11:48am UK, Tuesday July 06, 2004

TV's Anne Robinson has undergone surgery for a hernia, said to be partly due to her standing up for eight hours a day filming The Weakest Link.    

The self-styled 'Queen of Mean' has been told by doctors to cancel all work for the next four weeks while she recovers, according to The Sun.

180 anne robinson weakest leak 1/11/02

Anne: podium problem

Anne, 59, says the abdominal hernia was caused by her "gruelling schedule".    

"One of the biggest contributors has been my standing on the Weakest Link podium for eight hours a day filming the shows," she said. "We film three shows a day, and are currently filming 160 a year."     

Anne said that apart from the hernia problem she is fighting fit, and added: "The doctors told me I have the blood pressure of a small child."     

Anne's forced break will not affect screening of the BBC quiz, as enough shows have already been filmed to cover the gap.