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Rachel Riley breaks silence over new Countdown host update

Nick Hewer has stepped down from the Channel 4 daytime show

rachel riley clapping
Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
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Rachel Riley has broken her silence following the news of Anne Robinson's appointment on Countdown.

Taking to her Twitter page to welcome the new host, the celebrity mathematician shared a picture of a few 'Anne Robinson' anagrams – including, 'Neon on brains', 'onion banners' and 'I nonna banners'.

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She tweeted: "Slightly disappointed we didn't welcome Anne to the team with a better anagram, yet admittedly it's hard to find one that's good and that doesn't sound like her dominatrix alter ego... still, welcome to the team Anne Robinson!"

Dictionary Corner's Susie Dent also remarked: "A big day for Countdown as we welcome a new member into the best TV family in the world (I may be biased)."

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Weakest Link star Anne will be the Channel 4 show's first female host as she takes over from Nick Hewer, who fronted the series for almost a decade.

Speaking about the lovely news, Anne said: "I am beyond thrilled to be joining Countdown. The show is almost as old as I am and just as historic. I am particularly excited to be working alongside the show’s two other formidable women.

anne robinson© Photo: Getty Images

Anne Robinson has been announced as the new Countdown host

"Worryingly, Susie and Rachel are not only very smart but younger, prettier and thinner than me. Sadly, there’s no time for another facelift so I'll have make do with this old one. Three Clever Girls Do Countdown! Don’t you love the sound of that?"

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The 76-year-old is clearly excited to be joining Rachel and Susie on the daytime show and will make her debut this summer. She continued: "I am a crossword nut so the Countdown’s conundrums I can make sense of. But the adding up and taking away - I can't go much further than working out the fee once my agent takes his cut."

This isn't the first time Anne has appeared on the show - she previously appeared in Dictionary Corner for one week back in 1987. She said: "I was so in awe of the great Richard Whiteley. I think I only said Good Afternoon and Goodbye. Who thought I’d have the chance to follow in his giant footsteps?"

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