John Cowen appeared on Countdown in 2017 (Image: Channel 4)

A former Countdown champion who stabbed a rival at a fan convention last year will be detained in a hospital for treatment, a judge has ruled. John Cowen, 31, entered the convention venue with a knife in his hand and walked up to fellow Countdown champion Thomas Carey before stabbing him in the upper arm, a sentence hearing at Preston Crown Court was told on Wednesday.

The incident happened on September 14, 2024 at a gathering of the Focal Countdown Group where former contestants on the Channel 4 TV quiz show and fans meet for unofficial tournaments.

Judge Guy Mathieson said Cowen entered the venue at the Wainwright Social Club in Blackpool and “went straight for Mr Carey”.

Judge Mathieson said: “You were in posses

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