BBC recruits over 50 female presenters

The BBC are on the verge of hiring four over 50 year-old female presenters in a drive to counter growing claims of ageism at the broadcaster.

Asian broadcaster Zeinab Badawi, 50, Julia Somerville, 62, Fiona Armstrong, 53, are all understood to be on the verge of signing lucrative deals with the corporation.

A fourth female newsreader of “a certain age” is expected to be recruited internally.

Director general Mark Thompson gave news chiefs 12 months to recruit at least one woman in that age group to counter the claims.

He has called on every department to do the same, but BBC news department is leading the charge.