Legendary BBC journalist and upcoming Strictly Come Dancing contestant Angela Rippon has revealed that she was ‘flashed’ whilst reading the news live on-air.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s The Reunion show, Rippon, 78, told of her horror when a senior BBC journalist appeared to reveal his privates to her whilst reading the headlines.
Angela was joined by other journalists Jan Leeming, Sue Lawley, Julia Somerville and Sue McGregor to discuss how hard it was for women to work in broadcasting in the 1970s.
READ MORE: BBC star Angela Rippon can still do the splits and high kicks – at the age of 77
On the programme, the Rip Off Britain said that she was presenting the 9 o’clock news in the studio when the reporter came in.
(Image: BBC)
“Out of the corner of my eye, I realised that he was unzipping his flies and suddenly there was something white is his hand being wriggled around,” she admitted.
Rippon, who is now most known for voicing the BBC game show The Wall, said that initially she believed he had been handing her a script of some sort.
But she later realised that whilst a report was being played, she turned to see the reporter had undone his zipper with the bottom of his shirt hanging out.
She then said that she was left in a state of shock but had to carry on as she was reading the news for 10 million people watching at home.
(Image: Press Association)
“Obviously I was supposed to think he was wiggling his penis at me. I was angry because I felt this was so disrespectful,” she said.
She went on to say that she has not and will not name the presenter but he was one the BBC’s biggest and best-known reporters at the time.
The former Dancing on Ice star added that she had looked at him and told him: “For crying out loud – his name- grow up and just get out”.
The presenter said that at the time, women’s roles in the corporation were in the minority and admitted that had she come forward, she would have been punished.
(Image: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)
Sue Lawley then added that when she returned to work after having her first child, she faced immense backlash from viewers.
“I’d had my first child in 1976 and I went back to work, and I really had quite a few letters from women saying ‘What are you doing occupying a job that a man could have?'”.
Fellow guest Julia Somerville also admitted to wear a wig on TV so that she could avoid being recognised off-screen.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
