Rachel Riley: 'I wear what's comfortable'

Rachel Riley has said that she was shocked to read newspaper reports of her switch to minidresses on Countdown.

The presenter, who replaced Carol Vorderman on the show last year, told The Mirror that she simply wears what is comfortable.

Riley said: "I am really surprised that what I am wearing on Countdown has got into the papers. I like short dresses and bought them when I went shopping with the show's stylist.

"We film 15 shows in three days, so we have to get as much stuff as we can. When I first started I tried to wear things that I thought a Countdown presenter should wear. But as time has gone on, I know what I feel happy with in front of the camera."

She added: "I'm not going to change, I will just wear what is comfortable. At the beginning there was stuff that looked bad - jumpers, trousers and skirts.

"Some of the trousers looked frumpy and didn't look as good in front of the camera. Also I am 23. I just try to put my own personality into the clothes."

Presenter Jeff Stelling joked: "I'm hoping the shortness of Rachel's dresses takes the attention away from the shortness of her co-host!"