I’ve never been especially excited about Countdown (Channel 4, Monday, 12 January, 3.25pm). I mean, it’s always been faithful and companion-like… a bit like an old dog slabbering on your slippers. However, yesterday was different because it was the all-new and completely overhauled Countdown. New presenter, new sidekick, new set… although, thankfully, not too many changes as that famous tune remained and, of course, the game itself was exactly as we left it. All that considered, this was probably the most important Countdown since Whitely shuffled off his mortal coil. Could the show carry on with such changes? As excited as I was, it certainly felt a little make-or-break…. so how did the newbies get on? Spectacularly!

Related: Small Screen Icon: Jeff Stelling | New Countdown hosts confirmed

One of my TV heroes, Jeff Stelling was at the helm, bringing his sparkling TV grin and bad-puns with him. When it was first rumoured that Super Jeff was to take the gig, I could barely contain my excitement. If there was any TV presenter who could really fill the boots of Countdown legend Richard Whitely, it was Jeff. Jeff is warm, inviting and sublime when it comes to jokes that make you groan with glee (“Just the one ‘I’ there… can’t see a lot with that”). The two Dessies that came before were merely keeping the seat warm for a man seemingly destined for this job. It’s clear that Countdown will thrive under Stelling… and better yet, almost certain to improve.

Super Jeff wasn’t the only new addition. Strutting the new blue set, was the leggy Rachel Riley who is a wonderful addition to the show. To be crass for a moment, it’s obvious that Rachel is an incredibly attractive girl. She’s all legs and looks like she just hot-stepped from the set of Hollyoaks. She’s young and well-dressed – something that Carol Vorderman hasn’t been for a number of years (sorry Carol). She doesn’t have a irritating fake laugh either. The first numbers test for Rachel, who is obviously going to get loads of drooling fan-sites and Facebook pages attesting to just how gorgeous she is, was mercifully easy. The numbers gods were on-side leaving everyone with a numbers game so easy that my mop and bucket even managed to get it in seconds.

Jeff, eschewing protocol at the first assumed that our contestants had it and essentially said ‘Sod it, just go to Rachel…‘. She trembled with the pen slightly at this rule-shun, but received a huge round of applause for her efforts. On that note, unusually for Countdown, the assembled audience seemed quite rowdy. It certainly appeared that they were whipped up by all this new stuff and keen to make our new faces feel at home. That’s nice isn’t it?

As well as the Brilliant Jeff Stelling and the Lovely Rachel Riley, the show featured Andrew Sachs in Dictionary Corner (with the also lovely Susie Dent) which seemed like yet another person in need of a hug from the general public. As he regaled us with a tale about acting, the look in his eye said ‘Sorry about all that business with the prank phone call… I didn’t want it to spiral the way it did’. So with that, everyone just got on with the show and looked to the future… and what a future it looks to be. With Rachel and Jeff joining forces with the affable Susie, Countdown is in very capable hands. This will be the second golden period of the show… mark my words. Hugely enjoyable and in absolutely no way did it leaving me furiously searching the internet for pictures and groups dedicated to Rachel Riley…