BBC Breakfast was 'fairly sexist' place to work in '80s, says ex-host Nick Ross

10 January 2023 , 00:01

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Nick Ross has admitted BBC Breakfast was a "fairly sexist" place to work during the 1980s.

The 75-year-old, who was the show's original presenter and worked alongside Selina Scott, was among stars sharing their memories as it prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary next week.

He said: "As a rule, if a woman was there it was thought she was there because she was good looking. But if a bloke was there, he was perceived to be there because he was a good journalist.

"There's no question that Selina Scott suffered quite a bit of that."

Nick, who later fronted Crimewatch, also admits he was sceptical of mixing hard news and lighter content, saying: "I was uncomfortable, frankly snobbish, about it. I argued against having an astrologer on. But the mix worked brilliantly. I even came to like Russell Grant."

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BBC Breakfast was 'fairly sexist' place to work in '80s, says ex-host Nick Ross

Nick Ross (pictured) has spoken about his time presenting BBC's Breakfast Time (Tolga Akmen / AFP via Getty Images)

And he said while the early starts did not bother him, the early nights did, explaining: "The problem was missing social activities the night before. You had to go to bed at eight o'clock."

However, weatherman Francis Wilson said he was "permanently damaged" by the early starts – and the team’s long boozing sessions.

The 73-year-old said: "The presenters had a bond because we finished work at around 10am. We were the rowdy group in the corner of the wine bar at lunchtime, standing on the tables singing My Way."

He appeared on the show alongside the likes of Francis Wilson (top left), Selina Scott (centre right) and Russell Grant (right) (PA/PA Wire)

He was on the show for a decade before joining Sky News in 1993 and loved his time there – as he got to present in jumpers. He said: "We looked like avuncular crooners sitting around the sofa. The idea was to be relaxed."

And in their chat with Radio Times Diana Moran, aka the Green Goddess, revealed she can still fit into the iconic leotard she wore for her keep-fit slot – but it's falling apart now. Asked if she still has the kit, the 83-year-old said: "You bet! And it still fits. But after a while, that material breaks up and goes baggy, so I couldn’t wear it again."

Diana Moran (pictured), aka the Green Goddess, also featured on the breakfast programme (Mirrorpix)

Diana said no one had a clue what she was up to on the first slot in 1983, adding: "I was live at Waterloo Station, at 6am, freezing in my leotard. Commuters were confronted with me saying, 'Would you like to do keep-fit?'."

She said a great thing about her job was it helped her see the world, adding: "It was an exciting time. I did chest exercises from a bra factory, bottom exercises from a knickers factory. I went to France and did exercises with bobbies on the beat on the Champs-Élysées."

BBC Breakfast will celebrate its 40th anniversary soon with a rebranding to the old Breakfast Time logo

BBC Breakfast will celebrate its four decades next Tuesday with a rebranding to the old Breakfast Time logo and a chat with Carol Kirkwood, who has been part of the show since she was production secretary during the Scott era.

Singer Leo Sayer, who was a guest on the very first show, will feature too.

And Diana will re-create her debut keep-fit routine at Waterloo Station – but not in her original leotard.