Ex-BBC Breakfast star Louise Minchin has slammed her former TV role as “sexist”.
The much-loved presenter starred on the show for almost 20 years but has recently claimed a behind-the-scenes row with producers made her feel less adequate.
Louise has lifted the lid on how she felt after she says she was never given the opportunity to open the show or introduce a new segment, as her male co-star always had that role.
READ MORE: BBC Breakfast host makes gruesome confession to co-star about her ‘insides’
But she has since come out to suggest that her popularity on the programme was “overlooked” due to her being a woman.
Louise, 54, has opened up in her new book titled Fearless: Adventures with Extraordinary Women.
(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
She wrote: “I had noticed that almost every day my male colleague was given the prestigious task of saying hello at the top of each hour, introducing the programme and doing the first interview.
“Why was I always the second person to speak, even though I was older and more experienced? What message did it send to our female viewers?”
Louise was well known for starring alongside Dan Walker and aired her frustrations at him getting the openers by confronting the show’s bosses.
(Image: BBC)
She explained that some were “receptive” and willing to let Louise have the chance to try it out.
But said others shut down the concept and told her “This is the way we have always done it”.
Louise added: “There it was: age-old, systemic discrimination built into the fabric of the programme.”
Though it seems her persistence paid off after she told her boss that she had been keeping notes, which appeared to worry the top dogs.
(Image: BBC / Steve Schofield)
Louis continued: “He [the boss] never asked to see my notes and from that day it was set in stone: every other day, the woman on the sofa was allowed to lead the programme, to be in charge.”
The TV star left the show back in 2021 after almost 20 years on the programme, before enjoying a stint on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity.
Her book also details how she endured a “long battle” in a bid to be paid the same wage as her male co-star.
The Daily Star has contacted the BBC show comment.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
