Award-winning journalist and television presenter Miriam O’Reilly instructed
employment law specialist and Leigh Day partner
Camilla Partner to represent her when she sued the BBC for
age discrimination. She won her case in January 2011 when the Employment Tribunal found that Miriam had been discriminated against because of her age, and that she had suffered victimisation. This was after Miriam, together with three other female presenters, all in their 40s and 50s, was dropped from Countryfile in 2009 when it was moved to a new Sunday evening slot.
Miriam is now leaving the BBC to focus on the launch of
Women’s Equality Network (WEN) and to explore other professional opportunities.
Women’s Equality Network
The Women's Equality Network is being set up to provide peer to peer support for women facing discrimination in the workplace. The aim of the network is to provide women with a safe forum where they can share their experiences and give each other support and advice to help them resolve their dispute. Miriam is a patron of WEN which is also supported by Leigh Day.
Miriam found experiencing discrimination in the workplace an isolating and distressing time leaving her feeling confused and unsure of her own abilities, despite having won a number of journalist awards including the British Environment Media Award for Best Environmental Story; the Foreign Press Award and the Royal Television Society Award for Best Documentary for a programme about depleting fish stocks off the West African coast in 2005. Taking legal action against an employer, especially one as powerful as the BBC, because of any type discrimination can be a frightening prospect without the support of family, friends and colleagues. Miriam hopes that WEN will help women facing discrimination in the workplace by offering peer to peer support and advice.
She says of the network:
“The feeling that you are on your own and no-one cares, is something women experiencing discrimination have said to me time and time again. We want women to know they are not alone and we do care”
To speak to one of Leigh Day’s specialist
employment lawyers please contact the firm on
020 7650 1200 for a free initial consultation.