'Rock' mathematician makes Countdown debut

An Oxford and Cambridge university lecturer and YouTuber has made his debut on TV quiz Countdown.

Dr Tom Crawford, who has more than 200,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel Tom Rocks Maths, is the show's first-ever male arithmetician.

He is filling in as numbers expert for regular co-presenter Rachel Riley, and made his debut alongside host Colin Murray and lexicographer Susie Dent, with Sir Stephen Fry in Dictionary Corner.

He told the BBC: "I still can't believe I did it. I can't believe this whole thing happened."

Dr Crawford is lecturer and public engagement lead at the department for continuing education at Oxford, and a lecturer in applied mathematics at Cambridge.

His YouTube channel aims to share his love of maths "whilst trying to make it accessible for everyone".

He took time out from his timetable at Oxford to watch the first pre-recorded show go out on Monday afternoon.

"I've scheduled in that one hour and I'm just going to sit there, have a late lunch, and watch myself in complete disbelief on TV," he said before transmission.

Introducing Dr Crawford on the show, Colin Murray said: "Things are really exciting around here... we've got a new member of the Countdown family."

The number cruncher, who was dressed smartly in a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, admitted to the studio guests and audience that he was a "little nervous but very excited".

He was called into action several times in the numbers rounds when the contestants failed to solve the tricky calculations, working out sums on the white board to applause.

At the show's conclusion, Sir Stephen joked: "He's fine. His handwriting's a little smaller than Rachel's."

Ms Dent remarked: "I think he fitted right in. I'm very impressed."

Dr Crawford told the BBC he received a "mysterious" email about an "interesting TV opportunity", which led to his first audition on a mock up of the Countdown set.

"They were throwing number puzzles at me," he explained. "And you've got the music going in the background."

Dr Crawford, who has a love of alternative rock music and is considering getting a new tattoo to commemorate his Countdown debut, conceded he did not have the stereotypical look of a mathematician.

But he said: "With any profession, with any group of people, there will always be a range of people.

"The best email I ever received was a few years ago and it was the parent of a teenager, and it just said he was losing his way and didn't think he could become a mathematician because he was a bit alternative.

"And he found what I was doing and she said he changed as a person, and she just wanted to reach out to me as a mother.

"I'm getting warm fuzzies thinking about it. It's crazy that I possibly have this effect on anybody, but it's so heart-warming and awesome to know that I might have."

Rachel Riley, who is working on another project for three weeks while Dr Crawford picks up the baton, said: "Countdown viewers are in great hands with Tom, who is a brilliant mathematician and a lovely guy.

"He's also used to people commenting on the clothes he wears, or lack of them on his show, so I am sure he will take to the role like a duck to water."

Previous to Rachel Riley, Carol Vorderman looked after the numbers on the show for more than 26 years.

Countdown was the first programme to be broadcast on Channel 4 when it launched in 1982, and has been a dependable daytime hit for the broadcaster ever since.

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