Countdown for Cavanman
A Crosserlough man is set to appear on Countdown later this week.
Damian McEvoy, native of Gallonbawn, will put his numerical and literacy skills to the test on the popular game show this Friday, July 22.
Unlike most people, Damian wasn’t nervous about his appearance on the show.
“I was mostly excited. I had been waiting a long time for it so it was just big excitement for it to actually happen.”
The Breffni man was flown out to record the episode in early May.
“It was recorded in Media City just outside Manchester. It’s where all the big studios are, like ITV and BBC,” he revealed.
His friends and family are equally thrilled at his appearance on the show. “They’re all excited too. I will have people watching from Australia, Canada, New Zealand - all over the world.”
Damian has been interested in Countdown from a young age, when he would take part from the comfort of his couch in rural Cavan.
“Back when I was younger I would have watched it a bit more than I do now. I would play along with it and see how I’d do compared to them.
“It’s very different when you’re actually on the show than when you’re playing on your sofa at home.”
Finally, when COVID-19 hit, Damian decided it was now or never. He applied online and quickly received a call from the producers.
“I applied for it at the start of lockdown. They said I should be on as soon as that lockdown finished. They thought it would be in a couple of weeks. It has been a couple of years at this stage, but we got there!”
In order to secure their position on the show, each contestant must complete a phone interview. This consists of a series of games and tests, which determine suitability.
“I had to do a phone audition and I passed that. I had to do a few rounds of the game like they do on TV. They gave me a list of letters and a few sets of numbers. There was a conundrum to do as well.
“They obviously have some sort of minimum that you need to get to get onto the show so I managed to get that.”
Countdown is a British game show in which contestants go head-to-head to see whose literacy and numeracy skills are the strongest, all under the pressure of the countdown timer.
In the game’s most popular round, contestants are allocated random letters including a mix of consonants and vowels. The aim is to create the longest word using these letters. The person who creates the longest word before the countdown runs out, wins.
Damian’s appearance on Countdown will air this Friday, July 22 at 2.10pm.