A new group of celebrities are learning Welsh for popular TV series

To some it is the language of heaven, and to others it is one which is full of tongue twisters and oh so difficult to master.

But it will soon be time to witness at first hand how some familiar faces cope with the challenge of learning Welsh in the return of a TV favourite.

Six figures from the world of television, entertainment and sport will be joined by that common aim in Iaith ar Daith (Welsh Roadtrip) on S4C and S4C Clic.

The series starts on March 7 at 8pm and included in the line-up are recently retired Welsh rugby star James Hook and former Wales footballer-turned manager Chris Coleman, who led the country to the Euro 2016 finals in France.

Also hitting the road to learn the lingo are naturalist and TV presenter Steve Backshall; The Thick of It actor Joanna Scanlan; Holby City actor Rakie Ayola and award-winning comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean.

Help is on its way Mark Lewis Jones will be trying to ensure his fellow actor Joanna Scanlan remembers her Welsh lines

Learning Welsh in front of the TV cameras would be well up there as a challenge for many, so a bit of assistance is in order.

Helping to ease the burden will be TV presenter and naturalist Iolo Williams, from the acting fraternity Mark Lewis Jones and Eiry Thomas, rugby referee Nigel Owens, Welsh drag queen Maggi Noggi and former Wales footballer Owain Tudur Jones.

Iolo Williams will be helping his fellow TV presenter Steve Backshall get to grips with the Welsh language

They will be taking on the important role as Welsh language buddies for the class of 2021, who are following in the footsteps of last year’s learners, Ruth Jones, Carol Vorderman, Colin Jackson, Adrian Chiles and Scott Quinnell.

So, to whet your appetite, here are five fun facts about the Welsh language…

1. The Welsh language has been around a long time

Welsh originates from the Celtic language spoken by ancient Britons and is one of the oldest living languages in Europe. It was spoken all over the British Isles and Welsh is the root of many English place-names. ‘Dover’ is derived from ‘dwfr’ or ‘dŵr’, the Welsh word for water and ‘Avon’ is derived from the Welsh word for river, ‘Afon’.

There will be a few laughs along the way when Welsh drag queen Maggi Noggi helps comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean learn Welsh 2. Welsh is not the only language to use the ‘ll’ sound

For those learners who are having trouble with the double consonant so closely associated with the Welsh language, you are not alone. Spare a thought for those learning Greenlandic, Navajo and Zulu which also use the ‘ll’ sound.

3. Welsh isn’t just spoken in Wales

Argentina’s Chubut Province in Patagonia still uses the Welsh language brought over by Welsh settlers in the late 1800s when Patagonia was growing in popularity as a new frontier. Over the centuries, Spanish has become the most widely-spoken language in the region, but it is believed that there are still as many as 5,000 people within Chubut who use Welsh as their first language.

Ex-rugby star James Hook will be learning Welsh under the eagle eye of referee Nigel Owens 4. Why Welsh is the ‘can-do’ language

Welsh includes 20 ways to say yes – ie, wyt, ydw, ydym – to name but a few. The response varies on the type of question being asked, who it’s being asked to and if you’re answering in future, present or past tense. Interestingly, there is only one word for no, and that is – “na.”

Holby City star Rakie Ayola will be putting a few Welsh language shifts in with fellow actor Eiry Thomas 5. Welsh is the fastest growing language being learned in the UK

Welsh is now more popular to learn than Chinese for UK users on one language platform, with 1.3 million people learning worldwide after thousands of new users signed up for free classes during the first lockdown.

For more inspiration for learning Welsh – and with lots of fun and laughter along the way – tune in to Iaith ar Daith on S4C and S4C Clic from Sunday, March 7, at 8pm. Watch the trailer here.