Professor Sir Tim Hunt isn't sexist, says his wife

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Professor Sir Tim Hunt has been hounded by feminist since sexist remarks
He said women at work 'fall in love with you' and cry when they're criticised
But his wife, Mary Collins, said Sir Tim takes care of household chores

By Sanchez Manning for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 16:37 EST, 13 June 2015 | Updated: 18:16 EST, 13 June 2015

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He's the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who has been hounded by feminists since making sexist comments about women in the lab.

But Professor Sir Tim Hunt isn’t exactly the chauvinist he’s been portrayed as – at least according to his wife.

Mary Collins, herself an eminent scientist, made the surprising revelation that when it comes to domestic chores, Sir Tim is the one who takes care of everything.

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Domestic god: Eminent scientist Mary Collins, right, said her husband, Sir Tim Hunt, left, does all the chores

The 72-year-old had to resign from his post as honorary professor at University College London after he said that the trouble with women at work is ‘they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them, they cry’.

But speaking at a debate on women in science, Prof Collins said: ‘I’m obviously a domestic goddess and do everything around the house.

But I say that cautiously because I think he [Tim] might have something to say about the fact he does all the cooking and washing. He is the housewife.’

Proud feminist: Sir Tim's first wife, Missy Cusick

And while her husband’s comments on relationships in the lab caused such a stir, Prof Collins was more measured when asked if flirting is OK.

She said: ‘I don’t think you should be too severe in your behaviour. I think normal social interaction is important for men and women. Your working life should be integral with your lab.’

But she cautioned: ‘I think it would be very bad to flirt with someone you didn’t find attractive. That would be really poor behaviour.’

Her comments came at a debate on women in science in London in 2011. Speaking from the audience at the same event, Sir Tim made remarks very different from the ones that got him in hot water, saying: ‘Scientists see scientists as scientists. I don’t think it matters if they’re boys or girls.’

Ironically given his more recent comments, Sir Tim met Prof Collins, now head of advanced therapies at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, in the lab – while he was directing her studies at Cambridge.

Sir Tim’s first wife, Missy Cusick, who describes herself as a strident feminist, has also defended him, saying: ‘I won’t say anything against him. He is a big, brilliant, sexy guy – some pretty good DNA. He is brilliant but he says things because he can. He doesn’t think first.

‘Tim should have run through his speech with his wife before he delivered it. He was probably being ironic but it didn’t come out that way.’

Female scientists mock Sir Tim Hunt's comments on Twitter