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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Channel 4 Countdown: 'Absolutely phenomenal' student breaks records | Channel 4 Countdown: 'Absolutely phenomenal' student breaks records |
| (4 months later) | |
| Tom Stevenson solved the Countdown Conundrum in three seconds on the way to his score of 154 | Tom Stevenson solved the Countdown Conundrum in three seconds on the way to his score of 154 |
| A university student has broken two records on Channel 4's quiz programme Countdown. | A university student has broken two records on Channel 4's quiz programme Countdown. |
| Tom Stevenson, 21, followed up a record score of 154 points by being the first person to progress without losing a round on the show. | Tom Stevenson, 21, followed up a record score of 154 points by being the first person to progress without losing a round on the show. |
| The University of Worcester student, of Burford, Shropshire, said he wanted to "prove something" after getting three Ds in his A-levels. | The University of Worcester student, of Burford, Shropshire, said he wanted to "prove something" after getting three Ds in his A-levels. |
| Show host Colin Murray, said it was an "absolutely phenomenal" performance. | Show host Colin Murray, said it was an "absolutely phenomenal" performance. |
| He broke the record with the final Countdown Conundrum, despite being told by Murray the significance of the moment. | He broke the record with the final Countdown Conundrum, despite being told by Murray the significance of the moment. |
| The student cracked the anagram UNLETOVER in just three seconds - read on to discover the solution. | The student cracked the anagram UNLETOVER in just three seconds - read on to discover the solution. |
| He is now through to the final at the end of the year. | He is now through to the final at the end of the year. |
| Overcoming agoraphobia | Overcoming agoraphobia |
| Despite dealing with that pressure, Mr Stevenson said he often suffered from anxiety in pressured situations, describing his A-level results as feeling like "the end of the world". | Despite dealing with that pressure, Mr Stevenson said he often suffered from anxiety in pressured situations, describing his A-level results as feeling like "the end of the world". |
| He said he thought he had been "hard done by" in those results and wanted to show he was "more than them". | He said he thought he had been "hard done by" in those results and wanted to show he was "more than them". |
| Mr Stevenson started watching Countdown when he was at school, but said he really got into watching it regularly because of his agoraphobia, which he said had become less of a problem over time. | Mr Stevenson started watching Countdown when he was at school, but said he really got into watching it regularly because of his agoraphobia, which he said had become less of a problem over time. |
| He said: "I could hardly leave the house and watching Countdown helped me to pass the time." | He said: "I could hardly leave the house and watching Countdown helped me to pass the time." |
| Tom Stevenson remained undefeated over 120 rounds of Countdown | Tom Stevenson remained undefeated over 120 rounds of Countdown |
| It also helped him develop strategies, he said, and when he got his chance, he went into the studio prepared. | It also helped him develop strategies, he said, and when he got his chance, he went into the studio prepared. |
| "I did a bit of practice, mainly because I wanted to avoid being trounced by some sort of 16-year-old whiz-kid who swallowed a dictionary." | "I did a bit of practice, mainly because I wanted to avoid being trounced by some sort of 16-year-old whiz-kid who swallowed a dictionary." |
| As well as beating the previous high score of 152 points, he became only the fourth contestant to score more than 1,000 points across a series of episodes and went through 120 rounds without a single loss. | As well as beating the previous high score of 152 points, he became only the fourth contestant to score more than 1,000 points across a series of episodes and went through 120 rounds without a single loss. |
| Mr Murray joked that if he wins the end of season finals without dropping a round, "we should just cancel the show, because that would be it". | Mr Murray joked that if he wins the end of season finals without dropping a round, "we should just cancel the show, because that would be it". |
| Mr Stevenson said he was aware of the record of 152 points in a round, but was unaware whether his record 154 points, which included three, maximum, nine-letter words, still stood. | Mr Stevenson said he was aware of the record of 152 points in a round, but was unaware whether his record 154 points, which included three, maximum, nine-letter words, still stood. |
| "I just went with the flow", he said. | "I just went with the flow", he said. |
| The Countdown Conundrum was: VOLUNTEER. | The Countdown Conundrum was: VOLUNTEER. |
| Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | |
| Tenbury Wells |