Lynam Leaves Countdown: Repercussions Rock TV World
Des Lynam left Countdown this weekend, bringing to an end one of TV’s longest running and most acrimonious rows over contractual obligations. In a shock compromise that is sure to change the industry, Lynam was allowed to leave the Leeds-based quiz show, but only on the condition that his moustache carry on working on a new series of the show. ‘I’m devastated,’ said a clearly shocked Lynam at a TV awards ceremony in London. ‘I’m beginning to think that people only liked me for my moustache. Hey! Don’t they know that I’m also a man… with feelings… and the need to feel loved by beautiful brunettes and blondes everywhere?’
Meanwhile, Carol Vorderman has been seen sporting the moustache when she opened the Bradford Garden Festival. ‘It’s a bit strange at first,’ she admitted, ‘but once you get used to the idea of carrying a bit of TV history beneath your nose, you don’t mind the way it seems to wiggle whenever it gets near an attracting young lady.’ The moustache was unavailable for comment, but through its agent it said: ‘I’m looking forward to many more productive years on Des’s top lip, but for the moment, I’d like to take some time to work on some projects of my own.’
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Oh I really wish I had not seen that photo with a mouthful of lemsip. I now have the hiccups and a screen pebbledashed in cold and flu relief
E.
October 2nd, 2006 at 10:08 pm
Oh, sorry to hear you have the flu, Eliza. I was a bit rough last week.
Here’s an interesting fact to cheer you up: did you know that no pictures of Des Lynam’s mouth actually exist? What you can see above are the teeth of the great Gene Hackman. Now, doesn’t that make you feel better?
Of course, that isn’t really Carol Vorderman’s moustache. It actually belongs to Esther Rantzen.
November 13th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
[...] Channel 4 admit they’re taking a gamble on their choice of new Countdown host, but TV bosses insist that this is the only way that new talent will make it to the UK screens. The search for a new host has been one fraught with difficulties, as we reported earlier in the year, but the choice of O’Connor is seen as a brave one. [...]
January 2nd, 2007 at 11:14 am
Glad to see the back of Lynam and that unhygienic lump of hair under his big snout. I stopped watching Countdown after a whilewhen he came on. I always thought Carol hated his guts. Thank goodness Des O Connor is taking over!!!
Moira
January 2nd, 2007 at 11:18 am
Is it true that Lynam was asked to shave his moustache but refused on the grounds that if he did shave it off people would see he’s just a grumpy old po faced fart?
March 7th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
having watched countdown live many times Des Lynam is a lovely, kind man who everytime he came over to talk to the audience was interrupted by carol vorderman who swans around like lady docker.
unfortunately des left and we now have the most boring man In the world des o connor and the only person who seems happy about it is carol.
the only words des seems to know are “whats happened to the scores” “let me tell you the scores” which he says about 500 times during each show.
oh and I forgot “what about the corner”
March 7th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
I’m with you Peter. Lynam is a living god. Not got much time for O’Connor. Eric and Ernie made his career as far as I can tell.