Rachel riley biography

Filling Carol Vorderman’s shoes on TV’s long-running Countdown would always be a big challenge, but for one Oxford graduate maths enthusiast, it proved to be a surprisingly natural, if unplanned, fit.

Rachel Riley had always been good with numbers from a young age, and after gaining a Master’s degree in maths from the prestigious Oxford University, in 2009 she took her first steps onto the sound stage at Channel 4 to become a household name.

In September 2023, Morson hosted its inaugural STEM Changemakers Summit at the Morson Maker Space at the University of Salford. A keynote speaker at the event, Rachel sat down with PathFinders to discuss the story of her life, her career, her aspirations for the future, how she’s using her platform on Channel 4’s long-running daytime game show to inspire and encourage girls into STEM, and much more.

Talk to us about your education and early life.

“I was good at school. I was good at maths from an early age, and I think the positive reinforcement encouraged me to do more maths and the more maths I did the better I got at it and the faster I succeeded. I went from school to doing maths, further maths and physics at A-level, then I got into Oxford University, having never met anyone who went to Oxford before. I studied maths and then studied for a Master’s for four years before getting my very strange job in television. 

In the summer of 2008, I just finished doing the Master’s and I was looking into what I was going to do with my life. After that, I was applying for grad jobs all over the place, I was looking into doing a Master’s in concrete, and one of the random things I saw was an advert for Countdown to do the numbers game. I’d watched Countdown since I was a little kid, I had never been near a television studio but instead of the pages and reams of detail ‘when have you worked in a team and all sorts for normal jobs’ [usual job application process] Countdown wanted 50

British mathematician and television presenter (born 1986)

This article is about the British television presenter. For the American reality show contestant, see Rachel Reilly. For the Canadian artistic gymnast, see Rachael Riley.

Rachel Annabelle RileyMBE (born 11 January 1986) is an English television presenter. She co-presents the Channel 4 daytime puzzle show Countdown and its comedy spin-off 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She is a mathematics graduate.

Her television debut came when she joined Countdown aged 22. With an interest in popularising mathematics and the sciences, she has since co-presented The Gadget Show on Channel 5 (2013–14) and It's Not Rocket Science on ITV (2016). She was also a contestant on the BBC celebrity dance show Strictly Come Dancing in 2013.

As an anti-racism campaigner, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to Holocaust education and antisemitism awareness.

Early life and early career

Riley was born in Rochford. Her mother is Jewish, and she has stated that her "family came over in the pogroms" from Tsarist Russia. Riley was raised 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 passed four A-Levels at grade A, after which she obtained a second-class degree in applied maths at Oriel College, Oxford.^[8]

Who is Rachel Riley?

Born in 1986 in Southend Essex, Rachelgained 4 A grades at A Level before attending Oriel College, Oxford, where she gained a second class honours degree in mathematics. She initially considered a career in marketing, before her mother encouraged her to audition for Channel 4's iconic game show, Countdown. 

When the show's original 'human calculator' Carol Vorderman retired from her role in 2008 after 26 years, Channel 4 began searching for an unknown host to replace her. Rachel, then 22, beat 1000 other applicants to win the coveted role as resident maths whizz. 

While there was some controversy that 48-year-old Carol had been replaced by a much younger woman, the girl from Southend soon won over her critics. Speaking about her new role, Rachel said: "There's only one cool maths job around and I was lucky enough to get it so I'm absolutely thrilled". 

She is known for her humour, and her inability to stifle giggles when the occasional rude word pops up in the letters round. "I'll put some letters up and, because I’m playing along in my head as the letters come out, I just start giggling,” said the brainiac. In June 2013, Rachel landed her second presenting role, joining Channel 5's The Gadget Show alongside Jason Bradbury. 

Her family life

In her excitement, she described the two jobs as "my dream combo!" Exhibiting the can-do attitude which has led to her success, Rachel added a third TV show to her schedule when she was announced as a Strictly Come Dancing contestant in September 2013. She was partnered with Russian professional Pasha Kovalev.

Rachel married her boyfriend from university, Jamie Gilbert in August 2012. She had previously announced the engagement on Countdown. Her Countdown co-host Nick Hewer told HELLO!: "Of course, Rachel is one of the most beautiful women in England. When you've got brains and beauty combi

Rachel Riley, the acclaimed numbers expert and renowned media personality, is best recognized for her enduring role on Channel 4’s Countdown. Her charismatic and relaxed approach to quick maths has kept the game show at the forefront of British television and marked her as a sought-after host for various series. Rachel is a popular and engaging speaker who speaks passionately about STEM subjects and football, appealing to a vast demographic due to her diverse media presence and charming nature.
Currently, Rachel is a cherished fixture in British media, known for her commitment to promoting STEM subjects and her advocacy against antisemitism. She has expanded her presence by hosting several other notable series, including The Gadget Show, It’s Not Rocket Science, and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Her talents also extend to sports presenting, with her co-hosting roles on Fantasy Football Club and Friday Night Football for Sky Sports, a testament to her diverse presenting skills and passion for football. Rachel continues to engage audiences by presenting on MUTV and appearing on shows like Football Focus (BBC 1) and Soccer AM (Sky Sports).

Rachel’s journey began with her graduation from the esteemed Oriel College, University of Oxford (2005-08), where she earned a degree in Mathematics, focusing on Quantum Theory, Fluid Mechanics, and Applied Maths. After exploring a career in finance, Rachel made her television debut in 2009 as the maths and vocabulary expert on Countdown. With no formal media training, her passion for the subject and natural charm quickly made her a fan favorite.
Throughout her career, Rachel has authored various publications and has been featured in several media outlets. She has appeared on numerous TV shows like Room 101, Top Gear, Would I Lie To You (BBC), Celebrity Mastermind, Pointless Celebrities (BBC 1), The Chase (ITV), and The Bank Job. Her versatility was further highlighted whe