A HOSPITAL worker who made it into TV history books as one of the highest ever scorers on long-running game show Countdown is flying again.
Austen Allen, from Ardara, is jetting off to England this week to record the quarter-finals of the champions of champions’ episodes.
And he revealed to the Donegal News that his recent high-scoring, eight-episode performance was his second time on Countdown – after he also applied when he was just 16 years old.
Austen Allen, from Ardara, was entered into the Countdown history books as one its highest ever scorers.
Austen said: “To be honest, it’s still sinking in that I won eight episodes and become an Octo-champ.
“I was really nervous at first. They flew me over on the Sunday. I recorded one episode Monday evening, then five on Tuesday, and two more on Wednesday.
“Coming back on the Tuesday felt like the first episode all over again so it took one or two to settle in again.
“I started watching as a teenager, I was always good at the numbers, but not as good at the letters.
“I kept practicing and decided to apply. I aced my audition and appeared on the show when I was 16 but came up short.
“I watched on and off for a good few years, but originally you couldn’t go back on again, so I thought that was that.
“In recent years they changed the rules so I decided to apply again.”
He added: “Meeting Colin, Susie [Dent] and Rachel [Riley], along with all the production team was great.
“They’re all so friendly and really made me feel at home.
“I would absolutely recommend anyone to apply and give it a go. It’s a great way to challenge yourself and whether you win or lose, it’s a brilliant day out.
“The next step is the quarter-finals, which are being filmed this coming week along with the semi-finals.
“The grand final will be recorded in October. I’m heading over on Tuesday to film the quarters on Wednesday.”
Countdown co-host Rachel Riley. Credit: Channel 4.
Austen, who works at Letterkenny University Hospital, was a huge hit on Channel 4’s long-running word challenge show Countdown last week.
He won the maximum permissible eight episodes in a row to become an octo-champ and entered into Countdown’s finals.
He clocked up a staggering 865 points in his eight games – a phenomenal average of 108 points per game.
Countdown legend Austen made sure of glory by winning his eighth episode – which comprises 15 rounds of letters and numbers – on a score of 125 to 51.
In his eight episodes, Austen scored 108, 108, 107, 104, 110, 101, 102, and 125.
Show host Colin Murray, from Belfast, has been a fan of the show for decades and said: “The most consistent centurion I’ve ever known.”
Countdown began in 1982, is in its 94th series, and has broadcast nearly 9,000 episodes.