Countdown star Susie Dent expresses sadness as she announces sudden departure from show

Susie Dent, co-host of the podcast Something Rhymes With Purple with This Morning's Gyles Brandreth, has revealed a significant change in the show's format.

The Countdown presenter expressed her sorrow at bidding "goodbye to the podcast in four episodes time".

She said: "It makes us both sad and excited. There will be new things to come, but we will keep the wonderful Purple People community posted about where we are going next and what we are going to do. It's not the end, but in this form, it is."

The podcast invites listeners to expand their vocabulary, discover the hidden origins of language, and share a love for words, the Express reports.

Gyles and Susie, who have been running the podcast for five years, previously discussed what they believe is "underappreciated" about the show.

Speaking to London Theatre Direct, Gyles said: "It's genuinely improvised. Susie really does know all this amazing stuff about words and language. It's all there in her incredible head."

Susie chimed in: "I'm not sure about underappreciated but the marvel of every show for me is how bottomless Gyles's reservoir of anecdotes is. There seems to be no one he hasn't met and no theatre whose boards he hasn't trodden.

"His really has been a remarkable life. I'd also like to give a nod to Kathy Klugston's marvellous Purple Shipping Forecast that kicks off the show."

The beloved Countdown star is temporarily stepping back from her podcast but has announced an exciting new project in the meantime.

Susie recently revealed that she's releasing her debut novel, "Guilty By Definition" and shared a link for fans to pre-order.

In a post, she expressed both excitement and trepidation about the upcoming release, writing: "This is very happyfying. And also a little terrifying", along with a link to pre-order the book.

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The announcement was originally made by her publisher, Zaffre Books, who posted: "Introducing the debut novel from Countdown's @SusieDent... #GuiltyByDefinition. Can you solve the mystery of the year?

"Pre-order a signed copy of this unmissable story from @Waterstones now: https://geni. us/GuiltySigned."

The book's blurb gives a tantalising glimpse into the plot which reads: "When an anonymous letter is delivered to the Clarendon English Dictionary, it puzzles the team of lexicographers working there.

"It soon becomes clear that this is not the usual eccentric enquiry. The letter hints at secrets, lies, and a particular year.

"For Martha Thornhill, the new Senior Editor, the date can mean only one thing: the summer her brilliant, beautiful older sister Charlie went missing.

"After a decade spent living abroad, Martha has returned to her father, her home, and the city whose institutions have defined her family. But the ghosts she had thought to be at rest seem to have been waiting for her to return".

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