SBS drops Letters and Numbers for Countdown
SBS has axed its teatime letters and numbers based TV show Letters And Numbers.
The cash-strapped network made the announcement on the show’s Facebook page late on Friday afternoon.
The post has already drawn nearly 500 messages of protest.
The show – which ran for five seasons and more than 400 episodes -is based on the format of the French show Des Chiffres et Des Lettres. It is hosted by Richard Morecroft, David Astle and Lily Serna.
It will be replaced by the UK show Countdown, which follows the same format and is the longest running quiz show on British television.
Linkedin
Genuine shame, was a surprisingly decent show and it taught my son his letters and numbers.
User ID not verified.
Countdown is tons better.
User ID not verified.
Ahh, it will be just like living in London and being unemployed all over again…
While it’s a shame to lose local production, Countdown is (or was, I haven’t seen it for nearly 20 years…) a better show – not so stiff as the Australian version, but I’m not sure the C-list soapie stars and celebrity renovators they wheel out as co-judges will be relevant to an Aussie audience. We’ll see.
User ID not verified.
I know you didn’t mean to leave the confusion open, but to be sure: the french show is the original of BOTH letters and numbers, and countdown, right? “follows the same format” not being quite the same..
Wondering why SBS didn’t import the french original?
User ID not verified.
Local Content SBS???
Shame
User ID not verified.
If they’re looking to cut some production costs, why not go for some Street Countdown?
User ID not verified.
I love the music of Countdown. Letters and numbers (Aussie version) was so bring!! So grey and dull.
Shame though; local content is good. UK imports are better than US imports though. French imports? You have to be kidding don’t you?!!
User ID not verified.
boring* not bring?
User ID not verified.
Seeing that she will now be out of work, let me know if Lily decides to do maths tutoring.. I have a child that could use her help.. big time!
User ID not verified.
Very sad to hear of Letters and Numbers demise. Particularly since I haven’t had a chance to compete in a finals series after being the last retiring champion in season 5. I encourage people to visit the SBS website and sign up as a contestant, maybe it will make a difference and the show will return. Being a contestant on L&N was a lot of fun and I developed a new appreciation for the contestants and hosts.
User ID not verified.
Oh, do let it be era that Carol Vorderman and Richard Whitley fronted Countdown rather than the current series. TV GOLD!
User ID not verified.
Spare a thought for the (now unemployed) ‘percussionist’ behind the L&Ns countdown 30-second clock that would keep perfect time as the contestants calculated and then he/she would go double-time in the last 10 seconds. They never faultered and kept perfect rhythm! What a beating …
User ID not verified.
There’s still a chance of this decision being reversed if there is enough public support for the show (or perhaps the ABC being encouraged to pick it up instead). I encourage anyone who wants this to happen to visit http://lanfans.org/ — have a vote, leave a comment, spread the word.
User ID not verified.
I am 84 and becoming less active, after a busy lifetime, both teaching and learning,-in many facets of education.
Along with many other kindred spirits, Letters and Numbers has given me a new lease on life . It would be a dreadful waste of Australian talent to axe this show. The presenters and contestants never fail to entertain and stimulate. It would break my heart to see this wonderful, locally produced, vibrant and brilliant show passed over for an old imported version.Please don’t destroy the best program on Oz TV.
User ID not verified.
What a pity to see letters and numbers go. An excellent show and SBS will be the worse for it’s axing. Shame SBS.
User ID not verified.
Once again a great Australian show that encouraged use of the brain unlike the majority of the ‘brain dead drivel’ being show on television here has been axed.
It is amazing the logic of the ‘bean counters’ at SBS. I presume we once again will be shown some drivel found that can be shown for less dollars.
Why this happens so freqently to TV in Australia is beyond most
cheers Glen
User ID not verified.
Greatest pity to close letters and numbers. Best program on sBS. Please reconsider
User ID not verified.
Shame, SBS, shame.
If you want your voice to be heard about the”resting” of the show, go to http://www.lanfans.org
Let’s keep putting the pressure on SBS and they might reverse this stupid decision
User ID not verified.
I was amazed and dissapointed that such a great show has been axed. It was always enterating,educational and run professionally.
Hope SBS has a re-think and brings it back.
User ID not verified.
another cooking show? rather than letters and numbers? some good advice to the benefit of BOTH cooking AND thinking: consider (Old Testament) Exodus chapt. 16 verse 12 !!
User ID not verified.
SBS PROGRAMMING DEPARTMENT – DECISION RE LETTERS AND NUMBERS
Scene: SBS Boardroom (Actually the SBS staff lunch room – please vacate by 1200 and wash your own cups.)
Attendees: D. Witt (Vice President – Programming); NBG (Deputy VP -P); I. Diot (Assistant VP – P); Y. Mee (Acting Deputy Assistant VP – P); Q. Hushmemouth (Token Ethnic representative. Non-speaking part.)
DW: OK everyone – let’s get some rubber on the road and kick-start this meeting. Please be seated – Oh – there are only 3 chairs – that last round of fiscal readjustments meant we had to sell one – Yelverton – you lean up against the sink and of course, Quicknow will sit on the floor.
NBG: Right guys, this is a maxi important meeting so listen up to Dimmy.
DW: Much appreciated Noel. Now guys we need to consider this ridiculous situation with that stupid Letters and Numbers program. I mean what the hell is going on? We put it on at 6:00 pm when any right-minded viewer is glued to one of the quality programs on the real channels – and what happens? Just about the worst result we could hope for – it actually draws an audience – not just a few of the usual misfits who stumble on to SBS because they don’t know how to switch the remote to a real channel – but thousands – all over the country! For God’s sake – our career prospects will all be ruined.
YM: Sorry to intrude Sir, but aren’t we supposed to attract viewers? I’m only new here but I actually thought . . .
NBG: That’s your problem Yelverton, you have no chance of moving up the ladder in the TV game if you are going to develop bad habits like thinking! Everyone knows that the only reason we are all in this God forsaken backwater of the TV world is to get our foot in the door of a real channel.
DW: Noel’s spot on the money Yelvy – it’s true that we might have to get to the top by spending some time on the ABC; but with a bit of stickability and ensuring that we demonstrate that we can program down to the simplest mind in the community we can make the big time. God knows, we can even dream of reaching Channel Ten.
(A hushed reverence descends on the group.)
DW: (Still slightly misty eyed.) Right, guys – let’s start thinking outside the square. I want to hear some inspired program realignment – a few ideas about how we can save SBS – and our own career prospects – from this embarrassment that L & N has become.
ID: In my considered view the program fails in terms that would be measured by the real channels because of the words they use on the show. I mean to say; the average viewer couldn’t possibly understand most of the words after “Good evening”.
DW: Good point. Why do they think the news readers on the real channels spell each sentence out so that a 4 year old could understand what is being said? That point is made perfectly clear in every “Improve Your Advancement Options in TV” seminar I’ve ever attended. You cannot communicate unless you speak to the lowest possible level of intelligence. Why do you think Channel Ten has succeeded?
YM: I thought the numbers segment worked well. Only the other night Lily was doing sums and I . . .
NBG: Yelvy, Yelvy, Lily isn’t there to show people how to do sums! But of course, I keep forgetting you’re too young to remember the golden days of the Barrel Girls – every show had one – in fact, Channel Nine even considered including a Barrel girl in the 6:00 o’clock news. Now that’s when people running TV had some ideas and good taste.
YM: Perhaps we should look at the real channels and how their great shows succeed. Last Thursday I was watching . . .
DW: Listen up guys; I have just had a great idea. The real channels have had some remarkable success with some of their shows lately. It’s brilliant stuff that has been made to the intellectual level of a goldfish. That’s why they’ve succeeded!! We can do the same and revive our chances of a career on the real channels – and the renumeration that goes with those careers.
YM: shouldn’t that be “remuneration” Sir?
DW: So suddenly you’re David Astle? You’re a disappointment to me boy. You haven’t made one worthwhile contribution to this meeting and then you come up with that sort of stupid comment. Do you have anything at all to add to the meeting?
YM: Yes Sir, you’re right. On reflection I think renumeration is correct.
NBG: I think you’ll find, Yelverton that Sir wants some input into what we do with this bloody Letters and bloody Numbers show!
YM: Well, if I could pick up Sir’s brilliant idea perhaps we could look at something like that show on the real channel called ”The Voice” – and maybe have a show called something like “The Body” – and maybe Lily could . . .
NBG: I think you had better stop right there on that subject. SBS has enough of that sort of thing included in our foreign films. They’re always shown on the same night as all those brilliant Hitler shows that we get for nothing from that group in Argentina. Besides I don’t think Lily would go for that sort of thing. Only the other night she was prattling on about her Mother making her lasnia or some sort of foreign muck. What’s wrong with good old-fashioned American cooking? It’s a wonder she’s not on that “Biggest Loser” show on the real channel.
DW: Really listen up big time guys. I’ve had a brain flash. Lily . . . food . . . cooking . . . lifestyle show!
Right, we scrap this mumbo jumbo about lettuce and numbness and replace it with a proper show – just like they have on the real channels. We’ll put Lily into a food and lifestyle show! That will show them. Look at the weekly program guide. It’s crystal clear that the general public really want more food and lifestyle shows. I noticed only the other day that there was a half hour on Tuesdays that didn’t have a food and lifestyle show. Don’t you see; we can fill that void.
(All leap to their feet and break into spontaneous applause – except for Quicknow who moves onto his knees and asks if there will be biscuits soon.)
DW: Now, thank God I thought of that. Just in time too. The first lot of social losers will be here for lunch in a moment. Why do I have to all the brainwork around here?
Oh, and don’t forget to wash your cups or I’ll have to put up with the cleaning lady babbling on about it in broken English.
Copyright Colin Puls Melbourne July 2012.
User ID not verified.
The one good regular show SBS has made in years. Lily Serna is such an amazing role model for young girls. Such a shame to remove a stimulating, educative program where the hosts and participants are actually nice to each other! Australia needs programs like this, that don’t bring everyone down to the lowest Aussie denominator.
User ID not verified.
Great show. The numbers and letters really had my brain working overtime. Some I won and some I lost, either way it was better than sitting and just watching a lot of American sitcoms.
User ID not verified.