Rachel Riley breaks silence on ‘rift’ with Countdown co-star Anne Robinson

Rachel Riley has broken her silence about a reported feud with Countdown co-star Anne Robinson.

Former Weakest Link star Robinson, 77, joined the Channel 4 quiz show as its host this year, becoming its sixth presenter and the first female to take the role.

There have since been reports of a growing rift between the pair, with insiders claiming there was “tension” because of the host’s “grand ways”.

Appearing on ITV's Lorraine, Riley shot down the claims despite admitting that her co-star is “not the cuddliest person in the world”.

The 35-year-old mathematician said: "You know not to believe tabloids. I think it is just you have got some women there now so they want to make something up.

"I have seen all the headlines of the feuds escalating. I have been on maternity leave for about six to eight weeks or something."

Earlier this month, Riley welcomed her second child with her professional dancer husband Pasha Kovalev - a daughter called Noa.

Speaking about Robinson's famously icy public persona, Riley added: "She is not the cuddliest person in the world. It is just a different show now. She is making it her own.

"She is getting stuff out of the contestants. Sometimes it is barbed, sometimes it is funny. She has got a different flavour."

Riley and Russian dancer Kovalev met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, and married in Las Vegas in 2019.

The couple's first daughter Maven was born in December of the same year.

Riley told host Lorraine Kelly she was still in "that new mum daze" following the birth of Noa.

She added: "She is just gorgeous. I have got two little girls now.

"Noa is two weeks old, so she was born on Bonfire Night, 15 days after she was supposed to arrive. The sound of fireworks as I was contracting at home.

"We have got Noa, our little girl Maven is two years old next month, and his mum is over from Siberia at the moment, so she is helping us out so much."

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