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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Sarah Scott

Countdown: Colin Murray confirmed as permanent host of show

Colin Murray has been confirmed as the new permanent host of Countdown.

The 45-year-old had temporarily filled in for Anne Robinson, who stepped down as host last year, but now the Dundonald man will be the permanent face of the popular Channel 4 show.

The announcement was made on Wednesday on Steph's Packed Lunch, with presenter Steph McGovern teasing: "Here's a hint. They were once part of a week day double act alongside a famous Scot."

READ MORE: Colin Murray on why Countdown is his dream job and one of the best nights of his life

A conundrum was also placed on screen for fans to guess, reading: "MINAORCURLY."

He removed his wig as the announcement was made and said: "I'm an accidental radio presenter, than an accidental TV presenter and a print journalist."

Susie Dent tweeted: "The news is out! And it’s wonderful. Congratulations Colin Murray on nabbing the best seat on TV (I may be biased) and becoming the permanent Countdown host. We are very lucky to have you."

Speaking to Belfast Live previously, Colin said: "Countdown was my favourite programme growing up. When I first moved to London, I had this agent and she said we had to put a short bio about me on the website and I had fallen into radio by accident, and we wrote this thing up, 'Colin is a Radio 1 DJ, etc etc, and the last thing I wrote was, 'Colin's dream is one day to present Countdown'.

"I remember my agent laughing at me saying, 'what are you putting that down for, you're 24?"

"She also looked after Richard Whitely at that time who sadly passed away. There will never be anyone like Richard Whitely, he is the Godfather of Countdown and we all aim to be half as good as he was.

"So I had that connection and then it was after Richard that I ended up going into Dictionary Corner and from there Susie Dent and I got on great and we've had a friendship ever since, so I kind of became part of the family of a show that I absolutely love."

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