Somerville College was recently delighted to welcome back its favourite lexicologist, Susie Dent (1983, Modern Languages) alongside newly crowned national treasure Alan Carr for the filming of their new Channel 4 quizshow ‘Secret Genius’.
Susie and Alan visited Oxford in June 2024 to film the grand final of the contest at the nearby Blavatnik School of Government, with various skits and segments filmed at Somerville. Students were excited towards the end of Trinity 2025 to see the Quad taken over by a TV crew, and Susie kindly made time to speak to several aspiring etymologists who had perched on a nearby bench to watch the spectacle unfold.
Susie read Modern Languages (French and German) at Somerville during the 1980s. You can read a ‘Your Room/My Room’ interview between Susie and then-occupant of her room Tom Farmer in the 2023 Somerville Magazine, in which Susie reflects on her time at Somerville and her discovery there of her particular love of German.
The ‘Secret Genius’ grand final airs on Channel 4 this Sunday 1st March at 9pm.
