British Comedy Guide
Wordaholics. Gyles Brandreth. Copyright: BBC
Wordaholics

Wordaholics

  • Radio panel show
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 2012 - 2014
  • 18 episodes (3 series)

Radio 4 panel game that tests the guests linguistic knowledge. Hosted by Gyles Brandreth, with regular panellist Natalie Haynes. Stars Gyles Brandreth and Natalie Haynes.

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Episode menu

Series 3, Episode 2

Comedians Josh Widdicombe and Helen Keen, Dictionary Corner's Susie Dent and classics scholar Natalie Haynes vie for wordy supremacy under the watchful eye of chair Gyles Brandreth.

Further details

Lexicographer Susie Dent admits to the words she finds most difficult to spell; science lover Helen Keen grumpily dismantles the portmanteau word 'murse'; Natalie Haynes works out what 'kyacting' is, and does some to boot; while Josh Widdicombe tries to ban the word 'chilllax'.

The panel also guess what some foreign words which have no direct equivalent in English: the Caribbean Spanish word 'cotisuelto; the Welsh phrase 'glas wen'; the German word 'Kummerspeck' and the Central American Spanish word 'achaplinarse'.

Finally they unearth some archaic phrases from the 1870s: 'gigglemug', 'Jeremiah-mongering', 'back row hopper' and 'robbing the barber'.

Broadcast details

Date
Wednesday 10th September 2014
Time
11:30am
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Gyles Brandreth Host / Presenter
Natalie Haynes Regular Panellist
Guest cast
Susie Dent Guest
Helen Keen Guest
Josh Widdicombe Guest
Writing team
Jon Hunter Writer
James Kettle Writer
Production team
Claire Jones Producer

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