Countdown replaces Rachel Riley with tattooed YouTuber

Telegraph

20-02-2025

Rachel Riley has been temporarily replaced on Countdown by a tattooed YouTube mathematician who teaches equations in his underwear.
Dr Tom Crawford, known for his Tom Rocks Maths channel on the video-sharing website, will be standing in for Riley on the Channel 4 programme while she takes a break to work on another project.
The 35-year-old is a friend of Riley's and spent time with her to learn the ropes before stepping in as the game show's numbers expert.
He has more than 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, where he posts mathematics explainers, including by stripping off layers of clothing while simplifying sums in his 'Equations Stripped' series.
Riley joked that Dr Crawford was 'used to people commenting on the clothes he wears – or lack of them – on his show,' adding: 'So I am sure he will take to the role like a duck to water.'
Dr Crawford's goal with his series is to make ' elite mathematics teaching available to everyone' and some of his videos garner millions of views.
He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a PhD in Applied Mathematics in 2016 and is a mathematician at both Cambridge and Oxford universities.
The professor is also a lecturer in applied mathematics at Cambridge's Robinson College and, according to his official website, has 15 maths-themed tattoos – including one of his YouTube handle on his forearm.
Filming for the show began in December and Dr Crawford will appear alongside Susie Dent, Countdown's lexicographer, and Colin Murray, its main host, for the next three weeks.
Sir Stephen Fry will be in Dictionary Corner for Dr Crawford's first show, with Jenny Powell, the television and radio presenter, and Vick Hope, another radio presenter, also appearing as guests over the next three weeks.
Riley, a University of Oxford graduate who has been on the show since January 2009, said: 'Countdown viewers are in great hands with Tom, who is a brilliant mathematician and a lovely guy.'
Dr Crawford said: 'All of my work online is about sharing my love of maths with the world whilst trying to make it accessible for everyone.
'Countdown has been doing that for a generation, so it really is a dream come true to be joining this iconic show to cover Rachel. I may even have to get another tattoo to commemorate the event.'
Dr Crawford previously hosted a special Countdown edition of his YouTube series in 2020, where he brought on former contestant Kai Laddiman, the second youngest octochamp in the show's history.
Laddiman, who appeared on the Channel 4 show in 2008 at the age of 11, joined Dr Crawford and James Martin, another former Countdown contestant from 1997, in the video.
Dr Crawford also did a follow-up special episode related to the show titled 'How to Learn Maths and Become a Countdown Champion,' where he interviewed the same guests about their experiences on the programme.
Countdown was the first show aired on Channel 4 when the broadcaster launched in November 1982.
Adapted from the French TV series Des chiffres et des lettres (Numbers and letters), it was originally hosted by Richard Whiteley.
Subsequent presenters included Des Lynam, Des O'Connor and Jeff Stelling, with television and radio presenter Murray named the permanent host in 2023, following Anne Robinson's departure.
Carol Vorderman appeared on the show as assistant host, managing the letters board and checking calculations, for 26 years from 1982 until December 2008, and was replaced by Riley.
Riley, who is married to former Strictly Come Dancing professional Pasha Kovalev, was named in the 2022 New Year Honours list where she was made an MBE for services to Holocaust education and fighting anti-Semitism.
Countdown airs on Channel 4 every weekday afternoon from 2.10pm.