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Rachel Riley

2017-08-10T20:24:55Z

82.132.231.213: /* Personal life */Punctuation

{{About|the British television presenter|the American reality show contestant|Rachel Reilly}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Rachel Riley
|image = Rachel Riley 2011.JPG
|birth_name = Rachel Annabelle Riley
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|11|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Rochford]], [[Essex]], England, United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web|title = I really love Countdown... trust me, it is not being axed|url = http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9160420.I_really_love__Countdown____trust_me__it_is_not_being_axed/|website = Echo|accessdate = 4 August 2015|date = 27 July 2011|last = Worsdale|first = Jim}}</ref>
|nationality = British
|occupation = [[Television presenter]]
|residence = [[Thorpe Bay]], [[Southend-on-Sea]]
|alma_mater = [[Oriel College, Oxford|Oriel College]], [[University of Oxford|Oxford]]
|spouse = {{marriage|Jamie Gilbert|2012|2013}}
|employer = [[Channel 4]], [[Sky Sports]]
|partner =
}}
'''Rachel Annabelle Riley'''<ref>{{cite web|url= http://namesdatabase.com/people/RILEY/RACHEL%20ANNABELLE/1809930|title= Names Database|accessdate= 12 March 2011}}</ref> (born 11 January 1986)<ref>The edition of 11 January 2011 of the show mentioned that that day was her 25th birthday.</ref> is an [[English people|English]] television presenter and [[mathematician]] who currently co-presents the [[Channel 4]] daytime puzzle show ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' and its comedy spin-off ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]''. A mathematics graduate, her television debut came when she joined ''Countdown'' at age 22.

With a passion for popularising maths and the sciences, she has gone on to co-present ''[[The Gadget Show]]'' on [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] (2013–14) and ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]'' on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] (2016). In 2013 she was a contestant on the [[BBC]] celebrity dance show ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]''.

==Early life==
Born in [[Rochford]], [[Essex]],<ref>[http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/southend/4528933.Campaign_can_count_on_Rachel_s_support/ Campaign can count on Rachel Riley's support] [[Evening Echo (Essex)|Evening Echo]], 5 August 2009, accessdate=31 December 2013</ref> to an accountant father Christopher <ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117986/RICHARD-KAY-Countdown-queen-Rachels-wedding-conundrum.html Countdown queen Rachel's wedding conundrum] ''[[Daily Mail]]'', 21 March 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.</ref> and Celia (she also has a younger brother, Alex),<ref>[http://www.southendstandard.co.uk/news/10192022.Rachel_Riley_grapples_with_crocs_Tick_and_Tock/?ref=rss Rachel Riley grapples with crocs Tick and Tock] ''Southend Standard'', 30 January 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2014.</ref> Riley was brought up in the [[Thorpe Bay]] area of [[Southend-on-Sea]] and was educated at the independent [[Thorpe Hall School]], and [[Southend High School for Girls]], a [[grammar school]], where she obtained four As at [[GCE Advanced Level|A-Level]]. She then studied mathematics at [[Oriel College, Oxford]], gaining an [[upper second-class honours]] [[Undergraduate degree|degree]].<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.echo-news.co.uk/archive/2011/07/27/9160420.I_really_love__Countdown____trust_me__it_is_not_being_axed/|title= I really love Countdown... trust me, it is not being axed|newspaper= Southend Echo|date= 27 July 2011|accessdate= 30 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetartpaper.com/articles/view/537|title= New hosts Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley Debut on Countdown|accessdate=17 January 2009|work= |publisher=''The Tart'' |date=16 January 2009}}</ref>

== Early career ==
During a university vacation, Riley considered a career in the financial sector, and completed an internship at [[Deutsche Bank]] in the [[City of London]]. The experience put her off: although already familiar with male-dominated environments in the field of mathematics, she found the extreme behaviour of city traders wearing, and not being a "morning person" she also disliked the early morning train commute.<ref name=":2">[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10909618/Rachel-Riley-Strictly-magnified-the-fault-lines-in-my-marriage.html Rachel Riley: 'Strictly magnified the fault lines in my marriage'] ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', 18 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.</ref>

Her maths degree helped her get a job performing [[statistical analysis]] for a [[price comparison]] [[Startup company|start-up company]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/maths-reform/9057554/Telegraph-numeracy-campaign-Remove-the-stigma-around-maths.html Telegraph numeracy campaign: Remove the stigma around maths] ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', 4 February 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2014.</ref> Riley also briefly considered doing a [[Postgraduate education|postgraduate degree]], a master's degree in concrete, being attracted by the intersection of mathematics and civil engineering.<ref name=":2" />

==Television==
Riley's television debut came in January 2009, when at the age of 22 she joined the [[Channel 4]] letters and numbers game show ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]].''<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /> Prior to this'','' Riley had received no training for working in television and had no other experience with the media industry, leading to descriptions of her landing this role as a baptism of fire, given its status as a "jewel in the broadcasting crown", according to one media commentator. While occupying the niche role, she long believed she was not a television presenter, but she came to realise that the industry has changed, so that "I don't think there's such a thing as a TV presenter any more. There are just people who go on TV".<ref name=":4" />

As her popularity grew due to daily appearances on ''Countdown'', she branched out into other roles, co-presenting ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]'' and ''[[The Gadget Show]],'' although her profile was significantly boosted by her appearance as a contestant on ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'', which largely "catapulted [Riley] onto the A-list" and opened up the doors for new television roles, according to another commentator.<ref name=":2" /> In 2014, two years before her role on ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]'', she said, "I'd love to present a popular science programme because it's something I feel very passionate about."<ref name=":2" />

=== ''Countdown'' ===
On ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'', Riley replaced the long-serving [[Carol Vorderman]]. Like Vorderman, Riley's role is to handle the placement of tiles on the board for the letters and numbers rounds and to find an exact solution in the numbers rounds if the contestants are unable to do so.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7675710.stm|title=Sky host Stelling joins Countdown|date=21 November 2008|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|accessdate=22 November 2008}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1088245/Essex-girl-fresh-Oxford-graduate--22-replaces-Carol-Vorderman-Countdown.html|title=Essex girl (and fresh Oxford graduate), 22, replaced Carol Vorderman on Countdown|date=22 November 2008|publisher=''Mail Online''|accessdate=22 November 2008|work=}}</ref>

Riley's appointment to ''Countdown'' was announced at the same time as the announcement of a new main host, [[Jeff Stelling]], replacing [[Des O'Connor]]; the duo of Stelling and Riley were in place for the new series beginning in January 2009.<ref name=":0" /> Although she had no ambition to be a television presenter, she was encouraged to apply by her mother, and decided to do so because she was interested in the numbers part of the game.<ref name="Mail1">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1209425/I-didnt-count-abuse-Rachel-Riley-Carol-Vordermans-replacement-adds-lot-grief.html|title=I didn't count on this abuse: Rachel Riley on why being Carol Vorderman's replacement adds up to a whole lot of grief|last=Hardy|first=Rebecca|date=29 August 2009|work=Mail Online|accessdate=11 September 2009}}</ref> Having beaten 1,000 applicants for the role, she commented "There's only one cool maths job around and I was lucky enough to get it so I'm absolutely thrilled".<ref name=":0" />

Riley takes the role of solving the numbers round so seriously that if she cannot solve it on the show, she takes it away with her to finish, commenting "I'm really [[Obsessive–compulsive disorder|OCD]] about it. I have to get it. I like puzzles – that's what I do, that's why I applied for the job, that's why I used to watch Countdown when I was younger. I like solving stuff." She has attributed this compulsion to a nervy and flustered start in the role which resulted in her making some errors, although she says she has since got the hang of it and the task is now a matter of routine. In contrast, on account of her "really immature sense of humour" she has some difficulty in maintaining her composure during the words round whenever rude words appear.<ref name="Mail1" />

Riley frequently encounters close media and public scrutiny of what she wears on the show, with her wardrobe choices attracting intense social media comment on Twitter and YouTube and even national headlines, particularly if they are deemed too revealing or tight.<ref name="Mail1" /><ref name=":1" /> Working with a wardrobe consultant, she obtains most of the clothes from High Street stores, although some are purchased from a small boutique near her home in Southend. While trying to please everybody with varied choices, she nonetheless takes a phlegmatic approach to the attention, commenting, "even with the same outfit you'll get polar-opposite views, so you can't win. You’ve just got to learn that you can't please everyone all of the time". The number of episodes means wearing some outfits more than once is inevitable – she donates items she no longer requires to charity, some being auctioned by her mother.<ref name="Mail1" />

=== ''8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown'' ===
Since it was first broadcast on 2 January 2012, Riley has also performed her ''Countdown'' role on the comedy crossover spin-off version, ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]'', alongside comedian [[Jimmy Carr]] as host. While ''Countdown'' is seen as a straight light entertainment show, in explaining the difference between the two, Riley sees ''Countdown'' as the role she is happy for her grandmother to see, while ''Cats Does Countdown'' is the more risqué, cheeky, role which she shows to her friends.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3476428/How-Pasha-waltzed-heart-Countdown-s-Rachel-Riley-romance-dancer-Pasha-Kovalev-totally-transformed-life.html|title=How Pasha waltzed off with my heart: Countdown's Rachel Riley|access-date=26 July 2016}}</ref> Some of the running gags used on the show are made by Carr at Riley's expense, aimed at her lack of dancing ability and a supposed frosty relationship with Vorderman, while in return Riley is often given jokes which mock Carr's supposed desires on herself. Due to scheduling conflicts with filming for ''It's Not Rocket Science'', Riley was replaced by [[Claudia Winkleman]] for two episodes in series nine (broadcast 3 and 10 March 2016).

===''Strictly Come Dancing''===
From September 2013, Riley appeared in the [[Strictly Come Dancing (series 11)|eleventh series]] of the [[BBC One]] ballroom dancing programme ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'' with professional dancing partner [[Pasha Kovalev]]. She was eliminated in Week 6 of the show, on 3 November, after losing out in the dance-off against [[Abbey Clancy]] and [[Aljaž Skorjanec|Aljaž Škorjanec]].

According to Riley she lacked a natural talent for performing, so instead sought to frame each dance as that of a character.<ref name=":2" /> For the first five weeks, Riley suffered from stage fright, commenting that "As soon as the music would start, I would have a fuzzy brain and it was like an out-of-body experience"; after seeing a [[Cognitive behavioral therapist|cognitive behavioural therapist]] she was able to control her breathing, and so was only able to truly enjoy the show for what proved to be her final appearance.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/strictly-come-dancing/11453103/Rachel-Riley-returns-to-the-dancefloor.html|title=Rachel Riley returns to the dancefloor|access-date=25 July 2016}}</ref>

=== ''The Gadget Show'' ===
From 2013 until 2014, Riley co-presented on the [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] programme ''[[The Gadget Show]]'' with [[Jason Bradbury]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/gadget-show/gadget-news/meet-the-gadget-shows-new-presenter-rachel-riley|title=The Gadget Show | Meet The Gadget Show’s new presenter: Rachel Riley! by The Gadget Show|date=|publisher=Gadgetshow.channel5.com|accessdate=2 June 2013}}</ref> She presented three series of the show and was later replaced by [[Amy Williams]].<ref>[http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/gadget-show/gadget-news/the-gadget-shows-new-presenter-is-an-olympic-champion The Gadget Show’s new presenter is an Olympic champion!]</ref>

=== ''It's Not Rocket Science'' ===
In 2016, Riley was part of the three-person presenting team for [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]'s six-part series, ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]'', billed by the network as an entertainment series celebrating science.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week7/its-not-rocket-science|title=It’s Not Rocket Science Episode 1|access-date=26 July 2016}}</ref> Her co-presenters, [[Ben Miller]] and [[Romesh Ranganathan]], similarly had a background in science and maths. Explaining the purpose of the show as popularising science and making it seem less intimidating, she said "It's showing that you can't separate the world of science from the world we live in". She added that while her background is in maths, "You can't separate them either. Maths is the language of science."<ref name=":4" /> A key part of the show was a weekly challenge where one of the presenters "risked their lives" to prove a scientific theory – in Riley's case she cycled on a tightrope and zip-lined through a ring of fire.<ref name=":4" />

===Sky Sports===
In August 2016, it was announced that Riley would join [[Sky Sports]] to present ''Friday Night Football'' alongside her former ''Countdown'' co-presenter [[Jeff Stelling]] and ''Fantasy Football Club'' with [[Max Rushden]] and [[Paul Merson]].<ref>[http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a803870/countdown-rachel-riley-joins-sky-sports/ Unbelievable Jeff! Rachel Riley joins Sky Sports]</ref>

She left ''Friday Night Football'' in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last=Houghton |first=Rianne |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a830775/rachel-riley-quits-sky-sports-job-after-abuse/ |title=Countdown star Rachel Riley quits Sky Sports job after receiving 'hideous personal abuse' |website=Digitalspy.com |date=14 June 2017 |accessdate=6 August 2017}}</ref>
==Other work==
On 26 June 2009, it was reported that Riley had been recruited by [[Royal Mail]] to employ her mathematical skills to help advise holidaymakers on how to make the most of their holiday currency, after a report by the Post Office revealed that a significant number of holidaymakers fail to calculate the actual cost of goods and services when travelling abroad and often overspend their holiday budgets.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1195536/Rachel-Rileys-currency-countdown-Britons-lose-288m-year-poor-maths.html|title= Rachel Riley's currency countdown as Britons lose £288m a year over poor maths|work= Mail Online|first= Sebastian|last= Lander|date= 26 June 2009|accessdate= 11 July 2009}}</ref>

Her mathematics background and love of football has seen Riley assist bookmakers in preparing betting odds for football tournaments; based on her analysis she predicted [[Chile national football team|Chile]] would win the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]], despite appreciating fans would see it as an unlikely outcome (Chile were ultimately knocked out in the Round of 16).<ref name=":2" />

==Personal life==
Riley was married for 15 months to Jamie Gilbert, whom she met while they were both studying at the [[University of Oxford]]. After four and a half years together, the couple initially split at the end of 2009,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1239646/Countdowns-Rachel-Riley-single-splitting-boyfriend-years.html|title=Countdown's Rachel Riley is single after splitting with boyfriend of four years|last=Todd|first=Ben|date=1 January 2010|work=Mail Online|accessdate=1 January 2010}}</ref> before reconciling. Gilbert then proposed on her 25th birthday on 11 January 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1350335/Countdown-presenter-Rachel-Riley-gets-engaged-millionaire-boyfriend.html|title=Rachel Riley begins the Countdown to her big day after getting engaged to millionaire boyfriend|date=25 January 2011|work=Mail Online|publisher=Associated Newspapers Ltd|accessdate=14 February 2011}}</ref> They married on 11 August 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2190782/Countdown-star-Rachel-Riley-weds-university-sweetheart.html|title=Countdown star Rachel Riley weds her university sweetheart|date=20 August 2012|publisher=Dailymail.co.uk|author=Emily Sheridan|work=Mail Online|accessdate=2 June 2013}}</ref> but it was announced in November 2013 that they were separating.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/10482574/Rachel-Riley-in-split-from-husband.html|title=Rachel Riley in split from husband|last=Carter|first=Claire|date=29 November 2013|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/11/29/rachel-riley-husband-jamie-gilbert-marriage-split_n_4358448.html|title='Countdown' And 'Strictly' Star Rachel Riley 'Splits From Husband Jamie Gilbert After 16 Months Of Marriage'|date=29 November 2013|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2515374/Countdown-brainbox-Rachel-Riley-splits-husband-Jamie-Gilbert-16-months-marriage.html|title=Countdown brainbox Rachel Riley splits from husband Jamie Gilbert after 15 months of marriage|last=Davison|first=Rebecca|date=29 November 2013|publisher=Daily Mail and General Trust|newspaper=Daily Mail|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref> Responding to suggestions she had been the latest victim of the so-called Strictly curse, where the relationships of contestants on the show break down soon after it, she stated "I don’t think there’s a Strictly curse, but it does serve as a magnifying glass that shows up pre-existing fault lines. Jamie and I had been with one another since I was 19, and we are still good friends, it was all amicable and he’s been brilliant.”<ref name=":2" /> As of September 2016, Riley is dating previous Strictly partner [[Pasha Kovalev]].<ref name="standard">{{cite web|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/strictly-come-dancing-curse-won-t-ruin-rachel-riley-relationship-says-pasha-kovalev-a3340186.html|title=Strictly Come Dancing curse won't ruin Rachel Riley relationship says Pasha Kovalev|publisher=[[Evening Standard]]|accessdate=12 December 2016}}</ref>

In response to speculation that she 'ran off' with her dance partner, Riley has said that her marriage was breaking down before ''Strictly'', and that the relationship with Kovalev didn't start during the show, only emerging once their professional relationship ended, by which time she felt the marriage was over. She attributes the time spent apart during ''Strictly'' and other filming commitments around that time as what allowed her to realise her marriage was likely going to end. While insisting it was not a mistake getting married and she felt happy, on reflection she feels her life up to the point of ''Strictly'' was being constrained by convention and expectation, something she sees as a problem, particularly for high achieving girls.<ref name=":4" /> Her time on the show changed her view on the direction of her life, prompting her to note in particular that she was a perfectionist and highly self-critical.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> After the show, she has said she now feels more relaxed and confident, lives more in the moment, having no particular long term plans such as marriage or children with Kovalev.<ref name=":4" />

Riley describes herself as a "[[non-religious Jew]]" and "pretty atheist", having been married in a civil ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117986/RICHARD-KAY-Countdown-queen-Rachels-wedding-conundrum.html|title=RICHARD KAY: Countdown queen Rachel's wedding conundrum|last=Kay|first=Richard|date=21 March 2012|work=Mail Online|accessdate=11 October 2012}}</ref> She has from time to time assisted in the pronunciation and spelling of [[Yiddish words used in English|Yiddish]] words on ''Countdown''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/the-diary/67480/countdowns-yiddishe-gal|title=Countdown's yiddishe gal|date=10 May 2012}}</ref> She is learning Russian, the first language of her boyfriend Kovalev, largely so she can better communicate with his family, who live in Siberia, and his friends.<ref name=":4" />

In May 2014, Riley revealed that she had been the victim of an eight-month campaign of threatening abuse from a stalker. The accused, a 31-year-old man with [[paranoid schizophrenia]], was sectioned under the [[Mental Health Act 2007|Mental Health Act]] and placed under a [[restraining order]] preventing him from contacting Riley.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/countdown-star-rachel-riley-feared-3628617|title=Countdown star Rachel Riley feared for life during stalker's 8-month campaign of vile abuse|publisher=Daily Mirror|date=30 May 2014|accessdate=15 June 2014}}</ref>

Riley is a keen supporter of [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], like her father (who was originally from [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]], [[Lancashire]]),<ref>[http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/10176379.Me_a_sex_symbol__It_doesn___t_add_up__says_Rachel_Riley/ Me a sex symbol? It just doesn’t add up, says Rachel Riley] ''Southend Echo'', 22 January 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.</ref><ref name="mediamonkey">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jun/24/countdown-rachel-riley-ryan-giggs|title=Countdown: Rachel Riley red-faced over Ryan Giggs|date=24 June 2013|work=The Guardian|accessdate=24 June 2013|author=Media Monkey}}</ref> In October 2010, Riley presented a programme on the club's television channel, [[MUTV (Manchester United F.C.)|MUTV]], featuring a tour of their [[Trafford Training Centre]] in [[Carrington, Greater Manchester|Carrington]]. She has also hosted episodes of ''An Audience with...'' on the channel. To mark her 1,000th episode of ''Countdown'' (aired on 25 June 2013), United player [[Ryan Giggs]] presented her with a signed team shirt, Giggs himself having celebrated his 1,000th game for the club the same year.<ref name="mediamonkey" /><ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a492587/ryan-giggs-to-appear-on-rachel-rileys-1000th-countdown-episode.html Ryan Giggs to appear on Rachel Riley's 1,000th 'Countdown' episode – TV News – Digital Spy]</ref> In her appearance as a contestant on the BBC quiz show ''[[Celebrity Mastermind]]'', broadcast on 4 January 2012, her specialist subject was a limited (13 year) history of the club; she eventually finished in joint second place.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-09-02/strictly-come-dancing-2013-rachel-riley|title=Strictly Come Dancing 2013: Rachel Riley|access-date=25 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01977sw|title=Episode 7, 2011/2012, Celebrity Mastermind – BBC One|website=BBC|access-date=25 July 2016}}</ref>

==Educational advocacy==
In an effort to put her public profile to work for the common good, Riley strives to be an advocate for the so-called "geeky" subjects of mathematics and science, and has visited schools to enthuse pupils on the "joys of applied maths, quantum mechanics and time travel and so on".<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> A blog, written by Surrey University academic Julia Percival and hosted by ''[[The Guardian]]'', which argued that Riley's looks and figure would work against any aim to increase female participation in the sciences, was described by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' as unfair and a case of Riley being damned if she did and damned if she didn't.<ref name=':2' /><ref name=Guardian28May2014a>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/may/28/no-george-osborne-girls-will-not-follow-pretty-role-models-into-science|title=No George Osborne! Girls will not follow pretty role models into science|publisher=The Guardian|author=Julia Percival| date=28 May 2014|accessdate=25 March 2017|quote=Studies published in 2013 by Diana E. Betz and Denise Sekaquaptewa looked at the impact of different types of female role models on girls' opinion of their own ability to succeed at a Stem subject. They found that typically feminine Stem role models not only decreased girls' interest in Stem subjects, but also decreased their belief in their own ability to succeed at those subjects – and the likelihood of studying them. ... I can sympathise with these students. Rachel Riley, the mathematician who appears on Countdown, is a great Stem ambassador, but even someone like me, with a first degree and PhD in chemistry, feels like a failure in comparison to her, because she is slim and pretty – and I'm not.}}</ref>

==Filmography==
;Television
{| class="wikitable" style="border="2"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Channel
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2009—
| ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]''
| rowspan=2|[[Channel 4]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jeff Stelling]] (2009–2011) and [[Nick Hewer]] (2012–present)
|-
| 2012—
| ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]''
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jimmy Carr]]
|-
| 2013–2014
| ''[[The Gadget Show]]''
| [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jason Bradbury]]
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]''
| [[BBC One]]
| Participant
| 5th celebrity to be eliminated
|-
| 2016
| ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]''
| [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Ben Miller]] and [[Romesh Ranganathan]]
|-
| rowspan=2|2016–2017
| ''Friday Night Football''
| rowspan=2|[[Sky Sports]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jeff Stelling]]
|-
| ''Fantasy Football Club''
| Co-presenter
| With [[Max Rushden]] and [[Paul Merson]]
|}

;Guest appearances
{{div col |2}}
*''[[Chris Moyles' Quiz Night]]'' (22 March 2009)
*''[[This Morning (TV programme)|This Morning]]'' (26 March 2010)
*''[[8 Out of 10 Cats]]'' (17 June 2011, 12 August 2011, 21 October 2011, 23 March 2012, 11 May 2012, 15 June 2012, 29 October 2012, 1 February 2013)
*''[[Celebrity Mastermind]]'' (4 January 2012)
*''[[The Bank Job (game show)|The Bank Job: Celebrity Special]]'' (16 March 2012)
*''[[The Chase (UK game show)|The Chase: Celebrity Special]]'' (19 August 2012)
*''[[12 Again]]'' (2 November 2012)
*''[[Pointless (game show)|Pointless Celebrities]]'' (17 December 2012)
*''[[Sunday Brunch]]'' (10 February 2013)
*''[[Five Minutes to a Fortune]]'' (21 April 2013)
*''[[Tipping Point: Lucky Stars]]'' (9 June 2013)
*''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' (30 June 2013)
*''[[I Love My Country (UK TV series)|I Love My Country]]'' (31 August 2013)
*''[[Sweat the Small Stuff]]'' (12 November 2013)
*''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'' (4 February 2014)
*''[[The Guess List]]'' (24 May 2014)
*''[[Backchat (2013 TV series)|Backchat]]'' (3 June 2014)
*''[[TV OD]]'' (19 June 2014)
*''[[Fifteen to One|Celebrity Fifteen to One]]'' (27 June 2014)<ref>[http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/cxy6h4/celebrity-fifteen-to-one--series-1---episode-4 Celebrity Fifteen to One SERIES 1 – EPISODE 4] ''[[Radio Times]]''</ref>
*''[[Virtually Famous]]'' (21 July 2014)
*''[[Celebrity Squares]]'' (8 October 2014)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep5week41/celebrity-squares|title=Celebrity Squares|publisher=|accessdate=6 October 2014}}</ref>
*''[[Text Santa]]'' (19 December 2014)
*''[[Room 101 (TV series)|Room 101]]'' (18 February 2015)
*''[[Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit]]'' (26 September 2016)
*''[[Saturday Kitchen]]'' (3 December 2016)
*''[[Play to the Whistle]]'' (28 February 2017)
{{div col end}}

She has also made brief appearances in such shows as ''[[The IT Crowd]]'', ''[[Dispatches (TV series)|Dispatches]]'', ''[[Britain's Brightest]]'' and ''[[1001 Things You Should Know]]''.

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb name|3205512}}
* {{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/21/channel4-television-countdown-jeff-stelling/|title= New Countdown hosts confirmed | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Leigh | last=Holmwood | date=21 November 2008 | accessdate=22 May 2010}}
* {{cite news |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3497300/Oxford-maths-graduate-replaces-Carol-Vorderman-on-Countdown.html |title=Oxford maths graduate replaces Carol Vorderman on Countdown |accessdate=26 March 2009 |author=Matthew Moore |date=21 November 2008 |work=Telegraph.co.uk | location=London}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Carol Vorderman]]|
title=Co-host of ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]''|
years=2009–|
after=incumbent|
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Countdown (game show)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riley, Rachel}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Countdown (game show)]]
[[Category:English atheists]]
[[Category:English people of Jewish descent]]
[[Category:British Jews]]
[[Category:Jewish atheists]]
[[Category:English mathematicians]]
[[Category:English television presenters]]
[[Category:People educated at Southend High School for Girls]]
[[Category:People from Rochford]]
[[Category:People from Southend-on-Sea]]
[[Category:Television personalities from Essex]]

Rachel Riley

2017-08-10T20:19:51Z

82.132.231.213: /* Personal life */Accuracy

{{About|the British television presenter|the American reality show contestant|Rachel Reilly}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Rachel Riley
|image = Rachel Riley 2011.JPG
|birth_name = Rachel Annabelle Riley
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|11|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Rochford]], [[Essex]], England, United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web|title = I really love Countdown... trust me, it is not being axed|url = http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9160420.I_really_love__Countdown____trust_me__it_is_not_being_axed/|website = Echo|accessdate = 4 August 2015|date = 27 July 2011|last = Worsdale|first = Jim}}</ref>
|nationality = British
|occupation = [[Television presenter]]
|residence = [[Thorpe Bay]], [[Southend-on-Sea]]
|alma_mater = [[Oriel College, Oxford|Oriel College]], [[University of Oxford|Oxford]]
|spouse = {{marriage|Jamie Gilbert|2012|2013}}
|employer = [[Channel 4]], [[Sky Sports]]
|partner =
}}
'''Rachel Annabelle Riley'''<ref>{{cite web|url= http://namesdatabase.com/people/RILEY/RACHEL%20ANNABELLE/1809930|title= Names Database|accessdate= 12 March 2011}}</ref> (born 11 January 1986)<ref>The edition of 11 January 2011 of the show mentioned that that day was her 25th birthday.</ref> is an [[English people|English]] television presenter and [[mathematician]] who currently co-presents the [[Channel 4]] daytime puzzle show ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' and its comedy spin-off ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]''. A mathematics graduate, her television debut came when she joined ''Countdown'' at age 22.

With a passion for popularising maths and the sciences, she has gone on to co-present ''[[The Gadget Show]]'' on [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] (2013–14) and ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]'' on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] (2016). In 2013 she was a contestant on the [[BBC]] celebrity dance show ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]''.

==Early life==
Born in [[Rochford]], [[Essex]],<ref>[http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/southend/4528933.Campaign_can_count_on_Rachel_s_support/ Campaign can count on Rachel Riley's support] [[Evening Echo (Essex)|Evening Echo]], 5 August 2009, accessdate=31 December 2013</ref> to an accountant father Christopher <ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117986/RICHARD-KAY-Countdown-queen-Rachels-wedding-conundrum.html Countdown queen Rachel's wedding conundrum] ''[[Daily Mail]]'', 21 March 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.</ref> and Celia (she also has a younger brother, Alex),<ref>[http://www.southendstandard.co.uk/news/10192022.Rachel_Riley_grapples_with_crocs_Tick_and_Tock/?ref=rss Rachel Riley grapples with crocs Tick and Tock] ''Southend Standard'', 30 January 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2014.</ref> Riley was brought up in the [[Thorpe Bay]] area of [[Southend-on-Sea]] and was educated at the independent [[Thorpe Hall School]], and [[Southend High School for Girls]], a [[grammar school]], where she obtained four As at [[GCE Advanced Level|A-Level]]. She then studied mathematics at [[Oriel College, Oxford]], gaining an [[upper second-class honours]] [[Undergraduate degree|degree]].<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.echo-news.co.uk/archive/2011/07/27/9160420.I_really_love__Countdown____trust_me__it_is_not_being_axed/|title= I really love Countdown... trust me, it is not being axed|newspaper= Southend Echo|date= 27 July 2011|accessdate= 30 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetartpaper.com/articles/view/537|title= New hosts Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley Debut on Countdown|accessdate=17 January 2009|work= |publisher=''The Tart'' |date=16 January 2009}}</ref>

== Early career ==
During a university vacation, Riley considered a career in the financial sector, and completed an internship at [[Deutsche Bank]] in the [[City of London]]. The experience put her off: although already familiar with male-dominated environments in the field of mathematics, she found the extreme behaviour of city traders wearing, and not being a "morning person" she also disliked the early morning train commute.<ref name=":2">[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10909618/Rachel-Riley-Strictly-magnified-the-fault-lines-in-my-marriage.html Rachel Riley: 'Strictly magnified the fault lines in my marriage'] ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', 18 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.</ref>

Her maths degree helped her get a job performing [[statistical analysis]] for a [[price comparison]] [[Startup company|start-up company]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/maths-reform/9057554/Telegraph-numeracy-campaign-Remove-the-stigma-around-maths.html Telegraph numeracy campaign: Remove the stigma around maths] ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', 4 February 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2014.</ref> Riley also briefly considered doing a [[Postgraduate education|postgraduate degree]], a master's degree in concrete, being attracted by the intersection of mathematics and civil engineering.<ref name=":2" />

==Television==
Riley's television debut came in January 2009, when at the age of 22 she joined the [[Channel 4]] letters and numbers game show ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]].''<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /> Prior to this'','' Riley had received no training for working in television and had no other experience with the media industry, leading to descriptions of her landing this role as a baptism of fire, given its status as a "jewel in the broadcasting crown", according to one media commentator. While occupying the niche role, she long believed she was not a television presenter, but she came to realise that the industry has changed, so that "I don't think there's such a thing as a TV presenter any more. There are just people who go on TV".<ref name=":4" />

As her popularity grew due to daily appearances on ''Countdown'', she branched out into other roles, co-presenting ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]'' and ''[[The Gadget Show]],'' although her profile was significantly boosted by her appearance as a contestant on ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'', which largely "catapulted [Riley] onto the A-list" and opened up the doors for new television roles, according to another commentator.<ref name=":2" /> In 2014, two years before her role on ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]'', she said, "I'd love to present a popular science programme because it's something I feel very passionate about."<ref name=":2" />

=== ''Countdown'' ===
On ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'', Riley replaced the long-serving [[Carol Vorderman]]. Like Vorderman, Riley's role is to handle the placement of tiles on the board for the letters and numbers rounds and to find an exact solution in the numbers rounds if the contestants are unable to do so.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7675710.stm|title=Sky host Stelling joins Countdown|date=21 November 2008|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|accessdate=22 November 2008}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1088245/Essex-girl-fresh-Oxford-graduate--22-replaces-Carol-Vorderman-Countdown.html|title=Essex girl (and fresh Oxford graduate), 22, replaced Carol Vorderman on Countdown|date=22 November 2008|publisher=''Mail Online''|accessdate=22 November 2008|work=}}</ref>

Riley's appointment to ''Countdown'' was announced at the same time as the announcement of a new main host, [[Jeff Stelling]], replacing [[Des O'Connor]]; the duo of Stelling and Riley were in place for the new series beginning in January 2009.<ref name=":0" /> Although she had no ambition to be a television presenter, she was encouraged to apply by her mother, and decided to do so because she was interested in the numbers part of the game.<ref name="Mail1">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1209425/I-didnt-count-abuse-Rachel-Riley-Carol-Vordermans-replacement-adds-lot-grief.html|title=I didn't count on this abuse: Rachel Riley on why being Carol Vorderman's replacement adds up to a whole lot of grief|last=Hardy|first=Rebecca|date=29 August 2009|work=Mail Online|accessdate=11 September 2009}}</ref> Having beaten 1,000 applicants for the role, she commented "There's only one cool maths job around and I was lucky enough to get it so I'm absolutely thrilled".<ref name=":0" />

Riley takes the role of solving the numbers round so seriously that if she cannot solve it on the show, she takes it away with her to finish, commenting "I'm really [[Obsessive–compulsive disorder|OCD]] about it. I have to get it. I like puzzles – that's what I do, that's why I applied for the job, that's why I used to watch Countdown when I was younger. I like solving stuff." She has attributed this compulsion to a nervy and flustered start in the role which resulted in her making some errors, although she says she has since got the hang of it and the task is now a matter of routine. In contrast, on account of her "really immature sense of humour" she has some difficulty in maintaining her composure during the words round whenever rude words appear.<ref name="Mail1" />

Riley frequently encounters close media and public scrutiny of what she wears on the show, with her wardrobe choices attracting intense social media comment on Twitter and YouTube and even national headlines, particularly if they are deemed too revealing or tight.<ref name="Mail1" /><ref name=":1" /> Working with a wardrobe consultant, she obtains most of the clothes from High Street stores, although some are purchased from a small boutique near her home in Southend. While trying to please everybody with varied choices, she nonetheless takes a phlegmatic approach to the attention, commenting, "even with the same outfit you'll get polar-opposite views, so you can't win. You’ve just got to learn that you can't please everyone all of the time". The number of episodes means wearing some outfits more than once is inevitable – she donates items she no longer requires to charity, some being auctioned by her mother.<ref name="Mail1" />

=== ''8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown'' ===
Since it was first broadcast on 2 January 2012, Riley has also performed her ''Countdown'' role on the comedy crossover spin-off version, ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]'', alongside comedian [[Jimmy Carr]] as host. While ''Countdown'' is seen as a straight light entertainment show, in explaining the difference between the two, Riley sees ''Countdown'' as the role she is happy for her grandmother to see, while ''Cats Does Countdown'' is the more risqué, cheeky, role which she shows to her friends.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3476428/How-Pasha-waltzed-heart-Countdown-s-Rachel-Riley-romance-dancer-Pasha-Kovalev-totally-transformed-life.html|title=How Pasha waltzed off with my heart: Countdown's Rachel Riley|access-date=26 July 2016}}</ref> Some of the running gags used on the show are made by Carr at Riley's expense, aimed at her lack of dancing ability and a supposed frosty relationship with Vorderman, while in return Riley is often given jokes which mock Carr's supposed desires on herself. Due to scheduling conflicts with filming for ''It's Not Rocket Science'', Riley was replaced by [[Claudia Winkleman]] for two episodes in series nine (broadcast 3 and 10 March 2016).

===''Strictly Come Dancing''===
From September 2013, Riley appeared in the [[Strictly Come Dancing (series 11)|eleventh series]] of the [[BBC One]] ballroom dancing programme ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'' with professional dancing partner [[Pasha Kovalev]]. She was eliminated in Week 6 of the show, on 3 November, after losing out in the dance-off against [[Abbey Clancy]] and [[Aljaž Skorjanec|Aljaž Škorjanec]].

According to Riley she lacked a natural talent for performing, so instead sought to frame each dance as that of a character.<ref name=":2" /> For the first five weeks, Riley suffered from stage fright, commenting that "As soon as the music would start, I would have a fuzzy brain and it was like an out-of-body experience"; after seeing a [[Cognitive behavioral therapist|cognitive behavioural therapist]] she was able to control her breathing, and so was only able to truly enjoy the show for what proved to be her final appearance.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/strictly-come-dancing/11453103/Rachel-Riley-returns-to-the-dancefloor.html|title=Rachel Riley returns to the dancefloor|access-date=25 July 2016}}</ref>

=== ''The Gadget Show'' ===
From 2013 until 2014, Riley co-presented on the [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] programme ''[[The Gadget Show]]'' with [[Jason Bradbury]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/gadget-show/gadget-news/meet-the-gadget-shows-new-presenter-rachel-riley|title=The Gadget Show | Meet The Gadget Show’s new presenter: Rachel Riley! by The Gadget Show|date=|publisher=Gadgetshow.channel5.com|accessdate=2 June 2013}}</ref> She presented three series of the show and was later replaced by [[Amy Williams]].<ref>[http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/gadget-show/gadget-news/the-gadget-shows-new-presenter-is-an-olympic-champion The Gadget Show’s new presenter is an Olympic champion!]</ref>

=== ''It's Not Rocket Science'' ===
In 2016, Riley was part of the three-person presenting team for [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]'s six-part series, ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]'', billed by the network as an entertainment series celebrating science.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week7/its-not-rocket-science|title=It’s Not Rocket Science Episode 1|access-date=26 July 2016}}</ref> Her co-presenters, [[Ben Miller]] and [[Romesh Ranganathan]], similarly had a background in science and maths. Explaining the purpose of the show as popularising science and making it seem less intimidating, she said "It's showing that you can't separate the world of science from the world we live in". She added that while her background is in maths, "You can't separate them either. Maths is the language of science."<ref name=":4" /> A key part of the show was a weekly challenge where one of the presenters "risked their lives" to prove a scientific theory – in Riley's case she cycled on a tightrope and zip-lined through a ring of fire.<ref name=":4" />

===Sky Sports===
In August 2016, it was announced that Riley would join [[Sky Sports]] to present ''Friday Night Football'' alongside her former ''Countdown'' co-presenter [[Jeff Stelling]] and ''Fantasy Football Club'' with [[Max Rushden]] and [[Paul Merson]].<ref>[http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a803870/countdown-rachel-riley-joins-sky-sports/ Unbelievable Jeff! Rachel Riley joins Sky Sports]</ref>

She left ''Friday Night Football'' in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last=Houghton |first=Rianne |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a830775/rachel-riley-quits-sky-sports-job-after-abuse/ |title=Countdown star Rachel Riley quits Sky Sports job after receiving 'hideous personal abuse' |website=Digitalspy.com |date=14 June 2017 |accessdate=6 August 2017}}</ref>
==Other work==
On 26 June 2009, it was reported that Riley had been recruited by [[Royal Mail]] to employ her mathematical skills to help advise holidaymakers on how to make the most of their holiday currency, after a report by the Post Office revealed that a significant number of holidaymakers fail to calculate the actual cost of goods and services when travelling abroad and often overspend their holiday budgets.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1195536/Rachel-Rileys-currency-countdown-Britons-lose-288m-year-poor-maths.html|title= Rachel Riley's currency countdown as Britons lose £288m a year over poor maths|work= Mail Online|first= Sebastian|last= Lander|date= 26 June 2009|accessdate= 11 July 2009}}</ref>

Her mathematics background and love of football has seen Riley assist bookmakers in preparing betting odds for football tournaments; based on her analysis she predicted [[Chile national football team|Chile]] would win the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]], despite appreciating fans would see it as an unlikely outcome (Chile were ultimately knocked out in the Round of 16).<ref name=":2" />

==Personal life==
Riley was married for 15 months to Jamie Gilbert, whom she met while they were both studying at the [[University of Oxford]]. After four and a half years together, the couple initially split at the end of 2009,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1239646/Countdowns-Rachel-Riley-single-splitting-boyfriend-years.html|title=Countdown's Rachel Riley is single after splitting with boyfriend of four years|last=Todd|first=Ben|date=1 January 2010|work=Mail Online|accessdate=1 January 2010}}</ref> before reconciling. Gilbert then proposed on her 25th birthday on 11 January 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1350335/Countdown-presenter-Rachel-Riley-gets-engaged-millionaire-boyfriend.html|title=Rachel Riley begins the Countdown to her big day after getting engaged to millionaire boyfriend|date=25 January 2011|work=Mail Online|publisher=Associated Newspapers Ltd|accessdate=14 February 2011}}</ref> They married on 11 August 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2190782/Countdown-star-Rachel-Riley-weds-university-sweetheart.html|title=Countdown star Rachel Riley weds her university sweetheart|date=20 August 2012|publisher=Dailymail.co.uk|author=Emily Sheridan|work=Mail Online|accessdate=2 June 2013}}</ref> but it was announced in November 2013 that they were separating.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/10482574/Rachel-Riley-in-split-from-husband.html|title=Rachel Riley in split from husband|last=Carter|first=Claire|date=29 November 2013|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/11/29/rachel-riley-husband-jamie-gilbert-marriage-split_n_4358448.html|title='Countdown' And 'Strictly' Star Rachel Riley 'Splits From Husband Jamie Gilbert After 16 Months Of Marriage'|date=29 November 2013|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2515374/Countdown-brainbox-Rachel-Riley-splits-husband-Jamie-Gilbert-16-months-marriage.html|title=Countdown brainbox Rachel Riley splits from husband Jamie Gilbert after 15 months of marriage|last=Davison|first=Rebecca|date=29 November 2013|publisher=Daily Mail and General Trust|newspaper=Daily Mail|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref> Responding to suggestions she had been the latest victim of the so-called Strictly curse, where the relationships of contestants on the show break down soon after it, she stated "I don’t think there’s a Strictly curse, but it does serve as a magnifying glass that shows up pre-existing fault lines. Jamie and I had been with one another since I was 19, and we are still good friends, it was all amicable and he’s been brilliant.”<ref name=":2" /> As of September 2016, Riley is dating previous Strictly partner [[Pasha Kovalev]].<ref name="standard">{{cite web|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/strictly-come-dancing-curse-won-t-ruin-rachel-riley-relationship-says-pasha-kovalev-a3340186.html|title=Strictly Come Dancing curse won't ruin Rachel Riley relationship says Pasha Kovalev|publisher=[[Evening Standard]]|accessdate=12 December 2016}}</ref>

In response to speculation that she 'ran off' with her dance partner, Riley has said that her marriage was breaking down before ''Strictly'', and that the relationship with Kovalev didn't start during the show, only emerging once their professional relationship ended, by which time she felt the marriage was over. She attributes the time spent apart during ''Strictly'' and other filming commitments around that time as what allowed her to realise her marriage was likely going to end. While insisting it was not a mistake getting married and she felt happy, on reflection she feels her life up to the point of ''Strictly'' was being constrained by convention and expectation, something she sees as a problem, particularly for high achieving girls.<ref name=":4" /> Her time on the show changed her view on the direction of her life, prompting her to note in particular that she was a perfectionist and highly self-critical.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> After the show, she has said she now feels more relaxed and confident, lives more in the moment, having no particular long term plans such as marriage or children with Kovalev.<ref name=":4" />

Riley describes herself as a "[[non-religious Jew]]" and "pretty atheist", having been married in a civil ceremony.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117986/RICHARD-KAY-Countdown-queen-Rachels-wedding-conundrum.html|title=RICHARD KAY: Countdown queen Rachel's wedding conundrum|last=Kay|first=Richard|date=21 March 2012|work=Mail Online|accessdate=11 October 2012}}</ref> She has from time to time assisted in the pronunciation and spelling of [[Yiddish words used in English|Yiddish]] words on ''Countdown''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/the-diary/67480/countdowns-yiddishe-gal|title=Countdown's yiddishe gal|date=10 May 2012}}</ref> She is learning Russian, the first language of her boyfriend Kovalev, largely so she can better communicate with his family, who live in Siberia, and his friends.<ref name=":4" />

In May 2014, Riley revealed that she had been the victim of an eight-month campaign of threatening abuse from a stalker. The accused, a 31-year-old man with [[paranoid schizophrenia]], was sectioned under the [[Mental Health Act 2007|Mental Health Act]] and placed under a [[restraining order]] preventing him from contacting Riley.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/countdown-star-rachel-riley-feared-3628617|title=Countdown star Rachel Riley feared for life during stalker's 8-month campaign of vile abuse|publisher=Daily Mirror|date=30 May 2014|accessdate=15 June 2014}}</ref>

Riley is a keen supporter of [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], like her father (who was originally from [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]], [[Lancashire]]),<ref>[http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/10176379.Me_a_sex_symbol__It_doesn___t_add_up__says_Rachel_Riley/ Me a sex symbol? It just doesn’t add up, says Rachel Riley] ''Southend Echo'', 22 January 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.</ref><ref name="mediamonkey">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jun/24/countdown-rachel-riley-ryan-giggs|title=Countdown: Rachel Riley red-faced over Ryan Giggs|date=24 June 2013|work=The Guardian|accessdate=24 June 2013|author=Media Monkey}}</ref> In October 2010, Riley presented a programme on the club's television channel, [[MUTV (Manchester United F.C.)|MUTV]], featuring a tour of their [[Trafford Training Centre]] in [[Carrington, Greater Manchester|Carrington]]. She has also hosted episodes of ''An Audience with...'' on the channel. To mark her 1,000th episode of ''Countdown'' (aired on 25 June 2013), United player [[Ryan Giggs]] presented her with a signed team shirt, Giggs himself having celebrated his 1,000th game for the club the same year.<ref name="mediamonkey" /><ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a492587/ryan-giggs-to-appear-on-rachel-rileys-1000th-countdown-episode.html Ryan Giggs to appear on Rachel Riley's 1,000th 'Countdown' episode – TV News – Digital Spy]</ref> In her appearance as a contestant on the BBC quiz show ''[[Celebrity Mastermind]]'', broadcast on 4 January 2012, her specialist subject was a limited ( 13 year ) history of the club; she eventually finished in joint second place.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-09-02/strictly-come-dancing-2013-rachel-riley|title=Strictly Come Dancing 2013: Rachel Riley|access-date=25 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01977sw|title=Episode 7, 2011/2012, Celebrity Mastermind – BBC One|website=BBC|access-date=25 July 2016}}</ref>

==Educational advocacy==
In an effort to put her public profile to work for the common good, Riley strives to be an advocate for the so-called "geeky" subjects of mathematics and science, and has visited schools to enthuse pupils on the "joys of applied maths, quantum mechanics and time travel and so on".<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> A blog, written by Surrey University academic Julia Percival and hosted by ''[[The Guardian]]'', which argued that Riley's looks and figure would work against any aim to increase female participation in the sciences, was described by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' as unfair and a case of Riley being damned if she did and damned if she didn't.<ref name=':2' /><ref name=Guardian28May2014a>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/may/28/no-george-osborne-girls-will-not-follow-pretty-role-models-into-science|title=No George Osborne! Girls will not follow pretty role models into science|publisher=The Guardian|author=Julia Percival| date=28 May 2014|accessdate=25 March 2017|quote=Studies published in 2013 by Diana E. Betz and Denise Sekaquaptewa looked at the impact of different types of female role models on girls' opinion of their own ability to succeed at a Stem subject. They found that typically feminine Stem role models not only decreased girls' interest in Stem subjects, but also decreased their belief in their own ability to succeed at those subjects – and the likelihood of studying them. ... I can sympathise with these students. Rachel Riley, the mathematician who appears on Countdown, is a great Stem ambassador, but even someone like me, with a first degree and PhD in chemistry, feels like a failure in comparison to her, because she is slim and pretty – and I'm not.}}</ref>

==Filmography==
;Television
{| class="wikitable" style="border="2"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Channel
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2009—
| ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]''
| rowspan=2|[[Channel 4]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jeff Stelling]] (2009–2011) and [[Nick Hewer]] (2012–present)
|-
| 2012—
| ''[[8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown]]''
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jimmy Carr]]
|-
| 2013–2014
| ''[[The Gadget Show]]''
| [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jason Bradbury]]
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]''
| [[BBC One]]
| Participant
| 5th celebrity to be eliminated
|-
| 2016
| ''[[It's Not Rocket Science (TV series)|It's Not Rocket Science]]''
| [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Ben Miller]] and [[Romesh Ranganathan]]
|-
| rowspan=2|2016–2017
| ''Friday Night Football''
| rowspan=2|[[Sky Sports]]
| Co-presenter
| With [[Jeff Stelling]]
|-
| ''Fantasy Football Club''
| Co-presenter
| With [[Max Rushden]] and [[Paul Merson]]
|}

;Guest appearances
{{div col |2}}
*''[[Chris Moyles' Quiz Night]]'' (22 March 2009)
*''[[This Morning (TV programme)|This Morning]]'' (26 March 2010)
*''[[8 Out of 10 Cats]]'' (17 June 2011, 12 August 2011, 21 October 2011, 23 March 2012, 11 May 2012, 15 June 2012, 29 October 2012, 1 February 2013)
*''[[Celebrity Mastermind]]'' (4 January 2012)
*''[[The Bank Job (game show)|The Bank Job: Celebrity Special]]'' (16 March 2012)
*''[[The Chase (UK game show)|The Chase: Celebrity Special]]'' (19 August 2012)
*''[[12 Again]]'' (2 November 2012)
*''[[Pointless (game show)|Pointless Celebrities]]'' (17 December 2012)
*''[[Sunday Brunch]]'' (10 February 2013)
*''[[Five Minutes to a Fortune]]'' (21 April 2013)
*''[[Tipping Point: Lucky Stars]]'' (9 June 2013)
*''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'' (30 June 2013)
*''[[I Love My Country (UK TV series)|I Love My Country]]'' (31 August 2013)
*''[[Sweat the Small Stuff]]'' (12 November 2013)
*''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'' (4 February 2014)
*''[[The Guess List]]'' (24 May 2014)
*''[[Backchat (2013 TV series)|Backchat]]'' (3 June 2014)
*''[[TV OD]]'' (19 June 2014)
*''[[Fifteen to One|Celebrity Fifteen to One]]'' (27 June 2014)<ref>[http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/cxy6h4/celebrity-fifteen-to-one--series-1---episode-4 Celebrity Fifteen to One SERIES 1 – EPISODE 4] ''[[Radio Times]]''</ref>
*''[[Virtually Famous]]'' (21 July 2014)
*''[[Celebrity Squares]]'' (8 October 2014)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep5week41/celebrity-squares|title=Celebrity Squares|publisher=|accessdate=6 October 2014}}</ref>
*''[[Text Santa]]'' (19 December 2014)
*''[[Room 101 (TV series)|Room 101]]'' (18 February 2015)
*''[[Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit]]'' (26 September 2016)
*''[[Saturday Kitchen]]'' (3 December 2016)
*''[[Play to the Whistle]]'' (28 February 2017)
{{div col end}}

She has also made brief appearances in such shows as ''[[The IT Crowd]]'', ''[[Dispatches (TV series)|Dispatches]]'', ''[[Britain's Brightest]]'' and ''[[1001 Things You Should Know]]''.

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb name|3205512}}
* {{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/21/channel4-television-countdown-jeff-stelling/|title= New Countdown hosts confirmed | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Leigh | last=Holmwood | date=21 November 2008 | accessdate=22 May 2010}}
* {{cite news |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3497300/Oxford-maths-graduate-replaces-Carol-Vorderman-on-Countdown.html |title=Oxford maths graduate replaces Carol Vorderman on Countdown |accessdate=26 March 2009 |author=Matthew Moore |date=21 November 2008 |work=Telegraph.co.uk | location=London}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Carol Vorderman]]|
title=Co-host of ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]''|
years=2009–|
after=incumbent|
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Countdown (game show)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riley, Rachel}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Countdown (game show)]]
[[Category:English atheists]]
[[Category:English people of Jewish descent]]
[[Category:British Jews]]
[[Category:Jewish atheists]]
[[Category:English mathematicians]]
[[Category:English television presenters]]
[[Category:People educated at Southend High School for Girls]]
[[Category:People from Rochford]]
[[Category:People from Southend-on-Sea]]
[[Category:Television personalities from Essex]]