'Deal Or No Deal' Stylist Recalls Working With Meghan Markle, Says Models Never Forced To Wear Paddings

"Deal or No Deal" stylist Dina Cerchione revisited her time working with Meghan Markle and reacted to the duchess' statement about the models' wardrobe.

Cerchione spoke about her interactions with the Duchess of Sussex when they worked together on the NBC game show. In her recollection, Prince Harry's wife was "very professional."

"I worked with Meghan the entire time she was on the show. It was one season or less if I remember correctly," the fashion stylist told Us Weekly. "I remember Meghan as being very professional and a nice person. She was, overall, a quiet person on set."

Cerchione was the primary stylist for the models on the game show. She was responsible for their outfits, making sure they were properly tailored to "make each woman look her best." Outside wardrobe fittings, she remembered how Markle enjoyed reading between takes.

Cerchione also gave an overview of the events on set. According to her, it was a "pretty standard day in terms of how TV production schedules work." They had two different types of days — fitting days and tape days.

"[On] fitting days, all the models would come in and fit the dresses that we had for the upcoming shows [and on] tape days, the models would come in early and get ready for the show by heading to hair and makeup and then coming to wardrobe to get dressed. We usually did two shows a day sometimes three, so there would be a change mid-day into another outfit," she explained.

"In wardrobe, none of the models were ever forced to do anything they didn't want to. Did some people have padding? Yes. Were they forced to wear it? Absolutely not," she added.

Markle spoke about her experience on "Deal or No Deal" in a previous episode of her Spotify podcast "Archetypes." According to her, she felt "objectified" and "reduced into a bimbo." She also gave a glimpse of how they would prepare themselves before taping.

"There were different stations for having your lashes put on or extensions put in or the padding in your bra. ... 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!'"

Markle said that overall, the show was "solely about beauty — and not necessarily about brains." Cerchione reacted to her statement on Instagram, saying it was "a rough week watching a show I love SO much be criticized."

For her, "Deal or No Deal" was one of the "most wonderful, challenging, highs profile gigs" in her career. She added that she loved every minute she was on the show.

"Everyone on the show from my wardrobe team to the producers, the crew, hair and makeup, Howie and especially the models all worked SO very hard to make the shows the best they could be for the contestants and the fans who adored it. I have thought a lot about this, I wouldn't change a thing," she said.

Several models also shared their experiences on the show, and unlike Markle, they didn't feel objectified. Howie Mandel also reacted and didn't understand the backlash against Markle after what she said about the show.

"I don't think she's maligning 'Deal or No Deal,'" Mandel 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."