Anna Ford criticises BBC over ageism

Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Ford said she would not go back in front of the camera. Host Kirsty Young asked her about BBC director general Mark Thompson's recent comments on his regret at the lack of older women on television.

Ford said: "It's a bit late, isn't it? He's been here for a long time, he hasn't done a lot about it." The ex-BBC and ITN journalist added: "They have asked people like Julia Somerville back and I did bump into her recently and said 'congratulations, I'm really pleased that you've taken this job' and she said 'yes, I know, but I've only got 24 days a year on my contract'. It seems to me tokenism."