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Zaha Hadid abruptly ended an interview with Radio 4鈥檚 Today programme this morning after a series of questions about controversial projects.

Hadid, who was today announced as the winner of the RIBA鈥檚 Royal Gold Medal, was asked about deaths at her World Cup stadium in Qatar and then about the loss of the Tokyo stadium.

She repeatedly cut in to correct interviewer Sarah Montague who suggested that 1,200 migrant workers had died at the Qatar site 鈥� an entirely false allegation, over which Hadid has sued in the past.

The interview 鈥� which can be heard below 鈥� then moved on to what Hadid described as the 鈥渟candal鈥� surrounding the Tokyo stadium. But after Montague cut off one of her answers, Hadid, who was sitting in a radio car, declared: 鈥淟et鈥檚 stop this conversation. I don鈥檛 want to carry on. Let鈥檚 stop this conversation right now. Thank you very much.鈥�

Montague began by asking her about sexism in the industry. Hadid, who is the first woman to win the Gold Medal in her own right, said things had got 鈥渕uch better鈥� during her time in practice.

Montague then asked her about her 鈥渟cary鈥� reputation and failure to be embraced by the British establishment, something Peter Cook referred to in the Gold Medal jury鈥檚 citation.

Hadid said: 鈥淚 was always considered on the margin. I wasn鈥檛 part of the so-called establishment precisely because I can鈥檛 go to men鈥檚 clubs or go golfing or whatever they all do together. I don鈥檛 think it matters really. I have always been on the edge. I don鈥檛 mind being on the edge. Of course, I don鈥檛 want to be seen as someone who can鈥檛 do a certain thing.

鈥淥nce someone told me, 鈥楾hey don鈥檛 give you work here because you are scary鈥�. I had an answer I would never dare say on radio. It might be so. It鈥檚 not for me to say.鈥�

Montague then launched into her question about deaths in Qatar. Hadid cut in: 鈥淭here haven鈥檛 been any problems. I have to put you right. There hasn鈥檛 been a single problem on our stadium in Qatar.鈥�

Montague put the 1,200 deaths claim to her and Hadid again cut in: 鈥淎bsolutely not true. We sued someone for writing that and it had to be withdrawn from the press. It鈥檚 absolutely inaccurate.鈥�

Under repeated questioning, Hadid said: 鈥淭here have been no deaths of construction workers. You should check your information before you say anything鈥� I can鈥檛 talk for the planet. I cannot talk about the entire world. I am talking about our site.鈥�

When Montague turned to Hadid鈥檚 鈥渢ough summer鈥� and the Tokyo stadium saga, Hadid quickly corrected her, saying: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 pull out. I pulled out because we had no contractor to go with. Again this is a very serious story and it should be reported accurately. Someone should be interested in it because it鈥檚 a scandal.鈥�

She was asked to explain but when Montague hurried her reply, she ended the interview.

UPDATE: The BBC later issued an apology for not making clear that the 1,200 construction deaths figure related to the whole of Qatar. It said: 鈥淲e are sorry we didn鈥檛 make this clear in this morning鈥檚 interview with Dame Zaha Hadid. We are happy to accept there is no evidence of deaths at the main stadium site.鈥�

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