Anne Robinson Ordered to Apologize Over Homophobic Insult  4/4/05

TV presenter ANNE ROBINSON has been ordered to apologize for claiming all women prison officers are lesbians, during her British quiz THE WEAKEST LINK on Friday (01APR05).

Robinson, dubbed the Queen Of Mean, told contestant LOUISE BAKER she must be a homosexual because she's a prison officer and has short hair and no make-up.

But the PRISON OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION (POA) is so enraged by the acid-tongued star's comments, they have demanded that both Robinson and the program's BBC bosses make a public apology.

The POA's General Secretary BRIAN CATON fumes, "While I recognize Anne Robinson's reputation as being ultra-critical and nasty, what we don't expect is a homophobic attack on a profession that's undervalued."

The BBC counters, "We certainly didn't intend to cause any offence. This incident was one of light-hearted banter."

Robinson has previously sparked controversy on the show by insisting all Liverpudlians are thieves and the Welsh are ignorant and annoying.