Channel 4's Countdown champion charged with stabbing rival contestant

Laura Harman published this article on October 13, 2024, at 12:55 PM, and it was updated later that same day at 4:56 PM.

A champion from Countdown is facing charges after allegedly stabbing another contestant during an incident in Blackpool that occurred last month.

On September 14, John Cowen, who is 30 years old, was taken into custody during the Countdown event in Blackpool 2024.

The event is a yearly competition where past winners of a Channel 4 game show compete against one another.

During the competition, Cowen reportedly assaulted his opponent with a knife and faced charges for intentionally causing harm under section 18, as well as for carrying a blade while the victim was present.

After the event, a young man in his twenties was transported to the hospital for medical care.

The past champion comes from Morecambe in Lancashire. They have been detained and will be appearing at Preston Crown Court on Monday.

Cowen is a math whiz who first appeared on the show in 2017 and achieved the third-highest score in the history of the series.

The contestant came across the nine-letter word "spreading" during their time on the show, which is quite an impressive achievement for participants on Countdown.

Cowen made appearances in 11 additional episodes, achieving victory in eight straight competitions before eventually being defeated.

Countdown is a cherished television program in the UK that has been on the air since 1982.

The format has stayed largely unchanged since the 1980s, making it one of the longest-running game shows in Britain, with more than 8,000 episodes aired.

Since its launch, the program has featured seven primary hosts and has led to multiple television spin-offs such as Countdown Master, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and Celebrity Countdown.

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