Anne Robinson's heavy remorse

Anne Robinson has revealed she struggled with 'heavy' remorse over losing custody of her daughter Emma after battling an 'appalling drink problem'.

“I think the shame is quite heavy. And I realised I had to stop drinking, which I did in the next couple of years.”

Losing custody in 1973

The Weakest Link presenter, 81, lost custody of her daughter Emma Wilson, who at the time was just two years old, back in 1973, after she was ruled in court to be an unfit mother due to her alcoholism.

Shameful past

Anne has now shared she 'slowly' rebuilt her relationship with her daughter after realising she had to give up alcohol, and called it 'the most shameful thing of her life'.

Emma's current relationship

Emma, who is now a television and radio producer, now has a close relationship with her mother, with the pair even living together during the Covid lockdown.

Personal admission

Anne said: 'My mother was amazing, but she was also a very bad drinker. And if you grow up with someone with a drink problem, the one thing you're absolutely determined is that you won't do the same.

“My mother was amazing, but she was also a very bad drinker. And if you grow up with someone with a drink problem, the one thing you're absolutely determined is that you won't do the same.”

Her drinking problem

I developed the most appalling drink problem in my 20s. It was so bad that when I was divorcing my husband, he fought and won custody of Emma, which was the most shameful, and remains the most shameful thing, in my life.

“I developed the most appalling drink problem in my 20s. It was so bad that when I was divorcing my husband, he fought and won custody of Emma, which was the most shameful, and remains the most shameful thing, in my life.”

Rebuilding relationship

I really had to pick myself up from that and somehow start again from quite a low rate.

“I really had to pick myself up from that and somehow start again from quite a low rate.”

Lorraine Kelly interview

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly on Saga's Experience is Everything podcast, Anne shared: 'I think the shame is quite heavy. And I realised I had to stop drinking, which I did in the next couple of years.

“I think the shame is quite heavy. And I realised I had to stop drinking, which I did in the next couple of years.”

Relationship progress

Slowly she was mine again, but it was quite a tough start… we had to start again when she was five or six, to really build a relationship which is untouchable now and has been for years and years and years.

Moving to London

In July, Anne shared that she'd moved out of her countryside home in the Cotswolds, to an apartment in London that was just a few streets away from Emma and her family.

Reason for move

The broadcaster shared she decided to relocate after her poor eyesight meant she was unable to drive any more.

Concerns about Emma

She told The Times: 'I just know that it will be sadder if they take me out of here in an ambulance.'

“I just know that it will be sadder if they take me out of here in an ambulance.”

Current activities

I run, do weights and Pilates, but I just can't legislate for the next five years.

Covid lockdown

I don't want Emma sitting at lunch saying to someone, as people say to me, 'Oh my mother, you know she's in Somerset and now the carer's gone off sick, I'm having to drive for an hour and a half when there's a crisis'.

Countdown exit

In 2022, Anne quit Channel 4's Countdown after just a year and reports at the time suggested there was an on-set feud with Rachel Riley, who Anne was rumoured to find 'too noisy', and Susie Dent, as well as a rumoured pay dispute.

Denial of feud

Speaking in an interview with the Telegraph, Anne denied a 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.'

“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.”