Carol Vorderman has made her last appearance on Countdown. It was a quarter of a century ago that the 21-year-old joined another unknown, Richard Whitely, to launch the show on the fledgling Channel 4.
What she and Richard shared was a poor academic record. Both had been hailed as members of Cambridge University's Nines Club _ a derisive tag given to those who had got thirds in each of their three years. (3 plus 3 plus 3 equals 9)
The quiz show was to be her turning point. Soon her earnings, from the show, other TV appearances, books, including best selling guides to sudoku, newspaper columns and endorsements, totalled more than 1m pounds a year.
She is one of many whose TALENT were not immediately obvious.
Winston Churchill is almost as famous for his poor school reports as for his war time leadership.
A primary school report on the future PM reads, "Is a constant trouble to everybody and is always in some scrape or other."
Sir Isaac Newton may be remembered for discovering gravity, but the method of that discovery, lying under an apple tree and being hit by one of its fruits, is an uncanny echo of his school reports which describe him as both "idle" and "inattentive."
Dame Judi Dench has just picked up a Lifetime Achievement honour from the European Film Awards to go with her Oscar, nine Baftas and one Golden Globe awards, and is starring again as M in Quantum of Solace.
But at school hopes for her were not exactly high. "Judi would be a very good pupil if she lived in this world," sighed her head teacher.
Richard Dawkins, controversial author of The Selfish Gene and live-wire baiter of organised religion, is constantly in demand to spice up debates on TV and radio.
Yet his school matron dismissed him saying, "Dawkins has only three speeds, slow, very slow, and stop."
His French master identified, " a wonderful facility in escaping work."
After a screen test for RKO a report on Fred Astaire is said to have read, "Can't sing. Can't Act. Balding. Can dance a little."
The fear has always been that such stories devalue the need for a good education.
Jade Goody was the spectacularly ignorant (and losing) contestant on Big Brother who thought East Anglia was a foreign country, and later trained for the London Marathon on a diet of curry and Chinese takeaways. But she is worth a reputed 8 million pounds.
The Learning and Skills Council surveyed 777 16-to-19 year-olds in England, and one in 10 said they would drop out of education for a shot at TV fame, citing celebrity was a great way to earn money without skills or education.
A LSC spokeswoman said research showed young people without five good GCSEs or the equivalent were more likely to earn low pay later in life.
Previous research suggests pupils who stay on at school after their GSCEs could earn up to 4,000 pounds more a year: totalling 185,000 pounds more over their careers.
And while those who gain A levels or other advanced qualifications can expect an average salary of 20,692 pounds, those without at least five GCSE passes at grades A to C will have to get by on only 16,739 pounds.
The LSC can take some comfort from the subsequent careers of the Big Brother winners.
2000: Craig Phillips, now marketed as an international home improvement and property expert.
2001: Brian Dowling, last spotted hosting Brian Dowling's Cheesy Pop 100 on Smash Hits TV.
2002: Kate Lawler, lingerie model for Anne Summers, host on Kerrang! Radio, and DJ.
2003: Cameron Stout, writing newspaper columns in Scotland.
2004: Nadia Almada, Portuguese transsexual, last seen in Fool Around with Nadia, a four-day reality show for C4 in 2006.
2005: Anthony Hutton, last seen on Party Poker in 2007.
2006: Pete Bennett, Tourettes sufferer, still trying to launch a career as a singer.
2007: No show.
2008: Brian Belo, now back living in Essex.
Celebrity does not always bring you fortune.
Carol Vorderman is the exception.
Author Resource:-
Samantha is an expert Research and Theatre consultant. She is currently writing for Show and Stay and is very excited about the upcoming West End revival of Oliver!
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