Meghan Markle’s Deal or No Deal co-star rejects claim women were ‘treated like bimbos’

‘It was a step on the ladder I’ve been ascending on for 25 years that paid all my bills, put me in front of 13 million people a night,’ Jordan said

Meghan Markle’s former Deal or No Deal co-star Claudia Jordan has called her out over her claims that she “was reduced to a bimbo” during her time on the show.

In the most recent episode of her podcast Archetypes, the Duchess of Sussex revealed the reason why she left the game show in 2006.

“I didn’t like feeling forced to be all looks,” she claimed. “And little substance. And that’s how it felt for me at the time being reduced to this specific archetype the word bimbo.”

Meghan also claimed that women on the show were forced to “line up” for beauty treatments.

“We were even given spray-tan vouchers each week because there was a very cookie cutter idea of precisely what we should look like. It was solely about our beauty,” she said. “I was surrounded by smart women on that stage with me, but that wasn’t the focus of why we were there and I would end up leaving with this pit in my stomach.

“Like I said, I was thankful for the job but not for how it made me feel, which was not smart.”

Jordan has now called out the Duchess of Sussex for her remarks, saying that the show “never treated them like bimbos” and that it instead helped provide “so many opportunities”.

“For clarity – yes getting a modelling gig on a game show isn’t necessarily about your intellect, but every show the executive producers picked five models with the most outgoing and fun personalities to place mics on, who they knew would engage with the contestants,” she wrote on social media.

“And Deal or No Deal never treated us like bimbos. We got so many opportunities because of that show.”

(Claudia Jordan/Instagram)

Jordan went onto reveal that the show helped launch her career.

“It was a step on the ladder I’ve been ascending on for 25 years that paid all my bills, put me in front of 13 million people a night, and led to me getting on Celebrity Apprentice, Celebrity Apprentice All Stars, a breast cancer awareness campaign, guest hosting Extra, getting into People magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful issue, and so much more,” she said.

The reality TV star also clarified that she wasn’t trying to take shots at Meghan, but rather defending the show.

“Lord knows I’ve been defending this woman in the media for years,” Jordan wrote. “And I still will, but I just didn’t want any misunderstanding about the climate and environment on the Deal or No Deal set.”

She also defended presenter Howie Mandel, whom she said was “nothing but kind and respectful to all 26 of us”.