Former BBC chief blames women for 'terrible' shows

One of the BBC's most distinguished ex-bosses today blamed women for the corporation's "terrible" programmes.

Alasdair Milne, a former director-general, said the domination of TV's top ranks by women was the reason the BBC had so many lifestyle and makeover programmes. "It just seems to me that the television service has largely been run by women for the last four to five years and they don't seem to have done a great job of work," he said.

The women in his sights include Lorraine Heggessey, BBC One's controller; the director of television, Jana Bennett; Jane Lush, head of entertainment commissioning, and head of drama commissioning Jane Tranter.

Mr Milne, forced out of his job in 1987 after a clash with Margaret Thatcher's government, said he had told BBC chairman Michael Grade of his concerns over lunch recently.

He said: "There was no innovation, constant makeovers and far too many cookery and gardening programmes. Dumb, dumb, dumb."