The Ramsey woman who broke records on iconic quiz show Countdown last week has revealed how being an avid fan of the programme has helped with her dyslexia.
Hazel Drury, 29, was unbeaten after eight shows and will now appear alongside other top contestants during a series of Christmas specials. She has also broken the record score for a female contestant on the Channel 4 quiz, and is only one of five people to ever amass 1,000 points during their stint.
She told Manx.News she had an “amazing” time on the show,
Hazel added: “Countdown has really helped with my spelling, my reading, my processing speed.
“It has made everyday feel life so much better.”
Finding Support
Hazel revealed that, growing up in Ireland, she had struggled to find the support she needed for dyslexia.
“I was diagnosed with severe dyslexia when I was 15,” she said, adding that studying for her Junior Certificate had been “really hard”.
But now she is more confident.
It was not her first time on the show either. She also appeared when she was 18, but this time around, she found the shows easier to take part in.
The episodes were filmed during the heatwave, Hazel said, but the crew were always on hand to ensure contestants were comfortable and she said host Colin Murray was very friendly.
“He was chatting to us all the time to make sure we were happy,” she said.
(Pictures courtesy of Countdown/Channel 4)