- Veteran broadcaster Angela Rippon revealed that a BBC Director-General told her to quit TV at age 50 to “make way for younger women”, a comment she labelled 'very misogynistic'.
- Rippon, now 81, stated that John Birt, then Director-General, made the suggestion in the early nineties after she lost several programmes.
- She challenged Birt by asking if he was having similar conversations with older male presenters like Terry Wogan or Michael Parkinson, noting he was not.
- Despite the advice, Rippon continued her career, notably becoming the oldest-ever contestant on Strictly Come Dancing at 79 in 2023.
- The BBC has faced numerous ageism accusations over the years, including a recent settlement with four female news presenters and other cases involving Caryn Franklin and Liz Kershaw.
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