Celebrity Letters and Numbers

Celebrity Letters and Numbers
Company type	Television series
Industry	Television entertainment
Founded	October 2, 2021; 5 years ago
Headquarters	Australia
Products	Television program
Parent	ITV Studios Australia

Celebrity Letters and Numbers is an Australian comedic panel game broadcast on SBS, which debuted on 2 October 2021. This series is a reboot of the original Letters and Numbers (2010–2012), now featuring celebrities as contestants instead of members of the public. Returning to their roles are co-hosts David Astle and Lily Serna, while comedian and journalist Michael Hing takes over hosting duties from former presenter Richard Morecroft.

In July 2021, two seasons comprising twelve episodes each were commissioned, showcasing celebrity participants including Hamish Blake, Susie Youssef, Merrick Watts, and Matt Okine. The third season began airing on 17 September 2022, with a fourth season initially planned for release on 5 February 2024. Nevertheless, as of February 2024, SBS withdrew new episodes after broadcasting only two; the remaining ten episodes from season four are scheduled to be shown on SBS Viceland between 9 and 20 September 2024.

The program shares similarities with the British comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, which also airs on SBS in Australia. Production responsibilities transitioned from Shine Australia to ITV Studios Australia, adopting ITV’s branding and incorporating thematic elements from the British game show Countdown.

Gameplay

Departing from the original Letters and Numbers format, each episode now features three solo contestants without returning champions. Winners are awarded a volume from the 1980s Oceaniapaedia encyclopedia—said to be a donation from the Hing family—in place of the traditional Macquarie Dictionary. Later seasons have introduced prizes tied to Hing’s childhood, such as goth rings. The show maintains a Dictionary Corner guest who joins host Astle, mirroring the setup of the British Countdown. Core elements like letters and numbers rounds, the final nine-letter conundrum, and eight-letter word challenges before commercial breaks remain intact.

Scoring rules have been modified: all valid responses earn points regardless of whether other contestants find longer words or closer numerical solutions. The program accepts American English spellings during Celebrity Letters and Numbers competitions.

Episodes

Template:Series overview

Series 1 (2021)

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Series 2 (Early 2022)

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Series 3 (Late 2022)

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Series 4 (2024)

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External links

SBS On Demand: Celebrity Letters and Numbers