Countdown’s Rachel Riley has made a subtle dig at her former co-star Anne Robinson.
The Weakest Link legend, 78, stepped down from the long-running Channel 4 show last year after recording just 265 episodes, admitting she’d stayed ‘longer than I signed up for.’
During Anne’s year-long tenure, there had been rumours of a ‘feud’ between her and Rachel, 37, which the former Watchdog host later shot down.
After Anne’s departure, it was announced that Countdown’s temporary host Colin Murray would be taking on the job permanently, which he described as a ‘dream career.’
Rachel, who previously told Metro.co.uk she was thrilled to have the ‘friendly’ 46-year-old on board, has opened up further about her co-star, as well as Anne.
Discussing the two hosts, the former Strictly star told The Daily Mail: ‘Anne was a lot more headmistress style and that suits some people, and some people enjoyed it. I don’t think it’s any secret that I am enjoying working with Colin a lot more.
‘She’s been in the industry a long time and she knows what she wants so she decided to leave and good luck to her, but Countdown is not really about us, any of us could go and as long as the letters and numbers are still there… then that’s what the viewers want.
‘I am not under any illusion that people watch it for me… they watch it because they like to play the game so long may that continue.’
On Piers Morgan’s Uncensored last May, Anne was grilled about her relationship with Rachel, with Piers asking her: ‘You didn’t get on with [her].’
Anne quickly responded: ‘No, I didn’t not get on with her, but some performers like a lot of noise around them before they go on air and others like me, who are trying to get their contestants to remember what their hobbies are, would like some quiet while she’s doing that.
‘So it was important to me that we took her mic off.’
Speaking at length about Colin to Metro.co.uk in January, Rachel enthused he was an ‘absolute Countdown geek’ and described the studio’s environment as a ‘happy ship.’
She added that Countdown audiences are also loving Colin, which is the ‘most important thing’.
‘The viewing figures have gone multiple times what they were,’ she claimed.
‘We’re in the Champions of Champions series at the moment and the response we’ve had from viewers is that they’re just so happy that he’s there and they’re really enjoying the show. That’s why we make it, isn’t it?’
The quiz show was the first programme aired on Channel 4 when the broadcaster launched in November 1982.
Adapted from the French TV series Des Chiffres Et Des Lettres (Numbers and Letters), it was originally hosted by Richard Whiteley.
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Subsequent presenters included Des Lynam, Des O’Connor and Jeff Stelling, before Nick took over in 2012.
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Countdown airs weekdays on Channel 4 at 2.10pm.
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