ANNE Robinson is making her long-awaited return to TV – three years after quitting Countdown.
The iconic Weakest Link host joined Countdown in 2021 – but left just a year later.
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She is now set to helm Channel 5’s challenging social experiment titled The Sentence: You Be the Judge.
The programme will see four real-life sentencing hearings painstakingly recreated.
Participants have the chance to decide what sentence they believe a convicted criminal should get.
It is then revealed what sentence the presiding Judge actually passed.
Read more on Anne Robinson
They also compare their assessment against four groups judging alongside them.
These groups are comprised of retired judges, retired police officers, relatives of crime victims and former inmates.
Speaking about her new role, Anne said: “Why is the sentencing of criminals so widely inconsistent?
“Why does a protester who climbs up a bridge to stop the traffic spend more time in prison than someone who punches an innocent man who dies as a result?
“This programme tells a jaw dropping story. The government needs to watch it.”
Anne replaced Nick Hewer on Countdown – who had been presenter since 2012 – to become the first female host.
She said at the time: “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.
“Worryingly, Susie and Rachel are not only very smart but younger, prettier and thinner than me. Sadly, there’s no time for another face lift so I’ll have make do with this old one.
“Three Clever Girls Do Countdown! Don’t you love the sound of that?
Countdown hosts over the years
Since launching in 1982, Channel 4 game show Countdown has become a staple of daytime telly. There have been several presenters throughout the show’s long history. Let’s take a look back at who has hosted the iconic show.
- Richard Whiteley (1982-2005): The original and longest-serving host, Richard helmed the programme for 23 years. As Countdown was the launch programme for Channel 4, the presenter and journalist was the first person to be seen on the channel. He died in 2005 at the age of 61.
- Des Lynam (2005-2006): Originally from County Clare in Ireland, Des took over from Richard Whiteley after his death. He is known for hosting TV coverage of several sporting events including Wimbledon and the Grand National. He left the show after less than 18 months.
- Des O’Connor (2007-2008): Another Des was next up, in the form of comedian and presenter Des O’Connor. The long-time TV chat show host was known for The Des O’Connor Show and Take Your Pick. He left Countdown to focus on entertainment projects. Des O’Connor died in 2020, aged 88.
- Jeff Stelling (2009-2011): Known for his work presenting Gillette Soccer Saturday, Jeff became the fourth host of Countdown. He had reportedly previously been in consideration to replace Richard Whiteley. He left after three years to focus on football coverage.
- Nick Hewer (2012-2021): Former public relations consultant Nick was one of Lord Sugar’s advisors for 10 years on The Apprentice. He became the new host of Countdown in 2012, appearing on both shows for two years. He ultimately left Countdown after nine years.
- Anne Robinson (2021-2022): Best known as the original host of The Weakest Link, in 2021 Anne became the first female Countdown presenter. She left the programme a year later, having recorded 265 episodes.
- Colin Murray (2022-present): Before being named the permanent Countdown host, Colin Murray had been appearing on a guest basis since 2020. He returned to the show following Anne Robinson’s departure.
“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.”
In May 2022, Anne announced her departure from the programme.
She was succeeded by Colin Murray, who had previously served as a stand-in.
The Sentence: You Be the Judge airs on Channel 5.
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