Former Weakest Link host Anne Robinson has opened up about one of the darkest periods of her life — losing custody of her daughter, Emma, while battling alcoholism. Now 80, Anne was married to former Times editor Charles Wilson from 1968 to 1973, and the pair had a daughter together before their marriage broke down.
In her 2001 autobiography, Memoirs of an Unfit Mother, Anne laid bare the painful details of the custody fight she lost. As her drinking spiralled out of control, Emma went to live with her dad and stayed there throughout her teenage years. Speaking to The Telegraph, Anne admitted: “It cost me terrible shame. Appalling shame, much more than anything else. But you learn from your failures, not your successes.” She added with a kind of hard-won humour, “I learnt to stop drinking. I think that’s enough, don’t you?”
Anne explained that putting her experiences down in her book was more than just telling her story — it was a way to process everything. “It was quite cathartic. But I also thought it was a good story,” she said, according to the Express.
She had first met Charles Wilson back in the late ’60s when they were both journalists at the Daily Mail. After they married in 1968, Anne was forced to leave the paper — back then, the Mail didn’t allow married couples to work together, so she moved over to The Sunday Times.
But behind the scenes, things weren’t going smoothly. Anne’s drinking was starting to cause serious problems in their marriage. By 1973, when Emma was just two years old, Wilson sued for custody. In court, Anne was painted as an irresponsible drunk, but it was her refusal to be a stay-at-home mum that really swung the decision in Wilson’s favour. For years, Anne only got to see Emma at weekends.
Now, Emma’s 54 and the mother and daughter have managed to rebuild their bond. Emma, a former radio DJ, is married and has two teenage sons of her own. Reflecting on everything, Anne said to The Telegraph: “Who knows how it [Emma’s childhood] affected her? I also think having two well known parents cast quite a dark shadow. But she is happy, very happy.”
Anne has gone on to earn a fortune through her TV career over the years, but she’s not hoarding it. According to The Daily Mail, she’s made sure to pass it on. She reportedly told Saga Magazine: “I’ve given it all away. I don’t want the taxman to have it. I’ve spread it about quite a lot, to the children. They may as well enjoy it now.”
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