BBC News star pulled off air for over a year finally returns to air as she’s flooded with support from colleagues
A BBC News star has made a triumphant return to the air 17 months after she and four of her co-stars were controversially pulled from screens.
Karin Giannone was stood down from presenting duties alongside Geeta Guru-Murthy, Kasia Madera, Annita McVeigh and Martine Croxall after having been all forced to re-apply for their jobs on the BBC News channel.
It came as part of a cost-cutting measure to merge the Beeb’s news output.
Amid backlash to the controversial axings, the BBC has slowly re-started to bring the ladies back into the studio with Martine, Annita, Geeta and Kasia having already begun presenting once again.
Now, Karin has made it back to the air for the first time since March 2023 completing all five of the stars’ return to work.
The star looked delighted to be delivering the headlines once again as she took us residence behind the glass desk.
Looking stylish, she dazzled in a red dress as she presented the mid-morning output.
Her co-star Martine was the first to celebrate her triumphant return back to work as she shared a snapshot of Karin on air and said: “And @KarinBBC makes five! Back on air and bossing it. La classe non è acqua x.”
Karin’s return to work was delayed by a number of months after she underwent a knee operation earlier this year.
Her operation saw medics cutting through the leg bone to alleviate symptoms of arthritis by realigning the foot.
At the time, Karin shared a snap from her hospital bed and said: “I’m out of action for a couple of months after a knee osteotomy surgery, but very much looking forward to being back on air on @BBCNews when I am up and running again!”
Karin’s co-star Martine launched legal action against the BBC on the women’s behalf after their positions were first rested in March 2023.
The ladies, excluding Geeta, teamed up to accuse the corporation of “a sham recruitment exercise” for chief presenter roles following the merger of its BBC News and World News channels.
The women allege discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, and pay, and claim they have suffered victimisation, harassment and reputational damage.
It is believed the BBC’s position is that it complied with equal pay legislation, applied a rigorous and fair recruitment process, and that all managers conducted that process properly.