Celebrity Letters and Numbers

Celebrity Letters and Numbers is an Australian comedy panel game show on SBS which premiered on 2 October 2021. It is a revived version of the game show Letters and Numbers, which aired on SBS from 2010 to 2012, with an altered format with celebrity contestants competing rather than members of the public.^[1] Co-hosts David Astle and Lily Serna returned from the original series, while comedian, journalist and actor Michael Hing replaced presenter Richard Morecroft as host.^[2][3][4]

Two series of twelve episodes were commissioned in July 2021^[5] with celebrity guests including Hamish Blake, Susie Youssef, Merrick Watts and Matt Okine.^[5][6] Series three premiered on 17 September 2022,^[7] with series four set to air on 5 February 2024.^[8] As of February 2024, new episodes of Celebrity Letters & Numbers have been pulled from SBS, after just two episodes. The last 10 episodes in series 4, which broadcast on SBS Viceland at 6.00pm Weeknights starting from 9 September 2024 until 20 September 2024.

The show is similar to the British comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, which also features celebrity comedians and airs on SBS in Australia.^[9] ITV Studios Australia also took over as the production company (Shine Australia had produced the civilian version); the revamped program uses ITV-owned elements developed for the British Countdown such as its logo style and theme music.^[10]

Unlike the original version of Letters and Numbers, each episode features three contestants competing individually and the winning contestant does not return for the next episode. Additionally, instead of winning a Macquarie Dictionary, the guest with the most points wins a single volume from the 1980s Oceaniapaedia encyclopedia, allegedly donated by the Hing family (in later series, winner gets an item from Hing's childhood bedroom, e.g. a set of goth rings). Another addition is the inclusion of a Dictionary Corner guest, as in the British show Countdown, who sits beside Astle.^[3] The mix of letters and numbers rounds, the final nine-letter conundrum and the eight-letter word mixes preceding the commercial break are retained from the original series.

Scoring also differs slightly from the original Letters and Numbers. All contestants whose answers are valid win points, regardless of whether another contestant declared a longer word (in the letters game) or achieved a closer numerical target (in the numbers game). Spelling variations, such as American spellings, are also valid in Celebrity Letters and Numbers.

Note: Winners are listed in bold

Note: Winners are listed in bold

Note: Winners are listed in bold

Note: Winners are listed in bold

Note: Episode 3 in this series is dedicated to Cal Wilson.

• 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
• Letters and Numbers
• Countdown

• SBS On Demand: Celebrity Letters and Numbers
• Celebrity Letters and Numbers at IMDb