Award-winning presenter, Miriam O’Reilly, 52, is suing the BBC for age discrimination after she was dropped, along with three other women, all in their 40s and 50s, from Countryfile, the rural affairs programme.

She lodged her claim at London Central employment tribunal last week, saying the BBC had discriminated against her on grounds of sex and age. 

She commented: ” 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.”

She was told that the BBC wanted to “refresh” Countryfile.

“I think it’s an insult to the viewers for women like us to be dropped.  The only reason is because we’ve got older.  I can’t walk away and leave it because I believe what’s happened to me is wrong,” she added.

A BBC spokesman, refuting her claims, said that any suggestion that the presenters of Countryfile were replaced on grounds of age was absolute nonsense.”