Countdown’s Susie Dent has spoken out about Anne Robison joining the show amid reports of a “feud” between Anne and Rachel Riley.
In the wake of Anne, 77, coming onboard in June, it’s been said there’s been a number of ongoing issues between her and Rachel, 35, who has been on Countdown since 2009.
Back in November,Rachel reportedly went as far as threatening to quit the show.
Countdown’s lexicographer Susie, 57, has now addressed Anne being the new host, and described the team as being under her “reign”.
Susie told Simon Rimmer and Tim Lovejoy on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch: “Every host brings something different to the show, and I was thinking about this.”
“Anne is just so on it,” Susie continued. “Her mind is just incredible and she’s also a brilliant interviewer.
“One thing I’m really noticing with her kind of, under her reign, is she gets so much out of the contestants. We get these mini-interviews that we didn’t have before.”
Discussing how it might be difficult to join a team of people who have worked together for so long — as Susie has been on the show for almost 30 years — she continued: “(Countdown) is so established, but in some ways perhaps that makes it easier because you can bring your flavour to something that’s already very firm and solid.”
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Rachel herself addressed the reports of her fallout with Annein November, and described the 77 year old hosting veteran as being “very matter of fact”.
“She found her feet very quickly and soon made the show her own,” Rachel said.
“She’s comfortable bantering with the contestants.”
Echoing similar sentiments to Susie, Rachel added: “She asks them a lot of questions and we get to hear from them a lot more."
When asked if Anne was “cuddly” off-screen, she continued: “I don’t think anyone would describe Anne as cuddly.
"She’s very matter-of-fact. To be honest though, due to the pandemic we haven’t been able to socialise like we normally would."
Rachel added that in a bid to abide by Covid regulations, she and Anne get ready in separate rooms.
While Rachel is said to have once threatened to quit Countdown, she’s sincevoiced her plans to beat Carol Vordeman’s 26 year run on the show.
She said to OK!: "I'll stay as long as they’ll have me. I love the numbers game. I also love the show.
“I used to watch Countdown after school with my little brother. And now we get teenagers on who’ve only known the show since I’ve been doing it."
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