Presenter claims he lost BBC radio job because he was white and male

A BBC radio performer and writer says the reason he was axed from a show he has appeared on for 18 years is because it is being recast with “more women and diversity”.

Jon Holmes, part of the team behind the Now Show, a hit BBC Radio 4 program, tweeted about the reasons for his dismissal: “Sad to announce I’ve been axed from @BBCNowShow as ‘we want to recast with more women and diversity’ Tsk. And I didn’t even punch a producer.”

He has said following his sacking he has heard from other people who have been rejected based on positive discrimination. Later adding some of those responsible for setting up the BBC’s diversity policies had got in touch to say political correctness had “got out of hand”.

In an article for the Mail on Sunday he wrote: “Should I, as a white man (through no fault of my own), be fired from my job because I am a white man?

The BBC recently announced new diversity targets to ensure women make up half of the staff numbers by 2020. The corporation is also aiming to increase people with a black, Asian and minority ethnic background to 15 per cent, with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people making up eight per cent of the staff.