It must be one of the longest, ahem, countdowns in history.

A female accountant has become the first woman in 26 years to win the final of Channel 4 quiz show Countdown.

Astonishingly, the long-running numbers and words game show, which has been on the channel since it launched in 1982, had not had a female champion since 1998 – until yesterday.

The long wait for a woman with sufficient word power ended after a final match between Fiona Wood, from Kinross, Scotland and Chris Kirby, an account manager from Cheshire.

It was a contest which went right down to the wire, but Ms Wood prevailed by solving the final conundrum, untangling nine letters – I, T, S, S, A, D, U, E, L – to make a word.

The team behind Countdown, currently co-hosted by Rachel Riley and Colin Murray, with lexicographer Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner, had long explained that fewer women than men applied to take part.

A recent on-screen drive to encourage more female entrants has clearly added up to a result for equality.

Triumphant Ms Wood, 50, a forensic accountant, said: 'I decided to apply after Colin appealed for older contestants, with Susie adding that they wanted more women. I would encourage other women to give it a go. I'm just so glad that I did.'

The very first series, in 1982, was won by a woman, Joyce Cansfield. But there were only three more over the following 16 years, before Kate Ogilvie, of Huddersfield, won the 39th series in 1998.

The total of six female winners over 90 series means the rate, as any Countdown enthusiast could tell you, is one in 15.

A Channel 4 spokesman said last night that following the appeals from the hosts, applications from women had soared.

The channel hopes Ms Wood's win will encourage even more to come forward.

Mr Kirby had stumbled during the contest by trying to get an eight-letter word score with 'promotee', over Ms Wood's 'promote', but was told his effort was not in the dictionary.

At one point the pair even used the same word, 'opiates'.

But at the end, Ms Wood's score was 96 to Mr Kirby's 89.

Ms Dent said: 'Fiona delighted us all and gave us one of the very best moments in our 42-year history. This series also reminded us how much Countdown is a show for everyone, and we would encourage anyone who loves the game to apply.'