds urgency, making every second count as participants scramble to deliver correct responses.
On the episode dated 12 February 2026, the panel is fronted by Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. Together they steer the show as participants tackle a rapid‑fire challenge, and the trio shares presenting duties, while Schilling offers his lexical insights from Dictionary Corner. Contestants are required to think on their feet, pitting their knowledge of language against arithmetic under a ticking clock. Each round forces them to solve word‑based puzzles, spell out answers and carry out calculations before time expires, putting their mental agility to the test. The time pressure adds urgency, making every second count as participants scramble to deliver correct responses.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the programme, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. Together they guide each episode, introducing the challenges and keeping the pace lively. Contestants then compete against a relentless timer, putting their mental agility to the test as they tackle puzzles that blend vocabulary and arithmetic. Each round demands quick thinking, as participants must decipher clues, solve equations and spell words before the seconds run out. The blend of linguistic and numerical challenges creates a fast‑paced contest that showcases both breadth of knowledge and speed of recall. Viewers watch as the hosts cheer on the players, adding humour and insight throughout.
Colin Murray, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent take turns presenting the programme, while Mel Schilling occupies the Dictionary Corner. Together they guide each episode, introducing the challenges and keeping the pace lively. Contestants then compete against a relentless timer, putting their mental agility to the test as they tackle puzzles that blend vocabulary and arithmetic. Each round demands quick thinking, as participants must decipher clues, solve equations and spell words before the seconds run out. The blend of linguistic and numerical challenges creates a fast‑paced contest that showcases both breadth of knowledge and speed of recall. Viewers watch as the hosts cheer on the players, adding humour and insight throughout.