Countdown Champion is charged with stabbing rival at tournament
Written by Frankie Elliott for Mailonline
Posted: 11:00 BST, October 13, 2024 | Revised: 13:11 BST, October 13, 2024
A former champion from Channel 4's Countdown has been accused of stabbing another competitor during a tournament.
John Cowen, 30, was taken into custody after reportedly stabbing his rival during the Countdown in Blackpool 2024 event held in Blackpool, Lancashire, on September 14.
He faced charges of wounding with intent under section 18 and having a knife, while the victim, a man in his twenties, was transported to the hospital for medical care.
The event, taking place at the Wainwright Club in the town, is a yearly competition where previous champions from the Channel 4 game show face off against one another.
Cowen, who studied mathematics, first appeared on the Channel 4 program in 2017. He achieved the third highest score across the entire series and successfully identified the nine-letter word "spreading."
John Cowen (shown in the photo) was taken into custody for reportedly assaulting his competitor with a knife during the Countdown in Blackpool 2024 event held in Blackpool, Lancashire, on September 14.
After making his debut on the show in 2017, Cowen came back for the Championship of Champions XV series in 2019 (as shown in the photo).
He went on to participate in 11 more episodes, achieving victory in eight straight competitions before ultimately being beaten.
In Series 77, Cowen fell just one point short of entering the 800 club. However, he still managed to score four centuries and excelled in the numbers rounds, consistently opting for six small numbers each time he played.
After winning all eight of his heats and achieving the title of octochamp, he returned to compete in the series finals as the third seed in December 2017.
In the quarter-finals, he decisively defeated fellow unbeaten competitor Michael Pfeffer, identifying the nine-letter word "antinodes" to secure a victory of 105 to 49.
In the semi-finals, he competed against Bradley Horrocks and was defeated after providing an incorrect answer for his last six selections.
In Series 77, Cowen fell just short of reaching the 800 club by a single point. However, he still managed to score four centuries and did remarkably well in the numerical challenges.
Cowen made his debut in series 77 of the Channel 4 program (shown: Countdown host Rachel Riley during an episode featuring Cowen).
The Countdown in Blackpool 2024 event is a yearly competition that brings together past champions of the Channel 4 quiz show to compete against one another.
The Countdown in Blackpool 2024 event took place at the Wainwright Club (as shown in the photo) this September.
Two years later, Cowen came back to compete in the Championship of Champions XV series, but once again he faced Mr. Horrocks in the quarter-finals and ended up losing.
In this match, the two players had a tightly contested game, with Horrocks ultimately winning with 99 points, just edging out Cowen, who scored 96 points. Both players ended up answering the key conundrum incorrectly.
Cowen, who hails from Morecambe in Lancashire, has been ordered to remain in jail and is scheduled to stand trial at Preston Crown Court on Monday.
