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Subject: Carol Vorderman 'forced' to quit Countdown

Written By: Philip Eno on 07/28/08 at 1:01 am

Read more on BBC News Online

Presenter Carol Vorderman felt forced to leave Channel 4 quiz show Countdown after she was told to take a 90% pay cut, her manager has said.

Agent John Miles said Vorderman, 47, had been told the series survived the death of host Richard Whiteley in 2005, and could "easily survive without you".

Vorderman, a co-host since its 1982 start, said she wanted everyone "to know the truth" about her departure.

A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: "We never comment on presenters' salaries."

Vorderman, who is reported to earn in the region of £900,000 a year from the show, announced she was leaving on Friday.

Mr Miles said his client had offered to accept a pay cut of one-third, in line with a 33% budget cut being imposed on the show by ITV Productions, which makes Countdown for Channel 4.

But he said she felt she was left with no alternative but to leave after she was told to take or leave an offer of 10% of her current salary, and given 48 hours to decide.

Subject: Re: Carol Vorderman 'forced' to quit Countdown

Written By: robby76 on 07/28/08 at 5:10 am

No offence to Richard Whiteley (RIP) but he wasn't the most enigmatic presenter. Carol Vodermann though is so much more the face of Countdown and it definitely won't be the same show without her. She probably had one of the most talked about 'makeovers' in recent history.

Her salary seems astronomical though and I suppose a 90% pay cut is a bit demeaning.

On a side note, she's written about in Piers Morgan's autobiography as being a bit of a witch. My empathy for her has been marred slightly ever since.

Subject: Re: Carol Vorderman 'forced' to quit Countdown

Written By: Bobby on 07/28/08 at 5:46 pm


No offence to Richard Whiteley (RIP) but he wasn't the most enigmatic presenter. Carol Vodermann though is so much more the face of Countdown and it definitely won't be the same show without her. She probably had one of the most talked about 'makeovers' in recent history.


There was one redeeming feature about Richard Whiteley and that was he knew he had absolutely no charisma whatsoever and made fun of it.

There definitely would be no Countdown without Carol Vordermann but I reckon they needed her more after Whiteley's death.

I read that the present presenter ( ???  ;D) Des O' Connor is leaving the show at the end of the year so I reckon Channel 4 will revamp it and attempt to unsuccessfully make it trendy for the kids.

Her salary seems astronomical though and I suppose a 90% pay cut is a bit demeaning.

The way I see it, if Vordermann has been assisting in the show since it's introduction I don't blame her for commanding a decent salary. If I was her I would look for new ventures as she has proven there is life for her beyond Countdown.

On a side note, she's written about in Piers Morgan's autobiography as being a bit of a witch. My empathy for her has been marred slightly ever since.


Really? Oooooh, I may do some research . . . Though I am inclined to take any former tabloid newspaper editor's opinion with a pinch of salt.

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