BBC presenter Nina Warhurst responded to unsolicited feedback on her appearance

Nina Warhurst, the lead presenter of BBC News at One, recently responded to comments about a skirt she wore on TV.  

On X, one commenter wrote:

“Just wondering if @NinaWarhurst has an opinion on what constitutes TOO short a skirt for a 44-year-old.”

Warhurst responded with an Instagram story post, which said:

“When you briefly check back in with Twitter/X… because surely it can't be the stream of uninvited feedback from men that you remember, and….. Oh hi there.”

“(Translation: if you're gonna look like an old trout, it's more acceptable if you don't sound as Mancunian. Noted).”

According to Metro, Warhurst joined News at One in April, stepping down from BBC Breakfast after seven years.

Hanging up the high-viz & hairnet as I join the BBC’s News at One

Our London team built a gem of a programme & it’s a privilege to be on the Salford team taking it forward

(… the teenaged me who lived half a mile from here & dreamed of journalism would NOT believe it🤩) https://t.co/4wbPRs6Vv7

— Nina Warhurst (@NinaWarhurst) March 11, 2025

In March 2024, the BBC presenter also stepped away from social media, where she posted to Instagram, "Enough is enough."

This isn’t the first time a presenter has received comments on their appearance.

Like Warhurst, RTÉ presenter Sarah McInerney spoke about the complaints she receives from viewers in an interview with Irish Country Magazine in 2022. 

As per The Irish Examiner: 

“I got this hilarious message the other day saying, 'you know I really like your delivery etc, but if you wouldn't mind me saying, the clothes you wear on television are completely inappropriate.”

Irish TV presenter Muireann O’Connell has also responded to comments about how women stand as presenters.

On a lunchtime show, one caller shared concerns with host Katie Hannon that Irish newsreaders are delivering a possibly subliminal message through their stance. 

She responded by using her Instagram platform to workshop a few new stances:

RTÉ's Sarah McInernay also responded to the comment on X:

Lots of breaking news this evening. I hope I remember to stand, eh, narrowly. @RTE_PrimeTime @rteliveline

— Sarah McInerney (@SarahAMcInerney) July 5, 2022

And now, three years later, comments about women’s appearance on TV are still being made, this time with BBC's Nina Warhurst about the skirt she was wearing.

Instead, how about we just focus on one thing…. the news.