'BULLIED & HARASSED OVER AGE, SEX AND DISABILTY'

BBC bosses discriminated against news anchor Donna, tribunal told

- JONATHAN McCAMBRIDGE

FORMER BBC TV presenter Donna Traynor faced “bullying and harassment” after she raised a grievance about a plan to change her role, an industrial tribunal has been told. 

 

Her barrister said she had been a victim of age, sex and disability discrimination after the proposal to move her to a radio position in 2019.

The former Newsline presenter is taking an industrial tribunal against the BBC and its Northern Ireland director Adam Smyth.

She resigned in November 2021 after nearly 33 years at the broadcaster.

Her barrister Patrick Lyttle told the hearing that Ms Traynor had been contracted to present the Newsline TV show five nights a week and had had a number of successful appraisals.

Mr Lyttle said that in December 2018 she was appraised by then head of news Mr Smyth and was told “her role as a BBC Newsline presenter would not be diminished”.

REDUNDANCY

But the barrister added that his client later became a victim of “age discrimination, sex discrimination and disability discrimination”.

He added: “Over the course of a year we say the complainant was treated in a manner that amounted to bullying and harassment.”

The hearing was told that in June 2019 Ms Traynor was informed of a voluntary redundancy process for presenters at BBC Northern Ireland who were on TV and radio for 30 minutes or more on weekdays.