8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (or Catsdown as shorthand) started in 2012. C4 had turned 30 and they had the idea of smashing together mismatched shows. I won’t repeat everything in this post but the hit show 8 Out of 10 Cats (see here) was paired up with the daytime “letters and numbers” show, Countdown.
It was launched properly the following year (here) and Jimmy had another hit series (still going strong).
This post is to be the main series listing, to link from the Bio and TV Shows pages and, eventually, to capture all the links to individual Catsdown show posts.
Note: As a bit of history – Jimmy appeared on the daytime Countdown in Dictionary Corner – see here.
Series Numbering
As British Comedy Guide notes (here – in the blue panel) C4 decided in 2018 to renumber the two 2013 specials as S1. What had originally broadcast as S2 then became S3 etc. This renumbering meant that they gave up on S15 and went straight to S16. I think I’ll stick with the BCG system and use the original numbers (with the C4 number in brackets).
It’s baffling that they did this as, depending on where you watch, the same show may show either series number (up to S14).
Just to confuse things even more – Australia and New Zealand sometimes get to see shows before the UK and under a completely different numbering system.
And BBC Nordic (?) have details of S14 (here) with images that are clearly post 2021.
Broadcast order
Comparing how many shows were broadcast in 2015, to more recent years, you can see how Jimmy got busier, lockdowns impacted filming, Sean got sick – and C4 had rumoured financial issues.
As linear TV struggles with reduced advertising revenues there was a time (see this 2023 story and this one from Percy Warren) when it was rumoured that C4 would have to be sold (although this 2024 report looks more hopeful).
The point being – all kinds of things interrupted the filming schedule and, for whatever reason, a lot of 2019 shows were held back and shown out of sequence.
2012
The original 2 mash up shows are detailed – here and you can watch it in Archive.org here.
The 2nd show was billed as The Rematch and can also be watched on Archive.org – here
Suzi Dent (Dictionary Corner) and Rachel Riley (mathematician) have been in the show from the start. Rachel missed a few shows, due to pregnancy, and individual posts will detail stand-ins etc.
2013
Series 1 (as it was eventually renamed) was originally only 2 episodes (specials) and the Team Captains were Jon Richardson and Lee Mack. Full details are Here.
S1 (S2) 2013
Jimmy, as host, is now joined by Sean Lock and Jon Richardson as Captains. This is the regular format – except for where Sean’s health or Jon’s tour commitments meant that other Captains stepped in.
Full series details are here.
- Ep1 – July 26 2013
- Ep2 – Aug 2 2013
- Ep3 – Aug 9 2013
- Ep4 – Aug 16 2013
- Ep5 – Sept 13 2013
- C4 80s Night – Sept 20 2013
S2 (S3) 2014
- Ep1 – Jan 3 2014 – series details HERE
- Ep2 – Jan 10 2014 – as above, Ep1, link
- Ep3 – Jan 17 2014 – as above, Ep1, link
- Ep4 – Jan 24 2014 – as above, Ep1, link
- Ep5 – Feb 21 2014 – as above, Ep1, link
- Ep6 – Feb 28 2014 – as above, Ep1, link
S3 (S4) 2014
- Ep1 – Jun 6 2014
- Ep2 – Jun 13 2014
- Ep3 – Jun 20 2014
- Ep4 – Jun 27 2014
- Ep5 – Jul 4 2014
- Ep6 – Jul 11 2014
- Ep7 – Jul 18 2014
S4 (S5) 2014
- Ep1 – Sept 5 2014
- Ep2 – Sept 12 2014
- Ep3 – Sept 19 2014
- Christmas – Dec 29 2014
S5 (S6) 2015
- Ep1 – Jan 9 2015
- Ep2 – Jan 16 2015
- Ep3 – Jan 23 2015
- Ep4 – Jan 30 2015
- Ep5 – Feb 6 2015
- Ep6 – Feb 13 2015
S6 (S7) 2015
- Ep1 – May 3 2015
- Ep2 – May 15 2015
- Ep3 – May 22 2015
- Ep4 – May 29 2015
- Ep5 – Jun 5 2015
- Ep6 – Jun 19 2015
- Ep7 – Jun 26 2015
- Ep8 – Jul 3 2015
- Ep9 – Jul 10 2015
- Ep10 – Jul 17 2015
- Ep11 – Jul 24 2015
- Ep12 – Jul 31 2015
- Ep13 – Aug 7 2015
- Ep14 – Aug 14 2015
- Ep15 – Aug 21 2015
- Ep16 – Aug 28 2015
- Ep17 – Sept 4 2015
- Christmas – Dec 8 2015
S7 (S8) 2016
- Ep1 – Jan 15 2016
- Ep2 – Jan 22 2016
- Ep3 – Jan 29 2016
- Ep4 – Feb 5 2016
S8 (S9) 2016
- Ep1 – Feb 25 2016
- Ep2 – Mar 3 2016
- Ep3 – Mar 10 2016
- Ep4 – Mar 24 2016
- Ep5 – Mar 31 2016
S9 (S10) 2016
- Ep1 – Aug 5 2016
- Ep2 – Aug 12 2016
- Ep3 – Aug 19 2016
- Ep4 – Aug 26 2016
- Ep5 – Sept 2 2016
S10 (S11) 2016
- Ep1 – Sept 24 2016
- Ep2 – Oct 1 2016
- Ep3 – Oct 8 2016
- Ep4 – Oct 15 2016
- Ep5 – Oct 22 2016
- Ep6 – Oct 29 2016
- Ep7 – Nov 5 2016
- Christmas – Dec 24 2016
- New Year – Dec 30 2016
S11 (S12) 2017
- Ep1 – Jan 13 2017
- Ep2 – Jan 20 2017
- Ep3 – Jan 27 2017
- Ep4 – Feb 3 2017
- Ep5 – Feb 10 2017
- Ep6 – Feb 17 2017
S12 (S13) 2017
- Ep1 – Apr 24 2017
- Ep2 – May 1 2017
- Election special – Jun 8 2017
- Ep4 – Jun 22 2017
- Ep5 – Jun 29 2017
- Ep6 – Jul 6 2017
S13 (S14) 2017
- Ep1 – Aug 18 2017
- Ep2 – Aug 25 2017
- Ep3 – Sept 1 2017
- Ep4 – Sept 15 2017
- Ep5 – Sept 22 2017
- Christmas – Dec 29 2017
S14 (S15) 2018
- Ep1 – Jan 19 2018
- Ep2 – Jan 26 2018
- Ep3 – Feb 2 2018
- Ep4 – Feb 9 2018
S15 (S16) 2018
Ep1 (July 13 2018) was an All-Woman Special, hosted by Katherine Ryan. Jimmy has said in interviews that he thinks women should have more spots on panel shows but I suspect many people (like myself) don’t like shows being “designed by quota”. IMHO this show became a success because of the Host and the 2 Captains. This is the only episode that Jimmy didn’t feature in.
Would love to see what the ratings were for this one (compared to others).
- Ep2 – Jul 20 2018
- Ep3 – Jul 27 2018
- Ep4 – Aug 3 2018
- Ep5 – Aug 10 2018
- Ep6 – Aug 17 2018
- Ep7 – Aug 24 2018
- Ep8 – Aug 31 2018
- Christmas – Dec 23 2018
S16 (S17) 2019
- Ep1 – Jan 11 2019
- Ep2 – Jan 18 2019
- Ep3 – Jan 25 2019
- Ep4 – Feb 1 2019
- Ep5 – Feb 8 2019
- Ep6 – Feb 15 2019
S17 (S18) 2019
- Ep1 – Jul 26 2019
- Ep2 – Aug 2 2019
- Ep3 – Aug 9 2019
- Ep4 – Aug 16 2019
- Ep5 – Aug 23 2019
- Ep6 – Aug 30 2019
- Ep7 – Sept 6 2019
- Christmas – Dec 23 2019
S18 (S19) 2020
- Ep1 – Jan 9 2020
- Ep2 – Jan 16 2020
- Ep3 – Jan 23 2020
- Ep4 – Jan 30 2020
- Ep5 – Feb 7 2020
- Ep6 – Feb 14 2020
S19 (S20) 2020
Due to Jimmy’s hectic work schedule (plus getting the regulars all available) the 2020 shows were all filmed in between Oct 2019 and early 2020 – so there were no social distancing restrictions.
- Ep1 – Jul 31 2020
- Ep2 – Aug 7 2020
- Ep3 – Aug 14 2020
- Highlights special – Aug 21 2020
- Highlights special – Aug 28 2020
- Christmas special – Dec 21 2020
S20 (S21) 2021
Sadly, Sean Lock died in August 2021 and only appeared in Episodes 1-4. Ep2 was an old record from 2019 and so it’s hard to tell which was his last ever show.
This delaying of broadcasting also means that the social distancing measures (seating spaced out and plastic screens) seem to come and go (even though you may think that you are watching episodes chronologically).
- Ep1 – Jan 14 2021
- Ep2 – Jan 21 2021
- Ep3 – Jan 28 2021
- Ep4 – Feb 4 2021
- Ep5 – Feb 11 2021
- Ep6 – Feb 18 2021
- Christmas Dec 24 2021
S21 (S22) 2022
The format going forward (after the loss of Sean) is with Jimmy still as host and Jon Richardson as Captain – with various comedians switching into the 2nd Captain’s seat.
- Ep1 – Jan 7 2022
- Ep2 – Jan 14 2022
- Ep3 – Jan 21 2022
- Ep4 – Jan 28 2022
- Ep5 – Feb 4 2022
- Ep6 – Feb 11 2022
S22 (S23) 2022
- Ep1 – Jul 29 2022
- Ep2 – Aug 5 2022
- Ep3 – Aug 12 2022
- Ep4 – Aug 19 2022
- Ep5 – Aug 26 2022
- Ep6 – Sept 2 2022
- Christmas – Dec 23 2022
S23 (S24) 2023
- Ep1 – Jan 6 2023
- Ep2 – Aug 11 2023
- Highlights special – Aug 18 2023
- Highlights special – Aug 25 2023
- Christmas – Dec 21 2023
S24 (S25) 2024
- Ep1 – Jan 12 2024
- Ep2 – Jan 19 2024
- Ep3 – Jan 26 2024
- Ep4 – Feb 2 2024
- Ep5 – Feb 9 2024
S25 (S26) 2024
- Ep1 – Jul 19 2024
- Ep2 – Jul 26 2024
- Ep3 – Aug 2 2024
- Ep4 – Aug 9 2024
- Ep5 – Aug 16 2024
S26 (S27) 2025
- Ep1 – Jan 3 2025
- Ep2 – Jan 10 2025
- Ep3 – Jan 17 2025
- Ep4 – Jan 24 2025
- Ep5 – Jan 31 2025
- Highlights – Feb 7 2025
S27 (S28) 2025
These shows were filmed in March 2025 (here).
- Ep1 – Jul 25 2025
- Ep2 – Aug 1 2025
- Ep3 – Aug 8 2025 – here
- Ep4 – Aug 15 2025 – here
- Ep5 – Aug 22 2025 – here
- Highlights compilation 1 – Sept 11 2025
- Highlights compilation 2 – Sept 18 2025
- Highlights compilation 3 – Sept 25 2025
New Team Captain
It was announced in November 2025 (see here) that Jon Richardson would still be in his role as Team Captain. Up to this point the Team Captain position that had been held by the late Sean Lock had been rotated around various comedians – but now Rob Beckett would be the other regular captain (with Jon).
It was also announced that, in the guest team positions, Judi Love would be making regular appearances.
Something else new for this series – the crowd warm-up man introduces Jimmy who walks on (to applause) and then introduces everyone else (who also then walk on).
This means John Pohlhammer is not the announcer on this series.
S28 (S29) 2025-6
2 episodes were filmed in September 2025 (here) and 6 more shows appeared on the ticketing site (see here). C4 have recently been holding shows back (for a future series) and, currently, only 5 are slated to be in S28 (S29).
During January this series was publicised as having Ep4 on February 6th 2026, but without listing the cast. A week or so before it was supposedly scheduled to be shown, this episode broadcast date was removed and so this series ended on Ep3.