Susie Dent and Gyles Brandreth launch brand new language podcast

Etymologist and Countdown star Susie Dent is teaming up with broadcaster, best-selling writer and former MP Gyles Brandreth to create a new podcast exploring language.

Produced by Somethin’ Else and hosted by Acast, Something Rhymes With Purple will look at the power of language and how the way we use it defines us. The two broadcasters will be sharing their love of the English language, uncovering its hidden origins and helping people enhance their vocabulary.

Susie Dent has been the resident wordmaster in Countdown’s Dictionary Corner since 1992. Her regular tweets highlighting the history of various words regularly gain tens of thousands of likes and retweets. She said: “When it comes to matters of English, Gyles and I don’t always agree, but every one of our conversations leads to my discovering a host of new facts, a chance to indulge my own passion, and a lot of laughs. I hope that with these podcasts we’ll give our listeners the chance to achieve just the same.”

Gyles Brandreth said: “A hug or an emoji are all very well in their way, but to really communicate you need words, and our podcast is all about words – long words, short words, new words, old words, rude words, useful words … where they come from, where they’re going to. This is Eight Out of Ten Cats Does Countdown meets Just A Minute for wordaholics and verbivores.”

Steve Ackerman, managing director of Somethin’ Else said: “Bringing Susie and Gyles together in podcast form has been brilliant fun. As two of the most respected broadcasters around, their knowledge and love of words is sure to make for an entertaining and informative show.”

Listen to the new series on Acast, as well as all usual podcast providers weekly from April 2nd.