BBC News presenters Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh have settled a three-year dispute over what they described as a “sham” recruitment process.
Deadline revealed earlier this week that the seasoned news anchors were in talks with the BBC over a settlement ahead of an employment tribunal on March 17 in London. They have now agreed a deal to end their legal action, though the terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
In a statement, the presenters said: “We can confirm that we have reached a resolution with BBC management that avoids the need for a tribunal hearing in respect of our employment-related claims.
“A protracted process lasting almost three years is now over. We’ve been deeply moved by the support we’ve received. We look forward to contributing further to the success of BBC News, especially to live programming and the growing streaming services that are so important to our audiences.”
Sources said this week that a settlement was in the interests of both sides. The BBC will have wanted to avoid a costly, bruising, and headline-grabbing legal fight with four experienced female presenters, during which sensitive internal discussions will likely be made public. Meanwhile, Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh are once again regular fixtures on the BBC News channel after a period off-air.
During a preliminary hearing last year, the BBC News anchors claimed they were forced off-screen for a year and harassed after being victims of a “rigged” hiring process in January 2023. The women applied to become a chief presenter on the retooled BBC News channel, but alleged that managers predetermined their preferred candidates before the hiring process began. They also made related sex and age discrimination claims.
The BBC stood by the “rigorous and fair” recruitment process, and an internal HR investigation concluded in 2023 that successful chief presenters were not promised their jobs before an open hiring procedure. The corporation declined to comment, but a source confirmed the settlement.
The presenters argued that BBC News bosses “privately assured four other chief presenters – two men and two younger women – their jobs were safe.” After challenging the process, Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh claimed that they lost their jobs, while some were demoted and others faced a pay cut. The successful candidates were Matthew Amroliwala, Christian Fraser, Yalda Hakim, Lucy Hockings, and Maryam Moshiri. Hakim has since left the BBC for Sky News.
Those in charge of the hiring process are no longer responsible for the BBC News channel. Former news channel editor Jess Brammar now serves as an editorial executive in BBC content, working closely with outgoing content chief Charlotte Moore. Naja Nielsen, digital director of BBC News, is leaving the corporation to join Swedish public broadcaster SVT.
Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh also made claims about gender pay discrimination, but a London Central Employment Tribunal judge ruled last year that this could not form part of the main hearing because they had previously reached salary settlements. Last November, the National Union of Journalists said the women planned on appealing the decision, but their claim has now been withdrawn as part of the settlement.
