John Cowen, the former Countdown champion and maths graduate, has been charged with stabbing a rival during the Countdown in Blackpool 2024 tournament. The 30-year-old, who achieved the highest score of the 2017 series of the Channel 4 gameshow, was arrested after the alleged attack on September 14, 2024.
A man in his twenties was hospitalized after the incident, and Cowen now faces charges of section 18 wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article. The alleged victim’s identity has not yet been confirmed. Cowen, from Morecambe, Lancashire, will appear at Preston Crown Court on October 14, 2024, to begin his trial.
Details of the Incident
Lancashire Police confirmed the incident occurred on Hornby Road in Blackpool, where they responded to an assault report at 11:35 am. John Cowen was arrested at the scene on suspicion of section 18 assault and possession of a knife. The suspect was later formally charged with wounding with intent and possession of a knife in a public place. The investigation is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge during the trial.
John Cowen’s Countdown Legacy
John Cowen competed in 12 episodes of Countdown in 2017, where he won eight consecutive matches and earned recognition for his mathematical prowess. He made it to the Series 77 finals, defeating unbeaten player Michael Pfeffer with a score of 105-49 by identifying the nine-letter word “antinodes.” Despite his success, Cowen lost to Bradley Horrocks in the semi-finals and later in the Championship of Champions XV in 2019.
Cowen narrowly missed joining the elite Countdown “800 club” by just one point, but still managed to score four centuries during his heat games. His highest-scoring word during the series was “spreading,” which earned him the third-highest total score in the competition.
Countdown: A Long-Running Gameshow
Countdown is one of the world’s longest-running gameshows, airing since November 1982. The show has broadcast more than 7,500 episodes across 80+ series. It was the first programme to ever air on Channel 4 and is currently hosted by Anne Robinson, Rachel Riley, and Susie Dent.
Cowen’s trial is expected to gather significant media attention due to his previous fame as a Countdown contestant.
