There is someone else in the numbers corner this week!
Countdown is back this week with a new batch of episodes for its 2025 season, and some longtime viewers will realise that one key figure is missing.
Starting today (Monday 24th February), Colin Murray will be joined by Dr Tom Crawford as a new group of contestants race against the clock to pit their wits against words and numbers.
But what about Rachel Riley? It was recently announced that the TV presenter wouldn't be appearing in upcoming episodes, with Dr Crawford stepping in for her.
Keen to find out why Rachel Riley isn't on Countdown this week? Read on to find out more.
Rachel Riley is temporarily stepping down from Countdown while she focuses on another project, with newcomer Dr Crawford stepping in for the numbers expert while she is away.
Riley, who has been on the show since 2009, confirmed the news on her Instagram with a post wishing luck to Dr Crawford.
"Best of luck to @tomrocksmaths for the next few weeks on Countdown!" the presenter wrote beneath a post.
It continued: "Dr Tom will be keeping my numbers warm from Monday for the next 3 weeks whilst I'm away. I had a good excuse, I’ll tell you more soon.
"We’re both Oxford maths geeks and ambassadors for @national_numeracy so you’ll barely notice the difference. Have fun Tom, and all our lovely viewers, have fun watching!"
Dr Tom Crawford is a mathematician who obtained an undergraduate degree in Maths from Oxford in 2012.
He then went on to complete his PhD in Fluid Dynamics at the University of Cambridge and specialises in Applied Maths.
He is also a Fellow by Special Election in Mathematics at St Edmund Hall at the University of Oxford.
Dr Crawford has his own YouTube channel, Tom Rocks Maths, with over 200,000 subscribers.
Countdown airs Mondays to Fridays at 2:10pm on Channel 4.
Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
By entering your details you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Subscribe to Radio Times and get £10 issues for £10 !
Calculate for FREE and find out how you could enjoy the money you unlock!
Save 1/3 on a year's membership, plus receive a £15 voucher to spend in RHS Cafes.