A DOG-grooming judge from Suffolk has spoken of her “awful” experience as a contestant on the popular BBC game show The Weakest Link.

Gail Hussey, 70, said she felt patronised by fellow contestants and production crew, endured a nightmare journey to the studios in Glasgow and seemed to be “singled out” from the others in the photoshoot.

Mrs Hussey, who lives in Hoxne Road, Eye, said she had previously appeared on other shows, including Going for Gold and Busman’s Holiday, but had now been put off from entering any more.

She said: “I knew I was on a hiding to nothing, being an older person. When we had our group picture I was on my own in an armchair – so I have a wonderful photographic record of me almost being singled out before it even started.

“Then we got on set and Anne Robinson turned up – you could’ve cut the atmosphere with a knife.

“A lot of people have said ‘why did they have it in for you?’ but there you go. And she [Anne Robinson] really is as nasty as she seems.”

Mrs Hussey, who has two children and one grandchild, said she had come through an audition event in Ipswich and been selected for the recording in Glasgow in late February.

She endured an epic, three-train journey north and then, after a 7am start, waited four hours for the recording to begin.

Sadly, despite getting her first question right, she was voted off by her fellow contestants and had to sit out for the rest of the show.

She found famous host Anne Robinson “horrible” and was surprised that her apparent meanness was minimised through the editing of the programme.

She said: “It was the worst 37 hours of my life. It was really tedious. And I got my question right – that’s the funny thing.”

Her show went out late last month and she has even shared an account of her disastrous appearance during a meeting of her local Women’s Royal British Legion group. A BBC spokesman said: “The Weakest Link team do their very best to accommodate contestants and ensure they have a pleasant experience. We are surprised and sorry to hear that Mrs Hussey didn’t enjoy taking part in the show.”