Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling has been unveiled as the new host of much-loved quiz show Countdown.

Mr Stelling, who became a household name following his stint on Soccer Saturday on Sky, will be joined on the programme by Oxford University-educated maths genius Rachel Riley.

The duo will front the new series of the cult quiz when it hits the screens in January.

Mr Stelling was awarded Sports Broadcaster of the Year by the Sports Journalists' Association for the third successive time earlier this year.

He said: "I am delighted to be hosting Countdown and follow in the footsteps of such great broadcasters as Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam and Des O'Connor."

Rachel Riley, 22, graduated from Oriel College, Oxford with a Masters Degree in Mathematics.

She fought off stiff competition from more than 1,000 applicants to step into the shoes of Countdown legend Carol Vorderman.

For the Countdown auditions, Riley and other applicants had to conduct an interview and were tested on their maths skills.

She was then shortlisted alongside five others for a screen test in Leeds where candidates had to put up several letter selections and tackle various maths games at the numbers board.

Riley said: "This is the best graduate job in the world. There's only one cool maths job around and I was lucky enough to get it so I'm absolutely thrilled."