Susie Dent Reflects on Turning 60: "It’s Like I Blinked and It Happened"
As Susie Dent approaches her 60th birthday, the renowned lexicographer and beloved Countdown star opens up about this significant milestone with a mix of disbelief and reflection. Known for her sharp wit and deep love for words, Susie reveals her thoughts on aging, her career, and what lies ahead in this next chapter of her life.
Reflecting on turning 60, Susie admits that the experience has been surreal. "It’s like I blinked and it happened," she shares, capturing the feeling of time slipping by. Despite her disbelief, Susie looks to women like Nigella Lawson and Yasmin Le Bon for inspiration, seeing them as examples of how to age with confidence. "If 60 means nothing to them, then I have nothing to fear either," she adds, expressing her resolve to embrace the years ahead.
One of Susie’s biggest regrets, she reveals, is not having more visual memories from her youth. "I don’t have any photos from school or university, apart from official ones," she laments, noting how much she wishes she had documented her life more thoroughly. Despite the perils of mobile phones, she envies the way younger generations can visually chart their lives. Yet, she acknowledges that her discomfort with being photographed might have been a blessing in disguise.
As she reflects on her career and life, Susie emphasizes the importance of respecting and valuing the wisdom that comes with age. She criticizes the tendency in modern culture to dismiss the elderly, stressing that in other cultures, older people are venerated for their knowledge and experience. "It’s patronizing to simply say ‘Ah, bless’ when we see someone in their 80s or 90s. We should be learning from them," Susie asserts, advocating for a shift in how society perceives aging.
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Susie also contemplates the concept of retirement, a word she feels is somewhat misleading. "Retire comes from the French word 'retirer,' meaning to withdraw, but I feel like I’m just getting started," she says with a smile. Susie, who continues to work alongside Gyles Brandreth on their popular podcast Something Rhymes with Purple , believes that we need a new word for retirement—one that reflects the opportunity to embrace new ventures rather than stepping back from life.
Susie's passion for words extends beyond her work on Countdown and her podcast. Recently, she ventured into new territory with the release of her debut novel, Guilty by Definition . The novel explores the darker side of language—a subject she’s been fascinated by for years. "Certain words have histories you’d never guess," she explains, noting how "to thrill" originally meant to pierce someone with a knife, not excitement. Inspired by the dark undertones of language, Susie’s novel delves into the mysteries and secrets hidden within words themselves.
In addition to her literary pursuits, Susie was awarded an MBE this year for her services to language and literature. The honor, which she describes as totally unexpected, felt like a tribute not just to her but to word lovers everywhere. Although her father, Malcolm, is no longer with us, Susie dedicates her novel to him, remembering his pride in her early writing achievements.
As she celebrates this milestone birthday, Susie Dent is far from slowing down. With new projects on the horizon and a continued passion for words, Susie embodies the idea that age is just a number, and life, like language, is full of endless possibilities.
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