Latest news with #WordPerfect
Leader Live
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Countdown's Susie Dent is coming to Wrexham - here's when
She is bringing her new tour 'Word Perfect' to Wrexham's William Aston Hall on August 23. For someone whose life revolves around a true love of the English language and who is razor-sharp at deciphering the whimsies of our mother tongue, Susie Dent doesn't seem like the sort of person to be tripped up by the simple things. But she admits she has been stumped, albeit on the rare occasion. Countdown co-presenter and Queen of Dictionary Corner for more than 30 years, Susie – who will hit the road with her all-new second 26-date tour Word Perfect this summer – has many fond memories of her time on the show and recalls one particularly amusing moment. She said: 'I was doing some work on the tour the other day, and I was reminiscing about Richard Whiteley, when one of my most embarrassing moments came back to me. 'The letters had been selected, the clock had ticked down, and a contestant offered their five-letter word. I didn't quite catch what they said, so I asked them to spell it, which they duly did: D. O. I. N. G. In my head this translated to 'doi-ng' to rhyme with 'boing', so I proceeded to look it up. Until Richard saved my bacon by chipping in with 'It's do-ing Susie'.' Susie turned down the offer to join the team of Oxford University Press lexicographers who took turns in Dictionary Corner three times, but a persistent boss wouldn't let it lie. She said: 'It wasn't on my bucket list to be on TV; I'm happiest when I'm below the radar! But now I'm so grateful my audition was successful. As for my first appearance, I said as little as possible! There is a clip online of that first show, when I sat next to Rula Lenska and looked utterly frozen. 'I will be forever amazed, and grateful, that they kept me on. After about 10 years, Richard and Carol wanted a full-time lexicographer within the team, and happily I ended up alongside them as a permanent fixture.' But for someone who had no inclination to appear on TV, Susie has a very clear place in her heart for the Channel 4 tea-time words and numbers quiz and its Friday-night naughtier sibling 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She said: '8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown has reminded many of those people who grew up with the show of the joy of the game, and of course it's brought in the laughs to go with it. TOP STORIES TODAY 'The real beauty of Countdown is its format. Anybody who watches it can understand the rules of the game within minutes and then join in to play along – no matter what their age or ability. Even with the comedy version, people do still love to play the game. 'Many of our contestants watched the show with their parents and grandparents, and so it has that real connection with family, too. 'After 33 years I still feel the adrenaline as the clock starts to tick down. It really is one of the biggest joys of my life. My feet will stay under the table in Dictionary Corner for as long as viewers will have me!' In her new tour Word Perfect, she is looking forward to taking audiences on a 'romp through some of the joys of the English language', looking at specific words and their stories, as well as many of the quirks which make our mother tongue so brilliantly unpredictable as well as magical. Speaking about her new tour, Susie said: 'The English language will never stop surprising and delighting me: It is as wayward as it is majestic, while the dictionary is as full of magic, drama and adventure as you will find anywhere. 'I can't wait to walk down some more of its secret alleyways with the Word Perfect audiences, and to hear their own questions about our curious mother tongue! We're going to have a lot of fun. Susie's tour, which will run from August 19 through until January 24, will coincide with the launch of her next two books, Words For Life and her children's book Roots We Share: 100 Words That Bring Us Together.
Scotsman
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Dictionary Corner queen Susie Dent to celebrate the joys of the English language on new tour
Ever wondered why a group of crows is called a murder… or why owls form a parliament? Does Gen-Z slang make you tear your hair out, and are our local dialects really dying out? Which orange came first, the colour or the fruit? Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Countdown co-presenter, best-selling author, and Britain's best-loved wordsmith, Susie Dent aims to unravel these and many more mysteries of the English language when she brings her all-new tour Word Perfect to The Queen's Hall in Edinburgh on Saturday September 6. After more than three decades in Dictionary Corner, Susie will be sharing a brand-new collection of facts and stories from the wonderful world of words – reminding us just how unpredictable and utterly magical our mother tongue can be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tickets are on sale NOW from or direct from venues. Susie Dent Speaking about her new tour, Susie said:'The English language will never stop surprising and delighting me: it is as wayward as it is majestic, while the dictionary is as full of magic, drama and adventure as you will find anywhere. 'I can't wait to walk down some more of its secret alleyways with the Word Perfect audiences, and to hear their own questions about our curious mother tongue!' Susie Dent: Word Perfectfollows Susie's 74-date tour The Secret Life Of Words which ran from 2018 to 2024. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Susie Dent is a writer and broadcaster, best known as co-presenter and the 'queen of Dictionary Corner' on C4's Countdown and its sister comedy show 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She was appointed an MBE in 2024, the same year her debut novel, Guilty by Definition, was published. Susie's new books, Words For Life, and The Roots We Share: 100 Words That Bring Us Together, will be released in the autumn. For more information about Susie Dent: Word Perfect visit
Scotsman
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Dictionary Corner queen Susie Dent to celebrate the joys of the English language on new tour
Ever wondered why a group of crows is called a murder… or why owls form a parliament? Does Gen-Z slang make you tear your hair out, and are our local dialects really dying out? Which orange came first, the colour or the fruit? Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Countdown co-presenter, best-selling author, and Britain's best-loved wordsmith, Susie Dent aims to unravel these and many more mysteries of the English language when she brings her all-new tour Word Perfect to The Queen's Hall in Edinburgh on Saturday September 6. After more than three decades in Dictionary Corner, Susie will be sharing a brand-new collection of facts and stories from the wonderful world of words – reminding us just how unpredictable and utterly magical our mother tongue can be. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tickets are on sale NOW from or direct from venues. Susie Dent Speaking about her new tour, Susie said:'The English language will never stop surprising and delighting me: it is as wayward as it is majestic, while the dictionary is as full of magic, drama and adventure as you will find anywhere. 'I can't wait to walk down some more of its secret alleyways with the Word Perfect audiences, and to hear their own questions about our curious mother tongue!' Susie Dent: Word Perfect follows Susie's 74-date tour The Secret Life Of Words which ran from 2018 to 2024. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Susie Dent is a writer and broadcaster, best known as co-presenter and the 'queen of Dictionary Corner' on C4's Countdown and its sister comedy show 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She was appointed an MBE in 2024, the same year her debut novel, Guilty by Definition, was published. Susie's new books, Words For Life, and The Roots We Share: 100 Words That Bring Us Together, will be released in the autumn.
Leader Live
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Countdown star Susie Dent to bring new tour to Wrexham
The Dictionary Corner favourite from Channel 4's Countdown will bring her latest show, Word Perfect, to Wrexham's William Aston Hall on Saturday, August 23. The show promises a lively exploration of the quirks, histories, and hidden stories behind everyday words and phrases. Ms Dent said: "The English language will never stop surprising and delighting me: it is as wayward as it is majestic, while the dictionary is as full of magic, drama and adventure as you will find anywhere. "I can't wait to walk down some more of its secret alleyways with the Word Perfect audiences, and to hear their own questions about our curious mother tongue." READ MORE: Musical talent and more from the Leader's photo records Ms Dent will share a fresh collection of tales and trivia from the ever-evolving world of language. Audiences can expect answers to questions such as why a group of crows is called a murder, whether the fruit or the colour orange came first, and whether regional dialects are truly disappearing. The new tour follows her previous 74-date show, The Secret Life Of Words, which ran from 2018 to 2024. Ms Dent is a writer and broadcaster best known for her long-running role on Countdown and its comedy spin-off 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She was awarded an MBE in 2024, the same year she published her debut novel, Guilty by Definition. Ms Dent's upcoming titles, Words For Life and The Roots We Share: 100 Words That Bring Us Together, are set for release this autumn. For more information and to book tickets, visit
South Wales Argus
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Countdown star Susie Dent to appear at Monmouth theatre
The best-selling author will appear at The Blake Theatre on Sunday, September 28, with her show Word Perfect. She will unravel the mysteries of the English language, including why owls form a parliament and which orange came first, the fruit or the colour. This follows her successful 74-date tour, The Secret Life Of Words, which ran from 2018 to 2024. Speaking about her new tour, Ms Dent said: "The English language will never stop surprising and delighting me: it is as wayward as it is majestic, while the dictionary is as full of magic, drama, and adventure as you will find anywhere. "I can't wait to walk down some more of its secret alleyways with the Word Perfect audiences, and to hear their own questions about our curious mother tongue." Ms Dent has spent more than three decades in Dictionary Corner on Countdown and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She was appointed an MBE in 2024, the same year her debut novel, Guilty by Definition, was published. She will have two new books, Words For Life, and The Roots We Share: 100 Words That Bring Us Together, released this autumn.
