Anne Robinson has confirmed she asked for the microphones of Rachel Riley and Susie Dent to be switched off before they began filming Countdown episodes - but insisted there was no rift to make her quit.
Former Weakest Link star Anne 77, joined the Channel 4 quiz show last year, becoming its sixth presenter and the first female to take the role. But she announced she was leaving on Monday.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour, Anne addressed the rumour she clashed with co-stars and admitted some issues had to be "ironed out" between the trio when working together, including her liking "quiet" on set.
Anne said of Rachel and Susie: "They're both brilliant at what they do. I mean they really, really are. Channel 4 are incredibly lucky to have them. And there isn't a rift.
"It was me wanting everyone to be quiet in the studio. I like everyone turning up on time and quiet, quiet, quiet. So we did have to iron that out. But that's it.
"I think we all came to an agreement that we would have mics off before we went into a record, which gave me time to have a chat with the contestants - that's all - and remind them what their hobbies are."
Describing Riley, who dishes out the letters and numbers and often solves the numbers games, she said today: "She is brilliant at those numbers, what else can I say."
Asked if any of the touted candidates to replace her - including Victoria Coren, Moira Stuart, and author and outgoing Pointless host and author Richard Osman - appealed to her, Robinson said: "I think Richard's too rich. He's done brilliantly."
Robinson, who recorded 265 episodes of the show, said in a statement on Monday: "I've had a blast hosting this wonderful show. And I stayed longer than I signed up for. Now it is time for an older woman to take the reins."
Asked why she'd suggested using another older woman, she said today: "You've got Prue Leith, Mary Berry, then you've got me. Ok, when you go down you've got Kirsty (Wark) at 67, and then where do you go after that - newsreaders all under 60.
"I just wonder why there's a sort of unconscious cut off. It's interesting both here and in America, especially local news, you'll see a guy with no hair next to a young beautiful girl. The one with no hair is always not funny."
Robinson added that she might keep the BBC lanyard given to her for the Radio 4 interview to at least make it look like she still had a job as she may now retire.
She said: "I might hang on to the lanyard because I can go out and it looks as if I've got a job. I'm not going to take it off.
"You know what the Queen says, mostly to women, she says 'what's keeping you busy?' And that's because they might not have a job so they can say 'I'm playing the piano, I'm doing my garden'. So I'm going to practice explaining that I don't have a job.
"It's the first time I've never had a job. It's also the first time I haven't seen a job on the horizon.
"I've given myself a really big talking to and I'm 78 this year and I've really got to learn about retirement."
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Anne followed in the footsteps of Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Jeff Stelling and Nick Hewer as the presenter of Countdown, which launched in 1982.
She joined the daytime show last year alongside mathematician Rachel Riley and lexicographer Susie Dent, with her first instalment broadcasting on June 28.
She became known for delivering cutting remarks to contestants when she presented The Weakest Link, which was first broadcast in 2000 before ending 12 years later.
Countdown continues today at 2.10pm on Channel 4.
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