THERE are some things you feel you should know about certain TV stars.
But doing my research before a recent interview with Carol Vorderman, I was surprised to learn she was a Manchester United fan.
“It dates back to the 1960s,” she told me when I asked about her lifelong support.
“And in the sixties, if you were Catholic and from the north west, you either supported Everton or Man Utd.”
Carol went to primary school in north Wales.
“On a Monday morning at assembly we used to do bidding prayers:
“Thank you Father for letting my mum and dad be all right.
“And thank you God for letting Manchester United beat, whoever it was, three nil on Saturday.
“It was compulsory.”

There’s a feature interview with Carol in tomorrow’s MEN. I’ll post a link here when it goes online.
It ties in with this Friday afternoon’s Countdown 25th Birthday Special – on C4 at 3.25pm.
Like me – and probably you, as you’re reading this – Carol is a big fan of the web and delights in embracing all its many possibilities.
She also has yet to be revealed internet plans of her own for next year.
“It’s just another world.
“With radio now, for example, Chris Moyles or Terry Wogan could do their shows from home.
“If I just wanted to sit there and do my own blog, which in effect could be a radio station, but only via the internet, I could do it.
“It creates all sorts of opportunities – I’m very excited about it.”
Carol added: “I really do see the internet as the future.
“It allows you, within reason, to have direct access with your viewers, or users, in a way that television can’t, because you have to go through so many layers of management.”
All of which means she will continue to be recognised almost everywhere she travels.
“The funniest place was quite recently.
“I was in the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean and I was snorkelling.
“That was quite something – to be recognised with the mask on.”
Official Countdown C4 Site