Lynam also presented Countdown on Channel 4 , but left the program at the end of 2006 . On 22 September 2005 , Lynam was named the host ( replacing the late Richard Whiteley ) of Channel 4 's Countdown , with his first episode airing on 31 October . Although his contract was to last until December 2007 , on 30 September 2006 , it was announced that Lynam would leave Countdown at the end of 2006 , because he regularly needed to travel to Leeds where Countdown is recorded , while his home is in West Sussex .