A BBC presenter who was taking legal action against the broadcaster has returned to television. Martin Croxall sued the company after being taken off the air for more than a year when the BBC’s News and World News channels were merged.
Crocsall, 55, and three other senior female BBC journalists – Kasia Madela, Anita McVey and Karin Giannone – said they had been taken off the air after not being selected for the chief presenter role.
Crocsall announced his return, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “Are you all ready? I’ll be back on @BBCNews at 1100 BST.”
The presenter, who has worked for the BBC since 1991 and has been chief presenter for the BBC News Channel and BBC World News since 2001, shared the message alongside a video of himself in studio saying: “So, where are we?”
Crocsall received online congratulations from Madera, who returned earlier this month, Giannone and McVay, who returned to work on March 18.
Earlier this month, the journalists were spotted together attending a preliminary hearing in a discrimination case at an employment tribunal in central London.
The BBC said in a statement that it was “determined that the tribunal will not accept our position on this matter and will not comment further at this stage.”
Crocsall, McVay and Madera allege they were discriminated against on the basis of age, sex, union membership and wages. Giannone alleges she was discriminated against on the basis of age, sex and wages.
The women say they have suffered abuse, harassment and defamation. Their cases have been approved for joint trial.
The judge said the women could still bring claims on the grounds of age and sex discrimination, and the hearing is due to resume in March. Crocsall was told she could claim for union membership as well as wages.
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The BBC’s position is understood to be that it complies with equal pay legislation, applies a rigorous and fair recruitment process and that all managers followed that process appropriately.
Crocsall, who also appeared on the BBC One network’s news bulletins, was off the air for nearly two weeks in 2022 after being criticised for showing bias when Boris Johnson withdrew from the Conservative leadership race.
She said she was “flattered” during an earlier episode of The Papers show, and in response to a guest’s joke aimed at the former prime minister, said: “I probably shouldn’t do that.” [laugh]… I’m probably breaking a big rule about impartiality by giggling.”
