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Anne Robinson has revealed what really happened during her time hosting Countdown after the presenter quit the show after just a year back in 2022.
Rumoured to have been involved in a rift with the show’s other presenters Rachel Riley and Susie Dent, the TV presenter, 80, has shut down such speculation but admitted she did have to tell Rachel to ‘shut up’.
Speaking in an interview with the Telegraph, Anne denied a fall out between the pair as she explained: ‘It’s just a story. Rachel was a bit talkative when I was interviewing the contestants but once we shut her up it was fine.’
Anne also spoke bluntly on her thoughts on woke culture as she admitted: ‘I loathe the woke terrorists who are sucking the life blood out of the country.’
Insisting that if she was still in comedy she would find a way around the ‘woke restrictions’ she added: ‘Because if you’re funny – properly funny – you can get away with a great deal. Although there’s not a lot of funny sharp women on TV anymore.’
Taking a jibe at presenter Stacey Solomon the star also shared her views on the calibre of TV shows.
Anne Robinson has opened up about her feud with Countdown’s Rachel Riley as she admitted she told her to ‘shut up’ during her time hosting the show back in 2022
Anne denied a fall out between the pair as she explained: ‘It’s just a story. Rachel was a bit talkative when I was interviewing the contestants but once we shut her up it was fine’
She added: ‘I’m disappointed that by 9 O’Clock, someone called Stacy [sic] is usually telling me how to tidy my wardrobe. I don’t want to watch some semi famous person take me round the Scottish isles. There is a lot of TV that is c**p.’
The Weakest Link star previously revealed she quit Countdown over a pay dispute and confessed she insisted on ‘noisy’ Susie Dent and Rachel Riley’s mics being switched off.
She explained that despite being offered a pay rise, she did not want to join Channel 4’s payroll and so decided to walk away from her role as host.
Of the rift with her co-stars Rachel and Susie she admitted that she had been annoyed by their time-keeping and noisiness.
But she later said: ‘They’re both brilliant at what they do. I mean they really, really are. Channel 4 are incredibly lucky to have them. And there isn’t a rift.
‘It was me wanting everyone to be quiet in the studio. I like everyone turning up on time and quiet, quiet, quiet. So we did have to iron that out. But that’s it.’
Meanwhile Rachel seemed to acknowledge the feud between herself and Anne after she said the presenter ‘might make you cry.’
Previously the maths whizz had said that Anne was ‘not the cuddliest,’ and after she left the show she admitted the atmosphere changed and became more fun once she was replaced by Colin Murray.
Anne also spoke bluntly on her thoughts on woke culture as she admitted: ‘I loathe the woke terrorists who are sucking the life blood out of the country’
Taking a jibe at presenter Stacey Solomon the star also shared her views on the calibre of TV shows nowadays as she described it as ‘c**p’ (Stacey pictured hosting Sort Your Life Out)
Rachel said: ‘It’s very different. Each presenter has their own style, and you don’t always gel with everybody that you work with.
‘Well, you’re not going to get a sympathetic shoulder to cry on from Anne, but she might make you cry.’
The feud rumours were further fuelled when Rachel took to Instagram to share a selfie smiling to the camera, while holding a glass of wine after Anne’s departure was announced.
‘Drinking a toast to the next chapter in Countdown history. I think you’re going to like it,’ she captioned the image.
Later while appearing on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored, Anne shared: ‘Susie Dent is great, Rachel Riley is completely brilliant at the maths.’
Piers then chimed in: ‘You just didn’t get on with her,’ to which she responded: ‘No, I didn’t not get on with her.’
