Discrimination claims against the BBC ‘have quadrupled’

Posted 07/06/2010

New figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed that claims for sex and age discrimination against the BBC have quadrupled in four years.

There were 12 sex discrimination cases against the corporation brought in the past year by women who felt that they had been unfairly treated because of their age or sex, compared to nine the previous year and only three in the 12 months before that.

This has fuelled the debate begun last year – after Arlene Phillips was sacked as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing – which accused the BBC of forcing women off TV screens when they reach a certain age.

Former Countryfile presenter Miriam O’Reilly is among those currently suing the BBC amid claims that she was dropped from the show because she was too old, the Daily Mail reports.

“The BBC takes its responsibilities as a fair employer very seriously,” a spokesperson from the corporation insisted.

This comes just days after the BBC was accused of discriminating against white job applicants for its journalism trainee scheme, the Telegraph stated.