Events | 2009.12.26
Editor-At-Large: My best birthday present – grown-up women on TV
It\'s my birthday today, and what better way to spend it than by celebrating the return to our television screens of the older woman? Moira Stewart, and Arlene Phillips got the heave-ho earlier this year, and, until recently, the entire BBC News department only employed one female presenter in her fifties: Maxine Mawhinney. Thousands of viewers complained when Alesha Dixon proved a lightweight replacement on Strictly – eventually Darcey Bussell was airlifted in to add some gravitas. Arlene was given a new dance show to host and, acknowledging the public mood, Mark Thompson ordered executives to sign up more mature women. Julia Somerville, Fiona Armstrong and Zeinab Badawi – all over 50 – are said to be on the verge of signing new contracts to present the news. Hoorah!
For more information, please visit
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/com[...]ownup-women-on-tv-1850912.html
