BBC interviews ‘one woman expert for every 9 men’

THE BBC has been accused of being ‘testosterone-fuelled’ after nine times as many male experts than women were shown on its flagship nightly news bulletin.

Nearly all the interviewees appearing on the BBC’s Ten O’Clock News were male, according to researchers.

The study, carried out over the period of a week, found there was a night last month when only one woman featured on the programme ‘in any capacity at all’ – and she was on for only seconds.

Last night, critics questioned whether the BBC was even making an effort to try to reflect Britain’s gender balance, saying it was either ‘lazy’ or ‘playing it safe’.

Researchers from City University London carried out the study for industry publication Broadcast magazine.

Anti-discrimination campaigner Miriam O’Reilly said she was not surprised. She said: ‘I saw the news on June 13. I was actually shouting at the screen “where are the women?”’

Miss O’Reilly, who won an ageism case against the BBC after she was removed from Countryfile, added: ‘I don’t know whether they are playing it safe or being lazy.’

A BBC News spokesman said: ‘We do take the issue seriously and are working to improve the gender balance, although the BBC cannot dictate who organisations put forward for interview.’