Former Countdown Champion Detained Over Knife Attack on Rival Player
A shocking incident at a Blackpool tournament has left fans and fellow competitors stunned after a former Countdown champion was detained in hospital for treatment following an attack on rival player Thomas Carey with a knife. John Cowen, 31, who won the coveted Countdown teapot several times, including achieving the distinction of becoming an octochamp after winning eight consecutive games, ran across a room to confront Carey before being restrained by attenders.
The attack occurred during a Focal Countdown Group event, where former champions and contestants faced fans in spelling and number challenges. According to CCTV footage, Cowen entered the Wainwright Club shortly after 11.30am with a kitchen knife in his hand, before spotting Carey and running towards him. After being stopped by bystanders, police arrested him and found a second kitchen knife in his pocket.
Carey was treated for a wound to his left biceps and remains in hospital as a result of the attack. Cowen, who has schizophrenia, had previously expressed discontent over the use of mobile apps to practice the game at fan conventions and contests. However, no clear motive for the attack was given during the trial.
Judge Mathieson described the incident as "terrifying" and stated that Cowen's attitude towards treatment remained hostile. He ruled that Cowen should remain in hospital for an indefinite duration under section 37/41 of the Mental Health Act, citing his mental disorder as a reason for detention.
Cowen pleaded not guilty to all charges, including two counts of possession of a bladed article in a public place and wounding with intent. The court heard that Carey was a member of the Countdown fan club since 2011 and had known Cowen from previous meetings and events.
The incident has left many in the Countdown community shaken, and fans are urging caution when interacting with fellow competitors at upcoming events.
A shocking incident at a Blackpool tournament has left fans and fellow competitors stunned after a former Countdown champion was detained in hospital for treatment following an attack on rival player Thomas Carey with a knife. John Cowen, 31, who won the coveted Countdown teapot several times, including achieving the distinction of becoming an octochamp after winning eight consecutive games, ran across a room to confront Carey before being restrained by attenders.
The attack occurred during a Focal Countdown Group event, where former champions and contestants faced fans in spelling and number challenges. According to CCTV footage, Cowen entered the Wainwright Club shortly after 11.30am with a kitchen knife in his hand, before spotting Carey and running towards him. After being stopped by bystanders, police arrested him and found a second kitchen knife in his pocket.
Carey was treated for a wound to his left biceps and remains in hospital as a result of the attack. Cowen, who has schizophrenia, had previously expressed discontent over the use of mobile apps to practice the game at fan conventions and contests. However, no clear motive for the attack was given during the trial.
Judge Mathieson described the incident as "terrifying" and stated that Cowen's attitude towards treatment remained hostile. He ruled that Cowen should remain in hospital for an indefinite duration under section 37/41 of the Mental Health Act, citing his mental disorder as a reason for detention.
Cowen pleaded not guilty to all charges, including two counts of possession of a bladed article in a public place and wounding with intent. The court heard that Carey was a member of the Countdown fan club since 2011 and had known Cowen from previous meetings and events.
The incident has left many in the Countdown community shaken, and fans are urging caution when interacting with fellow competitors at upcoming events.
John Cowen was like a legend on Countdown but he got so stressed out 'cos they started using apps 2 practice the game @ events n he attacked Thomas Carey with a knife 
I mean I get it, he's got schizophrenia but u would think dey'd help him manage his stress better 
. Now hes in hospital & dey say hes not guilty of all charges 
but its still super scary 4 everyone else who plays the game 
. I'm not saying his behavior was cool or anything, but come on, mental health issues don't equal no-good, right? And that hospital stint is gonna be super hard on him 
. More support needed for people struggling with mental stuff, if you ask me 
And what's with the schizophrenia thing? Maybe he just lost his cool, but blaming it on that? 
This whole thing feels like a PR stunt to me... did anyone really think Cowen would get away with this if the police found two knives on him? 
The real question is: what's going on behind the scenes here?
this is like something outta a horror movie! i mean we got some kinda champion of this show doing crazy stuff to someone else because of a mobile app thing... schizophrenia or not, it's just super sad that he had to take things to this extreme level 
and poor thomas carey, i hope he recovers fast from his injury 
but the thing is, how did we even let it get this far? like, if someone's having a meltdown because of an app, shouldn't there be more staff at these events or support groups for people to talk about their issues? 
we should also think of the victim here thomas carey, his well-being is what matters most right now. 
I mean, I've heard of contestants getting heated during the show, but this is on a whole different level 
. And it's not like he was just having a bad day, nope, he had schizophrenia 
and was already known to have mental health issues. But still, 2 knives?! 
. Anyway, this incident has left everyone in shock and I think we need to be super careful when interacting with fellow competitors at events from now on 
it sounds like John Cowen was always a bit unstable, but that doesnt excuse his behavior at all 
and it's literally so cute i'm getting goosebumps think about how dogs have more talent than some humans 
anyway back to countdown, who else loved watching john cowen crush it on the show? 
i mean, 8 consecutive wins is insane! 
what was going through his head? it sounds like he had some major issues with the fan conventions and apps but that's no excuse for attacking someone 
, but at the same time, this incident is a harsh reminder of how serious mental health can be 
. fans need to be more careful around each other, especially in events where they're supposed to be relaxed and friendly 
.
. He's got schizophrenia, which is a serious condition, but I get why fans would be worried about their safety when they're competing in these high-pressure events.
... it's just so not okay 
. The court made the right call by keeping him in hospital for now, but I hope this incident leads to some kind of support system being put in place for former champions who are struggling with their mental health 
fans are right to be cautious at these events now but like how can we even prevent this kinda thing from happening in the first place ?? 
. I feel so bad for Thomas Carey, the other guy who got hurt 
Not sure what's gonna happen next but hopefully he gets the help he needs 
about how to deal with mental health issues in competitive spaces like that. it's scary because you see these high profile people who have millions of fans and they can just lose it like that 
but on the other hand, it raises awareness about the importance of support systems for contestants especially those with mental health conditions 
he's like a legend in the countdown world and now hes all messed up because of John Cowen 
, but can we not just try to understand where he's coming from too? schizophrenia is no joke 