Richard and Judy quit their show

2 November 2007 - Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan have quit their Channel 4 chat show.

The pair - who first started presenting together on ITV's 'This Morning' - have decided to leave their chat show behind, and are set to concentrate on solo projects.

A spokesman for the couple said: "After 20 years of presenting live daytime television, Richard and Judy have called time on their Channel 4 teatime show.

"They will step down at the end of next year when their current contract comes to an end. But they will still feature in one-off specials for the channel linked to the Richard and Judy Book Club."

The announcement comes after Channel 4's phone-in scandal earlier this year, in which it was revealed that three million viewers had been ringing in to enter the 'You Say, We Pay' quiz with no chance of winning. The channel will now have to refund £2.2 million to viewers for the phone charges.

Following the announcement of their quitting, Richard is expected to pursue a solo TV career, while Judy is set to fulfill her lifetime ambition of writing books.

Meanwhile, a different Channel 4 show is still raking in viewers after 25 years - 'Countdown'!

Co-host Carol Vorderman donned the same Miss Selfridge suedette trousers she wore on the first show in 1982 to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary.

She laughed: "I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get into them but luckily I just managed!"

Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent in a special video message to the show, saying: " 'Countdown' has done more than any other programme to make counting and spelling fun and popular and is really good exercise for the mind.

"I wish Carol could have helped on some of my budgets when I was Chancellor - I might have got the sums right more often!"

The 25th anniversary show will be broadcasted on Channel 4 today (02.11.07) at 3.30pm.

(C) BANG Media International