Fiona Wood Becomes First Female Countdown Champion in 26 Years

Fiona Wood, a forensic accountant from Kinross, Scotland, has made history by becoming the first female champion of Countdown in 26 years, winning the title after defeating Chris Kirby in a tightly contested final. The match culminated with Wood correctly identifying 'lassitude' as the final conundrum, which means a state of physical or mental weariness. This victory is significant as Wood is only the sixth woman to win the show since its inception in 1982, with the last female champion being Kate Ogilvie in 1998. Following the final, Wood expressed her satisfaction with her decision to compete, noting that she was inspired by host Colin Murray's appeal for older contestants and encouragement for more women to apply. Susie Dent, a long-time presenter on the show, praised Wood's performance as one of the best moments in Countdown's history and highlighted the show's accessibility for everyone. Channel 4 reported a surge in applications from women following Wood’s victory, hoping her win will inspire even more female contestants to participate in the future.