Meghan's former Deal or No Deal co-star shuts down claim she was 'treated like a bimbo' in show

19 October 2022, 09:52 | Updated: 4 November 2022, 10:09

One of Meghan Markle's former Deal or No Deal co-stars has hit back at her claims that she was "reduced to a bimbo" on the show.

Claudia Jordan, 49, who starred in Deal or No Deal for four seasons from 2005 to 2009, slammed Meghan for her comments, saying the show "never treated them like bimbos".

It came after the duchess discussed the terms "bimbo" and "dumb blonde" with TV star Paris Hilton in the latest episode of her Archetypes podcast.

Opening up about her brief time on Deal or No Deal, she said she quit because she felt objectified and was only valued for her "beauty" not her "brains".

However, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Ms Jordan insisted that their brief stints on the show actually opened up "so many opportunities" for them.

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"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 in an Instagram story. 

"And Deal or No Deal never treated us like bimbos.

"We got so many opportunities because of that show."

She added that it's the "kind of opportunity" that "is what you make it".

"If you just show up and don't engage - then you'll just get your check and not get much out of it," Ms Jordan went on to say.

"But if you show up and seize your moments, there's no limits to what you can do with the opportunity."

Ms Jordan explained that she "enjoyed" working on Deal or No Deal, and claimed it helped launch a major career for her.

"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 continued in her furious rant.

"It also led to me co-hosting the 2009 Miss Universe pageant with @BillyBush in front of half a billion people. Not too shabby for a 'bimbo.'"

Meghan appeared on the second season of the show for 34 episodes between 2006 and 2007.

"I ended up quitting the show," she said.

"I was thankful for the job but not for how it made me feel, which was not smart.

"And by the way, 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, knowing that I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage."

The mother of two said she wanted he daughter to grow up and "pride herself" on being educated and smart instead of focusing on her looks.

Meghan is said to have been inspired by her podcast to launch a fund to "empower young adults" with a million-dollar scheme to support women in need.