Anne Robinson says women should 'look after themselves better' in the workplace

Anne Robinson has said she believes women should "learn to look after themselves better" in order to avoid harassment and inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.

The 76-year-old new host of Countdown has previously said offices are "sexually treacherous" places and triggered outrage for some of her views on issues around sexism.

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Robinson told Saga Magazine (reported via The Mirror) she believes there are "easy tricks" to avoid "putting up with nonsense" from men at work.

"I slightly get cross that women don’t learn to look after themselves better in an office, in a work environment," she said.

Watch: Anne Robinson criticises woke culture affecting English language

"Clever women now get jobs, which they didn’t necessarily 50 years ago. I’m not quite sure how they become more fragile.

"I don’t mind them being fragile, but I do think there are a few tricks. I’d say you actually pull him aside and say: ‘What you did was totally inappropriate, don’t dare do it again.’”

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Robinson, who rose to fame with her acidic putdowns as host of The Weakest Link, attributed her attitude to her mother "who was very clever at making money and gave no impression that working with men was the least trouble whatsoever".

She told the Radio Times in a 2018 interview that she believes it will take another century to achieve gender equality due to modern sensibilities.

Robinson's comments about workplace harassment are not the only controversial statements she has made recently, saying she believes that "woke" culture is "mangling" the English language.

She said: "I just think we're being told what to do by people who aren't in a position to tell us what to do. I don't want my language mangled — I don't want to lose the English language.

"I don't want to offend anyone but we're well past whether we offend people."

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With Robinson now settled as Countdown host, her previous gig is also returning — but this time comedian Romesh Ranganathan is fronting a celebrity version of The Weakest Link.

In a statementm he said it was an "anxiety-inducing privilege" to replace Robinson, adding: "I'm hoping we've found a way to make both the fans of the show happy as well as bringing a new audience to it."

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