Countdown star Anne Robinson claims she gets paid £100 for every wink on Channel 4 show

express.co.uk:

Channel 4 show. In a new interview, the former Weakest Link host, 77, spoke candidly about her signature move that has continued as a tradition following her move from the BBC to Channel 4.Anne hosted The Weakest Link for 12 years before leaving the show in 2012 upon completing her contract.The so-called Queen-of-Mean hosted over 1,600 episodes during her tenure.During her stint on the BBC quiz show, the formidable host became known for ending the show with her signature wink, before adding a curt "goodbye".But now, the star claims to have convinced Channel 4 bosses that she will continue with the move she's best known for - but at a cost.Claiming she had the agreement written into her Countdown contract, Anne said: "I told them I get paid £100 per wink.“I said, ‘It's going to cost you £100 a show’."'We film five shows a day, so that's 15 shows a week, and an extra £1,500,'" she explained to the Daily Mail.Express.co.uk has gone to Channel 4 for comment.Speaking to the BBC back in 2011, Robinson explained that it was a “hard decision,” to leave the Weakest Link and that her time on the show had “been superb”.“I’ll miss it,” Robinson continued, adding: “If there's anything about longevity in television, it's about knowing what to take and what to turn down, and what to stop.“It's often about what not to do anymore.

And I just simply haven't got time to do the book.”The show eventually returned in 2020 featuring Romesh Ranganathan as the host, who has made his stance on avoiding Robinson’s unique style of presenting clear.Speaking to Express.co.uk and other outlets, Ranganathan explained: “There are certain things that Anne did that were textbook her.“So I made sure I didn’t do them.