Countdown contestant scores with rude word

A contestant on TV's Countdown pulled off a surprise win - by coming up with the word "w***er".

The player spotted the slang word among the selection "R, A, E, P, K, W, A, E, N", reports The Sun.

Nick Hewer, the C4's anagram-based show's new host, asked Dictionary corner: "Where does Mark stand on this....?"

Expert Susie Dent, flanked by newsreader guest John Suchet, replied: "He stands absolutely fine, it's in the dictionary."

The Oxford English Dictionary gives the definition: "British vulgar slang. A contemptible person (used as a generalised term of abuse)."

Moments later Twitter was flooded with posts about the word.

Players on the show pick a mixture of nine consonants and vowels and have 30 seconds to rearrange them to make the longest word.

Two years ago, studio bosses ordered a round to be filmed again after one contestant came up with "f***face*.