Former England football star Matt Le Tissier to appear on Countdown

Former Southampton star Matt Le Tissier will swap Soccer Saturday for Countdown to become the fourth professional footballer to appear on the Channel 4 show.

Passed my contestant audition for @C4Countdown . Be filming in autumn

Le Tissier, 46, announced on Twitter he has passed his contestant audition and will be filming this autumn.

The eight-cap England international has previously appeared as the show’s Dictionary Corner guest, memorably solving a numbers round puzzle which had foxed both contestants – including an eventual series semi-finalist – and resident maths expert Rachel Riley.

He joked with Rachel on the social media site about his upcoming appearance.

“Hope you’ve brushed up on the numbers,” Le Tissier said to the Oxford graduate as he announced his upcoming appearance.

Rachel Riley.

Matt issued a challenge to Rachel Riley, who presents Channel 4′s Countdown (Peter Byrne/PA)

 

He faces stiff competition for bragging rights from his fellow ex-pros who hold eight victories between them – former Norwich man Adrian Coote failed to secure the Countdown teapot, but Clarke Carlisle won three games and Neil MacKenzie won five en route to a series quarter-final berth.

Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling was a host of Countdown before Nick Hewer took the reins, as was former BBC and ITV sports anchor Des Lynam.

 

 

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