Forced out: Carol Vorderman says she was left with no choice but to leave Countdown

Channel 4 today moved to quash rumours that the future of Countdown is in doubt.

Senior executives are said to be working overtime to find a replacement for the show following the shock departure of Carol Vorderman.

It follows days of rumours following the popular presenter's announcement on Friday that she would no longer be appearing on the show.

A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: 'The show is definitely continuing, there is no question of that. It will definitely carry on as it is a very popular format, but with new presenters.

'The format rights are owned by ITV Productions and we wants them to continue. ITV Productions have a contract to make the show and there is no question it is being pulled.'

Insiders at Channel 4 maintain Vorderman's salary could be justified with the recent lower viewing figures.

Vorderman earns £17,000 a day for 40 days filming a year. This works out as £3,750 per show. Her total salary is £930,000 per series.

Des O'Connor, who has also left the show, is said to earn £800,000 a year.

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Friends: Richard Whiteley's former partner Kathryn Apanowicz and Carol Vorderman

Earlier Marcel Stellman, the Belgian record executive who first brought the programme to Britain from France, said he was "horrified" at the way she had been spoken to when she was in contract negotiations last week.

He said: 'I control the format and without the format there is no show.

'I am upset for Carol, more than that. This is a person I have known for 26 years who started Countdown.

'If I am Mr Countdown, she is Mrs Countdown.

'To discuss her in the way they do makes me speechless. I am horrified they don't treat people like human beings.

'If the show doesn't come up with the things they have promised in writing, and are now being dealt with by my solicitors, from now on I don't wish to talk about the future.'

Mr Stellman also said that he was 'not happy' with ITV Productions, the company that makes Countdown.

However, ITV Productions insist they now own the rights after Mr Stellman sold them and they are looking to the future with a revitalised Countdown with new presenters.

Meanwhile, the partner of late Countdown host Richard Whiteley has accused programme bosses of being ' unscrupulous' and 'nasty' over the way they forced out Vorderman.

Kathryn Apanowicz, who lived with Whiteley from 1994 until his death after a heart operation in 2005, said he would have been utterly appalled.

Miss Apanowicz, 48, claimed ageism and the downmarket tastes of Channel 4 programmers were a major reason in Miss Vorderman's decision to quit after 26 years.

Host: Richard Whiteley and Carol Vorderman could demand higher salaries as a pair

Her comments come after Miss Vorderman, 47, said she was told she would have to take a 90 per cent cut in her £800,000 salary if she wanted to carry on co-hosting the afternoon show.

She was then told she had 48 hours to decide whether to take it or leave it.

The final straw is said to have come when one of the show's bosses told her it had survived without Whiteley  -  who hosted it from 1982 until his death  -  so could survive without her.

Miss Vorderman had been in discussions with Granada, part of ITV Productions which makes the show for Channel 4, when she was told of the plans.

Miss Apanowicz said: 'As Richard's partner I can say he would be appalled. And I am more appalled than anything about that below the belt comment that was used saying "It survived Richard Whiteley, it will survive you"  -  how dare they! How dare they!

'It was callous because Carol was very close and was like Richard's little sister. It really upset her and it really upset me.'

Miss Apanowicz said Countdown should now be axed. 'Carol is an integral part of the show and it should not go on without her. They will probably get Myleene Klass, she does everything else,' she said.

'Carol has been a really good friend to me since Richard died and I don't like nice people being treated like this.'

Since Whiteley died, Miss Vorderman has worked alongside replacement hosts Des Lynam, who lasted 18 months, and Des O'Connor, who last week said he will quit at the end of the year.

Miss Apanowicz said TV chiefs were more interested in airing 'disgraceful behaviour' than looking after traditional viewers.

She believes this is the latest example of ageism and sexism being shown towards mature women presenters on TV.

'Carol was employed for her brains,' she said. 'It's very rare that you can say a woman presenter is employed for her brains.'

Miss Vorderman said: 'I was absolutely distraught at their ultimatum. After putting my heart and soul into the show for 26 years I was given just 48 hours to decide. Take it or leave it.

'I loved Countdown so much I was thinking of taking the cut. In fact in the right circumstances I'd have done it for free - but it is obvious they wanted me out.'

Her contract with the show runs until the end of the year and next month she will return to the Leeds studios for filming.

A source at the production company said: 'We don't want her out but we are not prepared to pay her what we paid her in the past.

'The programme does not have the same value. Her and Richard negotiated mega-deals because we could not afford to lose either of them because they were like a partnership.

'The programme was theirs, they were getting three million viewers.

'But now we have had Des Lynam and Des O'Connor and the programme now sometimes gets less than 1million. Channel 4 are not prepared to pay as much for it and we have got to make some savings.'

Granada said: 'To say she was forced to quit is simply not true.'

Her comments come after Miss Vorderman, 47, said she was told she would have to take a 90 per cent cut in her £800,000 salary if she wanted to carry on co-hosting the afternoon show.