Oh good grief, why is there all this fuss over a glorified game show host quitting Countdown? I must have missed the memo informing me that Carol Vorderman had been inaugurated in the national treasure hall of fame. What of particular merit has she done for 26 years apart from stick letters up on a board and add up some numbers for a massive salary that she only apparently had to work for 40 days a year to earn. Be still my bleeding heart…
Ahem… Sorry, rant over…
The news that Vorderman was to leave Countdown broke just days after Des O’Connor announced he would be leaving the show, after two years in the hot seat previously occupied by Richard Whiteley and, briefly, Des Lynam. The reasons for Vorderman’s wish to depart appear to stem from an earlier disagreement with producers over the notion of introducing a premium rate phone line element to the long-running show. Oh, and the small matter of an alleged 90 per cent pay cut from a salary rumoured be over £1 million
Now while I sympathise with Ms Vorderman’s plight to an extent - that’s quite a hefty reduction in salary - but let’s take a step back from this for a second. For a rumoured seven figure salary PER YEAR, Vorderman did little more than do what Brucie’s Dolly Dealers did on Play Your Cards with an oversized pack of cards. Was it really realistic that ITV, which makes the show for Channel 4, could sustain that level of salary in the face of dwindling advertising revenues and looming financial uncertainty? While I wouldn’t like my salary cut by 90 per cent (who would?), Carol Vorderman is hardly going to be on the breadline… As a supposed source behind the scenes at ITV has said:
“Carol wasn’t forced out. Yes, she was asked to take a substantial pay cut but would still have been paid £2,000 a day for sticking up some numbers. Not bad work if you can get it. We make the show for Channel 4 and they cut the budget.”
Harsh, perhaps, but fair. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like Carol Vorderman, I always have, but this foot stampy reaction from a gaggle of friends and Countdown guests in the press is a little hard to fathom. I’m sure that ITV and Channel 4 are terrified that weather girl Sian Lloyd has said:
“It’s an insult. It’s hard to imagine what appeal the show will have without her.”
I’d probably start with maintaining that Countdown is, with or without Vorderman, an insidiously simple yet robust format. With a new presenting team in the future, I would hazard that it will remain a popular lynchpin in Channel 4’s daytime schedule. I’d be more upset if Suzy Dent suddenly vacated her seat in Dictionary Corner - there sits the real power behind the Countdown throne, mark my words!
Rick Wakeman, another member of Vorderman’s celebrity army and frequent guest in DC, has bravely stepped into the fray to defend his friend and colleague, saying:
“People can make themselves irreplaceable like Bruce Forsyth on The Generation Game and I think lots of people do tune in for Carol.”
Um, would it be churlish of me to point out that Larry Grayson took The Generation Game to even greater ratings success following Brucie’s first departure in 1978, and continued for a further seven years with Jim Davidson after his second departure in 1995? Perhaps not the best example to use, but full marks for trying.
Has Carol Vorderman been treated shabbily? I think there’s a case to say that perhaps she has. However, to hold down the same job in television for 26 years, and to be paid quite handsomely for a large portion of that time, well, it’s not to be sniffed at, is it? Perhaps Vorderman should treat this is an opportunity to reinvent herself, to go out and try something new. Let’s face it, she isn’t going to starve if it all goes wrong. And if she does, Ms Vorderman could get always take out a loan to consolidate her debt…
Maybe she could get one of the loans that she constantly advertises?
The woman sickens me, anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that to "consolidate your debt" only brings more misery.
She should know that, yet continues to advertise.
I have always loved Countdown, but unfortunately the rather fake laughter from Carol Vordeman irritates the heck out of me. She does appear to want to monopilise each show and it really grates. As Mark Wright correctly points out, the understated presence of the lovely Suzy Dent is a breath of fresh air. How about letting her do the whole show on her own??
An interview with Richard Whiteley's widow confirmed those £1 million rumours of Vorderman's salary are completely untrue.
In addition, it's more about the legacy of the show. Carol was the first female on Channel 4, on the first programme. And she has undoubtedly performed intricate arithmetic actually engaging her brain - which is substantially more than just, "stick(ing) letters up on a board and add(ing) up some numbers...".
She is an appeal of the show, despite what you may think. She's part of it, and the programme makers/producers are absolute fools for treating her so badly. And I don't mean just the pay cut (altho 90% seems huge), but for the way they dealt with this. Leaking a story about her being unhappy with money, when, again taking from what Whiteley's widow said, Carol didn't want to ask for a lot of money when everyone else is going thru this credit crunch. She didn't want to alienate fans of the show.
So when you consider what rubbish the channel is leaking to discredit Carol and protect themselves, and the fact a lot of ardent fans are very disappointed, I think it's perfectly understandable why this has caused such a stooshie!
Didnt she get the boot from the BBC show Tomorro,s world for doing ads in a tomorro,s world type fashion.....If i remember right she used her post on the show to get INTELLEGENT ads and use the shows format for her own gains........she sounds wiffy 2 me
Maybe someone should ask Carol's 'colleagues' about how they really wont miss her.
And by colleagues I mean the behind-the-scene staff.
What with all the kerfuffle over Carol Vorderman I reckon Jane's got it right...! "Let Suzy Dent run the show on her own," she says...!!
That's gotta be the BEST IDEA - "like a breath of fresh air"...!!!
Hey...! - isn't it high time show-biz celebs came out into the cold and started taking massive pay cuts, anyway...? Presenters simply don't NEED to be paid more than a high street a desk-jockey behind a building society desk - if that...!! Most people crave such work for the sheer limelight alone, and - (yep, to quote Carol herself...!) - would "probably do it for free"...!!!
Emmy, I'm not sure Carol was the first woman on Channel 4. As she only did the numbers back then, wouldn't the letters woman have been the first one on?
This just seems to be another of those myths that have surrounded Vorderman lately, as if she wants to seem indispensable. 5 years ago, she seemed to be looking for a way out but now it seems no-one wants her and she's clinging on for what she can get.
It is being harsh though, i mean a more realistic cut would be say 60-70%, with a 90% cut (based on she earns £1 million), her new salary would be £100,000 - plenty for most yes and the company would be saving £900,000. However i am sure they could get a deal at £300,000. Then again she does get stupid amounts of money from the adverts, which drive me crazy... Personally i think shes ok, clever but nothing really speical, i would much rather see someone else. She could try her luck at being another actor in eastenders or the bill that could work for her.
She's an old hag. Get rid of her and get some fresh blood in.
Carol was not the first woman on Channel 4
Cathy Hytner was first..she put the letters out...Beverley Isherwood was second..she put the numbers out..and Carol was the third..she came on and did the sums
Wow, I never realised how much people didn't like Carol...I have to say that personal feelings aside - she has done the show for aeons and it was never the same when Richard died, so to lose Carol too is like "I'm a Celeb"...without Ant or Dec (as an aside perhaps she'll be the next one in the jungle..who knows??).
I agree, she is just a Dolly who can add...and loads of people can add up. She isn't irreplacable and Carol does has other ventures too, there are always more loan companies who'll offer marketing work.
However, if they can the show, what will Suzy do? She's the one I'd be worried about...
Carol has been extremely lucky. I did Calander Countdown as a local programme for YTV from which it was bought by channel four. .The orignal producer was killed in a helicopter crash and replaced by the late John Meade. He tried to get rid of me but was forced to get me back. over the years he auditioned others for my job in studio time, cut my clothes budget, insulted and ignored me alternately, and even turned up pissed in my bed in my hotel room, from where I threw him out. He finally sacked me, then shortly afterwards was sacked himself. The good gvuys took over. Michael Whylie became producer, Carol was allowed to speak, the rest is history. I was so disgusted I changed career and went to work in the law.
regards Cathy hytner