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Historian of the Oxford English Dictionary Peter Gilliver talks to fellow lexicographer and Countdown presenter Susie Dent about the story of the famous dictionary from its 19th-century beginning to the present day.

Gilliver has drawn on many sources, including previously unexamined material and eyewitness testimony, to create a detailed history of the OED. He explores the cultural background that gave rise to the idea of a comprehensive historical dictionary of English and the struggles to bring that idea to fruition. He also looks at the changing working methods of the lexicographers and the remarkable individuals who have contributed to the project.

Gilliver has been an editor of the Oxford English Dictionary since 1987 and has contributed to several other dictionaries published by Oxford University press. Dent is a writer and broadcaster on language, best known for her work in Dictionary Corner on Channel 4’s Countdown. She is also author of How to Talk Like a Local and What Made the Crocodile Cry? 101 Questions about the English Language.