Anne Robinson leaves Ed Balls squirming with catty eight-word swipe during 'awkward' Good Morning Britain interview

Daily Mail​

06-05-2025

Anne Robinson left Ed Balls squirming with a catty eight-word swipe during 'awkward' Good Morning Britain interview on Tuesday.
The 80-year-old, who is arguably best known for hosting BBC 's The Weakest Link, appeared on the ITV show to chat to Susanna Reid, 54, and Ed Balls, 58, about the new Channel 5 programme You Be The Judge.
Back in March it was revealed that Anne would be returning to host the new show and it follows real hearings recreated as participants decide what sentence the criminal should receive.
The actual sentence given by a judge is then disclosed.
Appearing on GMB, Anne opened up about what fans can expect as part of the new series, but there was a very 'awkward' moment during the chat between Anne and Ed.
After Ed asked her a question, Anne brutally said: 'I knew you were going to be awkward.'
Anne Robinson leaves Ed Balls squirming with catty eight-word swipe during 'awkward' Good Morning Britain interview
And Ed, who appeared taken a back, told her: 'I'm not going to be awkward!'
He then went on to ask if she thinks that the programme tells us that some people should go to prison for longer, or other people for shorter sentences, or increase the number of jails.
Anne said: 'I think certainly my view, a lot of women shouldn't be in prison.
'A lot of people who can't read and write should be learning to read and write.
'I do think this programme, although we see people asking for longer sentences, you can either be right, or you can be safe.
'If you want to be safe, shorter prison sentences and more rehabilitation is needed.'
You Be The Judge, which airs on Tuesday May 9 at 9:00pm on C5, sees four groups made of retired police officers, former judges, former inmates and relatives of victims will also be given a chance to give their verdicts on what sentence they believe to be fair.
The participants' decision will be put against the other groups to see how it compares.
Anne spoke about the 'jaw-dropping story' the new show is set to bring to screens and 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.'
This isn't Anne's first presenting gig by a long shot.
She hosted Points of View between 1987 and 1997, followed by The Weakest Link between 2000 and 2012.
The star also took over as Countdown host when she joined in 2021 to replace Nick Hewer.
She left the Channel 4 show after just a year and reports at the time suggested there was an on-set feud with Rachel Riley.
And earlier this week Rachel took a brutal swipe at Anne as their Countdown feud rages on.
After Anne recently admitted to telling Rachel to 'shut up' on the show's set, Rachel told The Sun: 'If Anne needs to mention me for publicity then good luck to her.
'I have the same opinion of her as most people do.'
Rachel went on to reveal she doesn't 'pay any attention to what she says'.
The presenter first joined Countdown back in 2009 at just 22 years old when she took over from Carol Vorderman.
R achel's comments come after Anne opened up to the Telegraph last month about what really happened during her time hosting Countdown when the presenter quit the show after just a year back in 2022.
Anne was rumoured to have been involved in a rift with the show's other presenters Rachel Riley and Susie Dent.
But she attempted to shut down such speculation.
Speaking in an interview with the Telegraph, Anne denied a proper fall out between the pair as she explained: 'It's just a story.
'Rachel was a bit talkative when I was interviewing the contestants but once we shut her up it was fine.'