Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas Special 2025 | 20251212 | 20260101 (BBC7) 20251225 20251225 (R4) 20251227 (R4) | 
In the 2025 Christmas special, we hear Matt Lucas' new word for a crucial moment during Christmas Dinner, Nick Mohammed - fresh from Celebrity Traitors - coins a new word for your neighbour who goes all out with the decorations, and Sara Pascoe creates a word for when you have to put on a brave face through the festive season. Have you ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Good news! A new word is born unto us, in an Unspeakable seasonal spectacular. | ||
| PILOT | 20240218 | 20240223 (BBC7) 20240530 (BBC7) 20240523 (R4) | Ever had an emotion or sensation on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't find the word? Finally, here's the show for you. Stand-up Phil Wang and lexicographer and etymologist Susie Dent challenge guests to dream up new words for universal, shared concepts and experiences which have always lacked names. Until now! We've got our best people on the case. Linguists? Anthropologists? Nope. Comedians! Phil Wang and Susie Dent welcome guests putting forward a new word suggestion, hilariously picking apart each other's pitches. Unspeakable is a celebration of language and shared experiences and it's a cure for that relatable moment when we're lost for words. Guests: Stephen Fry, Laura Smyth and Maisie Adam Writer: Matt Crosby Programme Associate: Andy Brown Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With special guests Stephen Fry, Laura Smyth and Maisie Adam. | ||
| 01 | 01 | Slang, Wang And Apps That Harangue | 20241031 | 20241107 (BBC7) | Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. This episode we hear Jack Dee's new word for when you try to sound cool but end up sounding exactly your age, Miles Jupp's new word for being fed up by a world in which there is an app for everything, and Ria Lina's new word for something that is damp, limp, a bit pathetic. Guests: Jack Dee, Miles Jupp and Ria Lina Writer: Matt Crosby Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With special guests Jack Dee, Miles Jupp and Ria Lina. Ever had an emotion or sensation on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't find the word? Finally, here's the show for you. Stand-up Phil Wang and lexicographer and etymologist Susie Dent challenge guests to dream up new words for universal, shared concepts and experiences which have always lacked names. Until now! We've got our best people on the case. Linguists? Anthropologists? Nope. Comedians! Phil Wang and Susie Dent welcome guests putting forward a new word suggestion, hilariously picking apart each other's pitches. Unspeakable is a celebration of language and shared experiences and it's a cure for that relatable moment when we're lost for words. |
| 01 | 02 | Bodily Rumbles And Holiday Grumbles | 20241107 | 20241114 (BBC7) | Jo Brand and Lou Sanders both coin new words for taboos in the world of etiquette, while Kiell Smith-Bynoe creates a term for a holiday feeling that many of us know all too well. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Jo Brand, Lou Sanders and Kiell Smith-Bynoe. Writer: Matt Crosby Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Jo Brand, Lou Sanders and Kiell Smith-Bynoe. Ever had an emotion or sensation on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't find the word? Finally, here's the show for you. Stand-up Phil Wang and lexicographer and etymologist Susie Dent challenge guests to dream up new words for universal, shared concepts and experiences which have always lacked names. Until now! We've got our best people on the case. Linguists? Anthropologists? Nope. Comedians! Phil Wang and Susie Dent welcome guests putting forward a new word suggestion, hilariously picking apart each other's pitches. Unspeakable is a celebration of language and shared experiences and it's a cure for that relatable moment when we're lost for words. |
| 01 | 03 | Unlikely Ways To Get Fit And Keep Warm | 20241114 | 20241121 (BBC7) | Amy Gledhill invents a new way to keep warm this winter, Andrew Maxwell has a new word for an unlikely way to get fit, and Rob Rinder evokes a surprising moment of secret happiness. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all-too-relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Amy Gledhill, Andrew Maxwell and Rob Rinder Writer: Matt Crosby Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Amy Gledhill, Andrew Maxwell and Rob Rinder. Amy Gledhill coins a new word for a way to make your bedsheets toasty warm before bedtime, Andrew Maxwell has a new word for an unlikely way to get fit, and Rob Rinder brings a new word for that rush you get when someone cancels an event. |
| 01 | 04 | Heads, Mouths And Stomachs | 20241121 | 20241128 (BBC7) | Catherine Bohart offers a term for an intriguing state of detachment, Ed Gamble goes where few foodies dare to tread, and Fatiha El-Ghorri captures a way in which children are inspired by their elders. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Catherine Bohart, Ed Gamble and Fatiha El-Ghorri Writer: Matt Crosby Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Catherine Bohart, Ed Gamble and Fatiha El-Ghorri. |
| 01 | 05 | Gingers For Justice | 20241128 | 20241205 (BBC7) | Roisin Conaty introduces a term for hiding moments of irrational irritation, Alasdair Beckett-King presents a word that challenges 'playful' teasing, and Slim offers a new term aimed at uplifting older individuals in a society that often overlooks them. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Roisin Conaty, Alasdair Beckett-King and Slim Writer: Matt Crosby Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Roisin Conaty, Alasdair Beckett-King and Slim. |
| 01 | 06 LAST | Meet Phal Wing And Sesie Dunt | 20241205 | 20241212 (BBC7) | Stephen Fry invents a surreptitious insult, Lucy Beaumont presents a word that describes a state between two extremes, and Sunil Patel encapsulates a feeling we've all had on a trip to a gallery. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Lucy Beaumont, Stephen Fry and Sunil Patel Writer: Matt Crosby Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Lucy Beaumont, Stephen Fry and Sunil Patel. |
| 02 | 01 | A Real Nail-biter | 20250513 | 20250520 (BBC7) | We hear Clive Anderson's new word for the mystery of hotel bathrooms, Sindhu Vee's term to measure cuteness, and a nail-biting finish from Ed Gamble. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Clive Anderson, Ed Gamble and Sindhu Vee Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Hotel horrors, the Richter Scale of cuteness, and DIY nail care. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With special guests Clive Anderson, Ed Gamble and Sindhu Vee. |
| 02 | 02 | Curiosity Should Have Got A Dog | 20250520 | 20250527 (BBC7) | This episode we hear Jessica Knappett's word for undeserved promotions, Rhys James's word for being jilted by his own cat, and Griff Rhys Jones's word for not finishing your... Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Rhys James, Jessica Knappett and Griff Rhys Jones Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Unfinished sentences, undeserved promotions, and ungrateful cats. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Rhys James, Jessica Knappett and Griff Rhys Jones. |
| 02 | 03 | F Is For Fig Leaf | 20250527 | 20250603 (BBC7) | This episode we hear Russell Kane's cunning code for swearing, Sophie Duker's ingenious word for being in two places at once, and Glenn Moore's invention for offering condolences to somebody you've never heard of. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Sophie Duker, Russell Kane and Glenn Moore. Writers: Matthew Crosby and Katie Storey Sneaky sidesteps, simultaneous socialising and sticky sympathies. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Sophie Duker, Russell Kane and Glenn Moore. |
| 02 | 04 | A Chorus Of Quignogs | 20250603 | 20250610 (BBC7) | This episode we hear Jo Brand's word for lazy texting, Maisie Adam's term for the witty comeback you think of too late, and John Cooper Clarke's categorisation of ugly rulers. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Maisie Adam, Jo Brand and John Cooper Clarke Writers: Matthew Crosby and Katie Storey Staircase wit, lazy texts and international ugliness. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Maisie Adam, Jo Brand and John Cooper Clarke. |
| 02 | 05 | Friends, Germans, Kung Fu Men | 20250610 | 20250617 (BBC7) | This episode we hear Shappi Khorsandi's word for indispensable mates, Ahir Shah turning German, and Alexei Sayle's word for when you're not quite as good at martial arts as you think you are. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Shappi Khorsandi, Alexei Sayle and Ahir Shah Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Unshakable mates, an indispensable German phrase, and a delusional ninja. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Shappi Khorsandi, Alexei Sayle and Ahir Shah. |
| 02 | 06 LAST | Touchy, Touch-screens And Touch-ups | 20250617 | 20250624 (BBC7) | This episode we hear Miles Jupp's word for the ubiquity of touch-screens, Michelle de Swarte's coinage for a Turkish makeover, and Ashley Storrie's creation for anger that spreads virally. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Michelle de Swarte, Miles Jupp and Ashley Storrie Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Terrible touch-screens, Turkish makeovers and workplace tetchiness. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Michelle de Swarte, Miles Jupp and Ashley Storrie. |
| 03 | 01 | Skedaddling Squirrels | 20260316 | 20260323 (BBC7) 20260322 (R4) | In this episode we hear Tim Vine's word for suspicious squirrels, Olga Koch with an improvement on 'Googling oneself', and Aurie Styla's word for leaving a party early. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Olga Koch, Aurie Styla and Tim Vine Writers: Matt Crosby and James Farmer Suspicious squirrels, egosurfing, and strategic skedaddling. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words and help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Olga Koch, Aurie Styla and Tim Vine. |
| 03 | 02 | Bursting With Lethargy | 20260323 | 20260330 (BBC7) 20260329 (R4) | This episode we hear Alison Spittle's word for dodgy mediums, Sam Nicoresti's hatred for unpopular winners, and Mark Watson's word for when you've gotta go but you're too lazy to be bothered. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Sam Nicoresti, Alison Spittle and Mark Watson Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Bad mediums, unpopular winners, and when you've gotta go but you can't be bothered. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words and help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Sam Nicoresti, Alison Spittle and Mark Watson. |
| 03 | 03 | Pains, Trains And Forgetfulness | 20260330 | 20260406 (BBC7) 20260405 (R4) | This episode we hear Nish Kumar's word for people who forget movies, Harriet Kemsley's description for when an accident happens to you and nobody sees it, and Ivo Graham's word for the most horrible place to sit on a train. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Ivo Graham, Harriet Kemsley and Nish Kumar Writers: Matt Crosby and James Farmer Accidents that nobody sees, the worst place to be on a train, and people who forget films. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words and help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Ivo Graham, Harriet Kemsley and Nish Kumar. |
| 03 | 04 | Awkwardly, Anecdotally, Indecisively | 20260406 | 20260413 (BBC7) 20260412 (R4) | This episode we hear Hugh Dennis's word for decision fatigue, Katy Wix's coinage for when you find yourself stuck telling a story in public to break an awkward silence, and Jess Fostekew's word for that nuggety squashed sock you find stuck inside a duvet cover. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Hugh Dennis, Jess Fostekew and Katy Wix Writers: Matt Crosby and James Farmer Decision fatigue, telling stories in a panic, and nuggety lost socks. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words and help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Hugh Dennis, Jess Fostekew and Katy Wix. |
| 03 | 05 | How To Cull Friends And Nickname People | 20260413 | 20260420 (BBC7) 20260419 (R4) | This episode we hear Desiree Burch's word for pruning your friends list, Max Fosh's description for the nicknames that children give you, and Rebecca Front's coinage for bingeing on junk TV. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Desiree Burch, Max Fosh and Rebecca Front Writers: Matt Crosby and James Farmer Childish nicknames, culling your friends, and bingeing on junk telly. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words and help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Desiree Burch, Max Fosh and Rebecca Front. |
| 03 | 06 | Wondrous Words From Wales | 20260420 | 20260427 (BBC7) 20260426 (R4) | This episode we hear Mike Bubbins's word for bad forecasting, Charlotte Church's word for the brief glowing soul of a moment, and Jason Byrne's equally beautiful word for moving around on your chair when you've got an itch down there. Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words. Guests: Mike Bubbins, Jason Byrne and Charlotte Church Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Wondrous words from Wales, in a Hay Festival special. Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new words and help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary. With guests Mike Bubbins, Jason Byrne and Charlotte Church. |
Phil Wang and Susie Dent challenge guests to invent new festive words to enter the dictionary. With special guests Matt Lucas, Nick Mohammed and Sara Pascoe.