John Cowen, 31, walked up to fellow Countdown champion Thomas Carey before stabbing him in the upper arm in a 'terrifying incident' John Cowen, 31, appeared on Countdown many times (Image: Channel 4)

A Countdown champion who knifed a fellow player at a fan club tournament "felt cheated" because other competitors practised the game online using an app. He has now been detained in a hospital for treatment, a judge has ruled.

John Cowen, 31, sprinted across Wainwright Social Club in Blackpool wielding a knife and lunged over a table to assault Thomas Carey, Preston Crown Court heard. The incident occurred on September 14, 2024, during the Focal Countdown Group event, where former contestants were scheduled to play against fans of the Channel 4 programme.

Judge Guy Mathieson sta

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