RICHARD Whiteley was a one-off. But Channel 4 has decided the Countdown clock will tick again, and so the search is on to find a new host.

It won't be easy to find someone with the unique magic of the Mayor of Wetwang.

The ideal candidate should possess a passion for wince-inducing puns; a wardrobe or two of giddy fashions; a physique attributed more to the Yorkshire tearoom than the gym; and the sort of jovial banter which appeals to everyone from hungover students to puzzle-mad pensioners.

As Richard himself might have observed, it is something of a conundrum.

Updated: 10:40 Tuesday, July 26, 2005