The BBC has reached a settlement with four female news presenters—Martine Croxall, Annita McVeigh, Karin Giannone, and Kasia Madera—who claimed discrimination related to a recruitment process for chief presenter roles.

This resolution comes just before a scheduled three-week tribunal that was set to begin on Monday.

The presenters alleged they faced age and sex discrimination in a recruitment exercise following the merger of the BBC's domestic and global news channels, announced in the summer of 2022.

The four women stated that they felt they had lost their positions due to a process they described as “rigged.” They argued that a whistleblower's evidence would demonstrate that the recruitment process was compromised, with assurances allegedly given to selected candidates that their positions were secure.

The successful candidates for the presenting roles included Matthew Amroliwala, Christian Fraser, Yalda Hakim, Lucy Hockings, and Maryam Moshiri.

Hakim has since become the lead world news presenter for Sky News.

The BBC has consistently defended the integrity of the recruitment process, describing it as “rigorous and fair.” The corporation emphasized that all candidates underwent the same assessments, which included interviews and practical evaluations.

It indicated that at least five other candidates scored higher than the women in the assessment criteria.

The settlement, which does not include an admission of liability from the BBC, allows for the conclusion of a legal process that has spanned nearly three years.

The presenters expressed relief at reaching a resolution and highlighted the support they received during the proceedings.

They are set to continue their roles at the BBC, focusing on live programming and the corporation’s streaming services.

The conclusion of this case comes amid various challenges facing the BBC, including ongoing charter renewal discussions, the recent departure of a senior executive, and scrutiny over its production of a documentary related to the Gaza conflict.

Jess Brammar, who was the editor of news channels during the recruitment process, has transitioned to a different editorial role within BBC content.

Charlotte Moore, regarded as a significant figure in British television, recently announced her decision to step down from her position as chief content officer.

In a statement regarding the settlement, a BBC spokesperson indicated that the resolution allows the corporation to move forward and focus on delivering content for its audiences while avoiding further legal costs associated with the claims.