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Rachel Riley first appeared on Channel 4’s Countdown in 2009, taking over from Carol Vorderman as the numbers expert. In 2012 she began co-presenting the comedy spin off 8 Out of 10 Cats does Countdown (2012-) with Jimmy Carr. She also presents segments Friday Night Football and Fantasy Football Club on Sky Sports.
Some of Rachel’s other television appearances include It’s Not Rocket Science (2016), The Gadget Show (2013-2014), Room 101 (2015), Britain’s Brightest (2013), Top Gear (2013) and Would I Lie to You (2014).
From keynote speeches on vital campaigns to celebrity dinners, Rachel can offer your event star status, intellect and personality.
Contact Great British Speakers today to book Countdown whizz Rachel Riley for your next event.
Rachel Riley graduated from Oriel College, Oxford with a Masters degree in Mathematics which covered quantum theory, fluid mechanics and applied maths, before being made a scholar at the same establishment in 2006.
Rachel Riley has also put her own intellect to the test, appearing on a number of quiz shows including Celebrity Mastermind (2012), Pointless Celebrities (2012) and The Chase (2012;2018). In 2013 she appeared on the 11th series of Strictly Come Dancing (2004-) and interviewed A-List celebrities such as Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston live from the BAFTA red carpet in 2015.
Rachel is an avid football fan, combining her mathematical expertise with her passion for the sport by co-hosting Friday Night Football and Fantasy Football Club in 2016 and 2017. She has also been a guest speaker on Soccer AM, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Fighting Talk, talkSport radio and BT Sport. She has hosted alongside former footballers Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand, as well as presenting a live interview with Andy Cole.
Away from the camera, Rachel makes frequent school visits and has been involved in a number of national initiatives to help promote mathematics, quantum mechanics and science to children. She is also involved with Premiere League Primary Stars, an initiative designed to help develop children’s skills and ambition both on and off the sports field with resources for girls and boys aged 5-11. She also appeared in the Channel 4 documentary titled Kids Don’t Count (2010) which asked why Britain’s children are failing when it comes to maths. In the documentary she visited a primary school in Bristol to help encourage the children to tackle their maths demons. She was then invited by the TV channel to lead a maths debate in which she chaired a panel of three experts, including then-CEO of Sainsburys supermarket Justin King.
Rachel is an avid campaigner, specifically for the Jewish community against allegations of antisemitism. For this, she made a speech in 2019 at a Westminster reception for The Holocaust Educational Trust, and also contributed to Jewish News. Thanks to her campaigning, she was awarded the 2019 Warrior for Truth Award.
Rachel’s professionalism, intellect and versatility make her ideal for a variety of corporate events, from hosting award ceremonies to fronting PR campaigns, some of her most noticeable being Breeze Women’s Cycling, NatWest, Mind Sports International, N Power, Lenovo, the National Lottery the Post Office, and Oral B.
In 2021, she published At Sixes and Sevens: How to Understand Numbers and Make Maths Easy with Dr Gareth Moore, an engaging and accessible introduction to how numbers work and why we shouldn’t be afraid of them.
A woman of many talents, Rachel makes for an intellectual guest and host for live and online events. Rachel appeals to a vast demographic of audiences thanks to her media prominent and charming nature, making her the ideal host or facilitator for events.
It was a great experience for myself, and the rest of the Unpacked team to work with you in Berlin. Your insights, passion and undefeatable positive attitude were critical in the execution of Samsung’s latest product presentation…the opportunity you have as a role model, to guide youth towards science and technology, is fantastic and so important.
David Park, Samsung
Rachel was fantastic. She was incredibly professional, enthusiastic and really engaged with the finalists and other judges…A brilliant asset to our day.
Internet Explorer & Life Academy Competition
We found Rachel to be extremely professional and acted as a great facilitator to the event, with a keen knowledge and enthusiasm. She chaired the debate intelligently and acted well under pressure in what was a lively and informative evening.
Channel 4 Platform “Maths in Schools” Debate
Rachel was absolutely fantastic, a lovely lady and pleasure to work with. With her support and promotion of STEM, is the perfect fit for the Women in Rail Awards. Her engagement with guests after the presentations was brilliant – and there were a lot of smiley faces in the room as she took the time to pose for photos with guests.
Women in Rail Awards