Countdown champion charged with stabbing rival gameshow contestant at a tournament
October 13, 2024, at 3:20 PM
A past winner of Countdown has been arrested following an incident where a competitor was stabbed during a competition.
John Cowen, 30, was taken into custody following claims that he attacked an opponent with a knife during the Countdown in Blackpool 2024 event in Lancashire.
The incident occurred at the Wainwright Club located on Hornby Road in Blackpool on September 14.
The individual involved, described as a man in his twenties, was transported to the hospital for medical care after the event.
The official yearly competition brings together previous champions from the beloved Channel 4 game show to compete against one another.
Cowen has been formally accused by Lancashire Police of causing injury and having a sharp weapon in his possession.
The puzzle show, hosted by Nick Hewer and Rachel Riley, has been a regular feature on daytime TV since its debut in 1982.
Math prodigy Cowen, hailing from Morecambe, took part in 12 episodes of the series in 2017, achieving eight straight victories before finally losing.
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The mathematics graduate achieved the third highest score of the series during his very first appearance in series 77.
In the end, he came just one point away from becoming a member of the prestigious '800 club', a goal reached by only a small number of competitors.
Throughout his time as a contestant on the gameshow, he achieved four perfect scores and consistently excelled in the numbers challenge, which is the area of expertise for co-host Rachel Riley.
Cowen, from Morecambe in Lancashire, has been taken into custody and is scheduled to stand trial at Preston Crown Court on Monday.
