julian_craster

Carol Vorderman: what is she worth?

£900,000 a year for COUNTDOWN
OR
£90,000 a year for COUNTDOWN

Of course, it is a highly skilled job - knowing the difference between a vowel and a consonant......

Much is made of Carol's 'intellectual' maths abilities, but I don't think she was exactly regarded as an academic 'high flyer' whilst at university - very below average.....see Wikipedia article on Carol from
Carol Vorderman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia :


<< In 1978, she was accepted by Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge to read Engineering. She was a member of the "Nines Club" at Cambridge, so named because members achieve a third in each of their three years of study (3+3+3=9). Her Countdown co-star Richard Whiteley coincidentally achieved the same class of degree at the same university.>>


Vorderman 'appalled' at treatment
BBC News
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Vorderman 'appalled' at treatment


The ex-partner of Countdown's late host Richard Whiteley has criticised what she called "nasty" treatment of Carol Vorderman by the show's producers.

Kathryn Apanowicz said Vorderman was "appalled" after allegedly being told Countdown could survive without her if she failed to accept a pay cut.

"This was dealt with in such an awful way," Ms Apanowicz told BBC Radio 5 Live. "How below the belt."

A Channel 4 spokeswoman refused to comment on the remarks.

"We never discuss contractual agreements of presenters or comments by other people on contractual agreements," she said.

Vorderman's agent said the star felt forced to step down from the show when she was told to take a 90% pay cut.

She was part of the original team on the words-and-numbers game show, which was the first programme to be broadcast when Channel 4 began in 1982.

She started as the maths "expert" who would check contestants' sums in the numbers rounds, but took on extra duties to become a sidekick to Whiteley, who died in 2005.

batman

Was the £900,000 purely for doing Countdown .... of did it include other work for whoever actually produces Countdown. If it was just for Countdown then nearly a million quid does seem rather high for that particular job. £90,000 for a high profile TV presenter on a popular show seems about right. I heard on the radio that the producers were told by C4 that they were not going to plough as much money into the show so budget cuts were inevitable. It also said other employees (except Des) were taking a 30% cut. If your average studio worker is on about £30,000 that's a big reduction. It smells as if they wanted Carol out to me and that this was as good a way as any of doing it.

"Aha Mr Aubergine ... that's where you're wrong!"

Freddy

With Des O'Connor leaving and according to Digital Spy, Marcel Stellman, who owns the format very unhappy with the way CV has been treated, I wonder if this spells the end for Countdown.

Regards

Freddy

Automotivehistorian

Wasn't there criticism once because one of CV's adverts for a certain loan company was shown in the middle of one programme?

I regret to say that in today's market, given the fact that publications are closing down and people who work for those that remain are being made redundant, surely any money is better than nowt? The TV business must surely be in the same boat?

Mark O

I can take or leave Carol to be honest.......I'd like Julie Peasgood to be the new sidekick on Countdown, she's looks and personality, a lovely Woman!

I recall once Fashion Guru's Trinnie and Susannah called Carol V the worst dressed woman on TV, in reply she said "one looks like an anorexic Transvestite, and the other like a constipated Carthouse"!!

Mark

Alec Harvey

As long as the bloody awful middlebrow crap that is Countdown stops, I do not care if Julian Clary introduces it!

Mark O

LOL!.......can't quite see Julian doing it........he's all smutty innuendo, nobody will be able to keep a straight face!

Mark

Marky B

Myleen Klass has been suggested to take her place. Before anyone starts that she is a failed pop star,she is not just a pretty face.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

SirOllyBolly

I like Carol - a lovely woman to my mind both in looks and personality.

If what we read is true and she was told to take a 90% pay cut, she did the right thing in telling them to consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant off - and expose it to the press.

Nobody deserves to be treated in that way - no matter what they do or what they earn.

SirOllyBolly

"What fresh lunacy is this?"

Alec Harvey

If she has been earning such sums over the past few years then she can retire gracefully say to Tierra del Fuego, so we NEVER have to look at or hear her again!

Steve Crook

You never did have to look at her or listen to her. There are choices in life

Steve

jaycad

how about a complete re-vamp with pete doherty replacing des and amy winehouse replacing carol and instead of consonants and vowels,maybe have alcohol and class 'A's! also,the 'conundrum' could be replaced by a russian roulette
cliffhanger!

'QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT'

SirOllyBolly

I don't think its about the money - Carol has several other interests which make her a bundle anyway - I think she does Countdown because she enjoys it.

And if that's true, then to be forced out in the way that's been announced - well its shameful.

SirOllyBolly

"What fresh lunacy is this?"

faginsgirl

I`m about to lose my job in November. I would take hers on for that much money and sod the pay cut

xx

Creative people feel isolated, they create, they`re not part of an established functioning society!

DB7

Hasn't there been something like a 40% cut in the show's budget? If so CV should have been asked to take a similar cut. It probably hasn't helped that the last two hosts have been celebs that command a good salary. In that timeslot I'm not sure it's worth hiring a 'star' host.