'8 out of 10 cats does Countdown' is a spin-off comedy show from the real thing, Diane. The original is MUCH less panto (despite my best efforts when I was on it), and was the very first programme on our Channel 4, when it was launched back in November, 1982. It's been an ever-present since then.
I was attracted to apply because of it's massive life-changing prizes. And even though I didn't manage to win the much-coveted dictionaries, I still left with a plastic Countdown carrier bag filled with a Countdown T-shirt, Countdown tie, Yorkshire TV writing pad, AND the name card they had Letrasetted for my appearance on the show. I know, I know - who could possibly ask for more, eh?
The producer who called me (these were pre-email times) after my audition in Edinburgh's Welcome Inn wanted to schedule me into a show with the legendary cartoonist Bill Tidy in Dictionary Corner, but I chickened out of that in case they made me draw something during the recording (Bill was notorious for drawing lightning fast cartoons... not something I can do), so when my episode was filmed, I had the joy of meeting the wonderful Sylvia Syms, then in her late 50s, but still fondly remembered for numerous films and TV dramas from her days as a young starlet, such as 'Ice Cold In Alex' (the famous beer-drinking scene famously being used, with Sylvia, in a Carlsberg advert -
https://youtu.be/ghb7X6pqNz0 ).
She was also the key player in my favourite memory from that day. The Countdown audiences were all bussed in from local senior citizen homes, and most of them were of the vintage to well-remember Ms Syms from her Hollywood starlet days. So they were clearly excited from the off when she appeared on set, and she was brilliant with them all, clearly enjoying the the adulation herself. Then half way through one of the shows (they did a week's worth in one full day), her clip-on microphone failed. The sound engineer suggested she went back to her dressing room to be rewired with a new one. She dismissed the idea, with a, "We're all friends here!" wave of her hand, then whipped off her blouse on the set, and was rewired through her undergarment. Amidst the gasps from the audience, I swear I could hear the bleeping of numerous pacemaker warning alarms...
It was a splendid day out, and the hospitality was excellent. I'd recommend it to anyone, even those are normally shy of the spotlight.