Rachel Riley

“I have loved 'Countdown' for years. I always used to watch it when I got home from school. To be actually on the programme is a big challenge.”

“Some of the words that pop up on the show have had terrible connotations. But that's the beauty of 'Countdown.'”

“I was used to Essex boys growing up. Russian boys are a lot more gentlemanly and thoughtful. They will express their emotions a bit more.”

“My parents encourage me to save, but I do buy the odd thing that I wouldn't tell them about.”

“For a long time, I thought, 'I'm not a TV presenter,' but now I realise there's no typical route into this business.”

“When I first started, I tried to wear things I thought a 'Countdown' presenter should wear.”

“When I was at uni, our whole college bar would gather around the quiz machine for a few games every night.”

“People can underestimate you when you're blonde and from Essex, but it's easy to shut that down. I used to get dumb blonde jokes when I was 18, but when I replied that I was studying maths a...”

“There's no such thing as a 'maths brain.' Anyone can be numerate; it's just a matter of confidence. There are so many opportunities to improve your skills during everyday life, doing even a...”

“Even though you picture Russians as stoic, their language is really poetic.”

“I'm really lucky to be in the TV industry and to have a regular yearly contract. That gives me security.”