Klass spells 'chiefly Irish and vulgar slang' on countdown

Myleene Klass turns the air blue in Countdown when she comes up with an unexpected eight-letter word.

The former Hear’Say singer spelled out “gobsh**e” after the Channel 4 show’s two contestants had both put forward the same seven-letter word, “ghosted”.

Klass, who has also worked as a model, TV presenter and released several classical music albums, told host Nick Hewer: “I got a rude one. It’s an eight... gobsh**e.”

But the word received the seal of approval from veteran dictionary corner expert Susie Dent, who confirmed it was “chiefly Irish” and “vulgar slang”.

It is not the first time the show has struggled with rude words – last year, Hairy Biker Dave Myers offered up the seven-letter word “todgers”, much to the amusement of Hewer and Rachel Riley.

In 2010, the presenters were left red-faced when the letters U, D, F, C, K and E all came up in a selection – but the contestants resisted the temptation to go for the obvious and instead submitted the five-letter words “caged” and “faced”.

The Channel 4 afternoon show, which has been running since the station launched in 1982, began with late presenter Richard Whiteley at the helm and has also been fronted by Des Lynam and Jeff Stelling.

Countdown is on weekdays at 2.10pm on Channel 4.