Actions

'Last Week Tonight's' John Oliver is a Spelling Bee superfan

John Oliver with HBO's Last Week Tonight sends his congratulations to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The Bee is celebrating its 90 year anniversary, making the Scripps National Spelling Bee, one of the nation's oldest and most iconic competitions.

Spelling Bee: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

By: Scripps National Desk

Posted

and last updated

"Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver says because he's British, people in America think he can't spell.

While wishing good luck to spellers in the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, Oliver said that thanks to British English, he has trouble spelling "colour," "centre" and, ironically, "humour."

It's safe to say that 12-year-old Ananya Vinay took Oliver's words to heart, as she won the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night.

Watch Oliver's "Last Week Tonight" segment on the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the player above.

MORE:

2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee photos

Weather

Enter zip code to change location

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Wednesday

04/22/2026

Clear

-° / 47°

Thursday

04/23/2026

Partly Cloudy

76° / 51°

Friday

04/24/2026

Partly Cloudy

80° / 53°

Saturday

04/25/2026

Showers

70° / 50°

40%

Sunday

04/26/2026

Partly Cloudy

69° / 50°

Monday

04/27/2026

Partly Cloudy

74° / 50°

Tuesday

04/28/2026

Mostly Cloudy

75° / 54°

24%

Wednesday

04/29/2026

Partly Cloudy

75° / 55°

11%