Richard Whiteley 1943-2005. Photograph: PA
Daytime television is bereaved. So are anagram fanatics, word geeks and people who are very good at mental arithmetic. Countdown had a brilliantly simple format, but it it is impossible to imagine it would have enjoyed a 23-year run had it not been for the understated charm of host Richard Whiteley. He had a modest charisma, softly magnetic like the pieces in a travel chess set, just enough to keep you fixed on the game.
Teatime, self-deprecating genial humour, the pursuit of trivia and unabashed dilettantism - it is a combination that made Countdown iconic in a uniquely British way. It was a national treasure. Richard Whiteley was the John Peel of quiz programmes. The Observer blog honours his memory.
