Deal Or No Deal' Exec Disagrees With Meghan Markle's Objectifying Claims

Months after Meghan Markle accused the hit game show "Deal Or No Deal" of reducing their briefcase models to "bimbos," a central staff is denying the Duchess's claims.

The former Hollywood sensation garnered attention following her marriage to King Charles's second son, Prince Harry. Although the brunette stepped down as a working royal alongside her husband in 2020, the media personality's influence has not diminished.

Her allegations against the TV production carried significant weight in 2022. However, there are two sides to every story, and the showrunners of the long-running program have finally broken their silence.

An employee for Banijay, the company responsible for the game show, recently got candid about the production in an interview with Variety. Lucas Green, the chief content officer for the organization, shared his thoughts on the Duchess of Sussex's assessment of the program.

Last year, the former actress reflected on her days on the U.S. version of "Deal Or No Deal." The mother-of-two stated that she left the TV show because the program reduced the briefcase models to "objectified bimbos."

When asked if he agreed with her statement, Green disputed the 41-year-old's comments: "No, but we are constantly evolving the format so that it isn't the same show it was 15+ years ago."

"Much work goes into modernizing our formats to ensure they represent our values as a company and wider society. The U.K. version, for example, will continue to use members of the public from all walks of life to open the boxes [instead of models]," the Banijay executive explained.

Although Green defended the program by pointing out that the U.K. version did not use briefcase models alongside other changes, it was necessary to note that Markle's criticisms sprang from her time on the game show's U.S. branch.

During an episode of the media personality's podcast, "Archetypes," the Duchess of Sussex recalled her shocking experiences on "Deal or No Deal." While serving as a briefcase model, the World Vision Canada global ambassador claimed she was not being valued for her intelligence.

Citing her previous job as "an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Argentina in Buenos Aires," where she worked with treasury security, the 41-year-old explained that her former employer valued her brain. On the other hand, the game show prioritized her beauty.

"There was a very cookie-cutter idea of what we should look like. It was solely about beauty — and not necessarily about brains," the Duchess claimed, stating that the models were prepared to perfection before each show.

Aside from needing to sit at different makeup stations, including lashes, extensions, and padding for bras, to serve her purpose on the program, the Los Angeles native recalled humiliating incidents behind the scenes.

"When I look back at that time, I'll never forget this one detail — because moments before we'd get on stage," the media personality began. "There was a woman who ran the show, and she'd be there backstage, and I can still hear her."

"She couldn't properly pronounce my last name at the time, and I knew who she was talking to because she'd go, 'Markle, suck it in! Markle, suck it in!'" the Duchess of Sussex continued.

Although she was grateful for the job, the "Harry & Meghan" star noted that she disliked the emotions she endured during her time on the program. "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 41-year-old explained.

Following Markle's revelation about her time on "Deal or No Deal," the former actress faced severe criticism for her opinions. However, Howie Mandel defended the former actress by sharing similar sentiments about the TV show.

The Canadian comedian, who hosted the game show for over a decade, opened up about the seemingly controversial matter in a 2022 interview. According to the Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree, he did not understand why the public made a big deal out of the royal's narrative.

"I get it because — I've never said this before — but they had this pyramid of 26 beautiful, intelligent women standing there just staring at me like I was a piece of meat," the 67-year-old began, noting that he could relate to Markle's "objectified" feeling. 

"I was in the center, just dreup in a suit, and I felt like I was more wasan this. And they would look at me, and I had to do nothing," Mandal confessed, revealing that this pushed him into becoming a judge on "America's Got Talent."