Countdown champion in court accused of knife attack on TV quiz rival

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A champion of the TV show Countdown has appeared in court accused of stabbing a rival contestant.

John Cowen, 30, appeared in the dock at Preston Crown Court, accused of wounding with intent and two counts of possession of a bladed article, prosecutor Mercedeh Jabbari told the court.

Cowen, who appeared on the popular TV quiz show in 2017, allegedly attacked Thomas Carey with a knife at the Countdown in Blackpool 2024 event at the Wainwright Club in Hornby Road in the Lancashire resort on September 14.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said at the time: “We were called at 11:35am on 14th September 2024 to a report of an assault on Hornby Road in Blackpool. Officers attended, and a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault and possession of a knife / bladed article.

“John Cowen, 30, was later charged with section 18 assault – wounding with intent and possession of a knife / bladed article in a public place. He was remanded and will appear at Preston Crown Court on 14th October.”

Mr Carey, himself a former Countdown champion and Cambridge maths graduate, was taken to hospital for treatment to an injury to his arm. Cowen was arrested at the event shortly after.

The defendant, from Morecambe, Lancashire, spoke only to confirm his identity at the brief hearing before Judge Darren Preston.

Wearing a grey pullover, he nodded as he was told he was to be remanded into custody at HMP Liverpool, until a further hearing on December 6.

The Countdown in Blackpool event is an annual tournament which pits former winners from the Channel 4 gameshow against each other.

Cowen scored the third highest total of the whole series he was a contestant on, as well as spotting the nine-letter word “spreading”.

He went on to appear in a further 11 episodes, winning eight consecutive contests before he was finally defeated.

Thomas Carey from Bingley, appeared on the Channel 4 show in June 2015, he came out on top and was the first contestant since 1986 to correctly answer all eight conundrums.