Meghan Markle's former colleague responds to her Deal or No Deal comments

Meghan Markle's recent comments about her time on Deal or No Deal went viral, and now a former colleague has stepped in to respond to her remarks.

The now Duchess of Sussex appeared on the US version of the gameshow before landing her role as Rachel Zane in Suits. 

During her time on the show, Meghan - who shares daughter Lilibet and son Archie with husband Prince Harry - was one of 25 other women who presented the briefcases - allegedly known as "briefcase girls" - containing the various prizes to the contestants. 

She has recently claimed that her time on the programme resulted in low self esteem and left her feeling demeaned. 

Speaking on her podcast Archetypes, Meghan reflected: "When I look back at that time, I’ll never forget this one detail.

“There was a woman who ran the show and she’d be there backstage and I can still hear her … she’d go, ‘Markle, suck it in! Markle, suck it in!'

“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.

"And by the way, I was surrounded by smart women on that stage with me, but that wasn’t the focus of why we were there."

Former colleague and previous host on the show Howie Mandel has claimed he didn't understand Meghan's comments at first, but sees that she wanted a more fulfilling career. 

The America's Got Talent judge told US Weekly: "I've never really heard anybody complain, and I don't think Meghan is complaining. I think Meghan just said she wanted to do more. It wasn't fulfilling for her.

“I don't think there were ever [any] complaints from any of the women. And unlike most shows up until that point, the ladies had more to do.

“They weren't just pointing out gifts and opening [cases]. A lot of times they were mic'd and they had their input."

Howie empathises with Meghan as he too felt "objectified" on the programme, which he helmed for 14 years from 2005.

He added that "this pyramid of 26 beautiful, intelligent women standing there just staring at me like I was a piece of meat", continuing: "I don't know why there is a big hoopla, except I have to say that me standing there with 26 women staring at me made me feel like a bimbo."