'Most of my favourite moments are rude!' Rachel Riley rings in her 2000th Countdown episode with stunning throwback snap

Published: 09:06 GMT, 24 November 2017 | Updated: 10:55 GMT, 24 November 2017

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She shot to fame in 2009 as a fresh-faced 22-year-old when she replaced Countdown stalwart Carol Vorderman,

And Rachel Riley rang in her 2000th episode of the daytime puzzle show on Thursday, by sharing a throwback snap from her very first appearance.

The 31-year-old mathematician excitedly took to Instagram to post the vintage shot to her 102,000 followers, which saw her clad in a cobalt blue figure-hugging dress, rocking a bob and posing in front of the show's famous clock.

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Celebration: Rachel Riley rang in her 2000th episode of the daytime puzzle show on Thursday, by sharing a throwback snap from her very first appearance

She jokingly captioned the fresh-faced snap: 'This was my first episode in 2009, today is my 2000th! And aside from the numbers games, most of my favourite moments are too rude to type. haven’t changed much! Thanks for watching our lovely little show.'

She was quickly inundated with well-wishes from her followers with one writing 'Well done Rachel hear is to 2000 more fantastic' (sic) while another wrote 'Gorgeous then, even better looking now'

The blonde beauty also shared another sweet photo showing her and host Nick Hewer, 73, cutting a celebratory cake in honour of the milestone anniversary.

She playfully wrote: 'A deleted scene where Nick and I got married You may now cut the cake... and they lived happily ever after.

Cutting the cake: The blonde beauty also shared another sweet photo showing her and host Nick Hewer, 73, cutting a celebratory cake in honour of the milestone anniversary

'Thanks for spoiling me lovely team, 2000 more now please!'

Rachel joined Countdown to replace show stalwart Carol Vorderman in 2009 after which she became a fan favourite and something of a pin-up.

In her personal life Rachel has been dating Strictly Come Dancing pro Pasha Kovalev for three years, after the couple met on the hit show in 2013.

At the time she was still married to her university sweetheart Jamie Gilbert, who she wed the previous year. They announced they were divorcing the next year.

In August Rachel has revealed she has no plans to marry Pasha , as the pair are 'in love' and 'settled' as they are.

Talking to the Daily Express, the star explained she no longer feels pressure to get married, after splitting from her first husband Jamie Gilbert - who she insists is still a 'good friend'.

The Countdown host could not help but gush about her romance with the professional ballroom dancer, 37, but admitted the pair had no desire to tie the knot.

Explaining their decision, she told the paper: 'I am in love now. I don’t feel I have to get married. I don’t think I need that pressure any more.

'I don’t worry about getting married or whether he is taking a long time in the morning or whether he has done the dishes,' she continued. 'That does not really bother me in the long term. I feel settled.'

The blonde also urged her fans to never give up on love, as she had never thought she would marry a man who grew up speaking a different language.

Hot couple: In her personal life Rachel has been dating Strictly Come Dancing pro Pasha Kovalev for three years, after the couple met on the hit show in 2013