Sacked presenter sues BBC over sex and age discrimination

A BBC presenter who was cut from a rural affairs programme along with other women in their forties and fifties is to sue the BBC for age discrimination.

Miriam O’Reilly and three other women were told in November 2008 that they were being removed as presenters of the BBC One programme Countryfile, as part of a revamp of the show.

O’Reilly, 52, who worked at the BBC for 25 years, lodged papers at London central employment tribunal last week, claiming that the broadcaster discriminated against her on grounds of sex and age.

O’Reilly has also alleged that she was victimised because she was not offered any further work at the BBC after staff at the corporation claimed she leaked stories to newspapers about internal discontent over the removal of the women.

She told the Times: “I think ageism is endemic at the BBC, and women have been reluctant to speak out, because they have their careers to think about and it is a big risk.”

O’Reilly left Countryfile with fellow reporters Juliet Morris, Charlotte Smith and Michaela Strachan, who were all in their forties and fifties. The male hosts, Ben Fogle and Tom Heap, were also removed, but Fogle has since been given a new countryside show, and Heap returned later.

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