Victory for Countryfile presenter against BBC

Posted 12/01/2011

Former Countryfile presenter Miriam O’Reilly has succeeded in her employment law claim against the BBC after it was ruled that the corporation had discriminated against her because of her age.

The 53-year-old journalist took legal action after she was subjected to comments suggesting it may be “time for Botox” and that she should “watch those wrinkles”.

She was eventually sacked in November 2008 after eight years with the programme and was subsequently replaced by younger presenters.

It has now been announced that she has won her case and Ms O’Reilly said she is “delighted”.

“I never wanted to leave my job. We still have a long way to go with ageism in the visual media,” she added.

The BBC has accepted the findings and will issue an apology.

This comes after it was discovered in 2010 under the Freedom of Information Act that claims for sex and age discrimination against the BBC had quadrupled in four years.