When you think of a show that makes you laugh, daytime quiz show Countdown doesn’t exactly spring to mind, but it does have its moments.
Quite a few times now, letters and numbers boss Rachel Riley has to keep a straight face whenever a fairly risqué word gets spelled out on the board.
She was left red-faced recently when she had an unfortunate letter combination, and now it’s happened again.
This time, the chief dictionary wizard Susie Dent came up with a rude word while playing the game.
The letters selected for the round were:
X-H-B-L-O-U-E-M-G
The contestants guessed two five letter words from this combination – one being ‘bulge’ – but Susie said that she could beat that with a six letter word.
Susie said: “I can’t say it. Okay, let’s get it over quickly. Bumhole is there.”
Oh Susie.
Viewers, of course, loved it:
https://twitter.com/Callumchets/status/732221937049583616
They just said "bumhole" on countdown… And spelt it out on the wall. That's my day made! 😂😂😂😂
— Sparky 📻 (@SparkyRadio_) May 16, 2016
Good on Rachel for being able to see the funny side:
In TV, like in any job, sometimes you have to work with a**holes. Best thing to do, just keep smiling 😜 pic.twitter.com/byhqzyoFck
— Rachel Riley MBE 💙 (@RachelRileyRR) May 17, 2016
And if you want more examples of Susie Dent’s predilection for naughty words, follow her on Twitter, where she shares lexicographical pearls like this:
The word 'bumf' is a shortening of 'bumfodder', a 17th century word for toilet paper or 'tail-napkins'. Morning.
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) May 13, 2016
Banging-a-bonk is (really) an old term for sitting idly on a riverbank, contentedly gongoozling (watching the world go by). Happy weekend.
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) May 7, 2016
You know your job is strange when someone asks for the word for coughing and breaking wind at the same time. (It's a 'thorough-cough').
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) April 21, 2016
