For the Mathematics Christmas Lecture Alex Bellos takes us on a journey of mathematical discovery with his signature wit and limitless enthusiasm

There aren’t as many celebrity mathematicians as there should be in this world, but Alex Bellos is definitely one of them.

The Guardian’s former South American correspondent has written a number of best-selling books including Alex’s Adventures in Numberland, Alex Through the Looking-Glass and Pelé, The Autobiography. And his Monday Puzzle on the Guardian website has now become the stuff of legend (and hair-pulling frustration) for thousands of readers.

In our Mathematics Christmas Lecture, Alex demonstrates how numbers have come to be our friends, how fascinating and extremely accessible they are, and how they have changed our world. You’ll find out the results of his global survey to find the world’s favourite number and see how beautiful maths can be with a guide to images from his latest book Snowflake Seashell Star.