Poldark star Beatie Edney, 56, blasts BBC for not inviting her to season five premiere due to ‘ageism’
POLDARK actress Beatie Edney has blasted BBC bosses for failing to invite her to the premiere of the next series of the show – claiming her age played a part in their decision.
Beatie, 56, who plays housekeeper Prudie Paynter in the BBC One series, spoke out when she was asked by Poldark fans why she was not attending the screening in Cornwall, where the show is filmed, on Thursday night.
She claimed that the BBC had not asked her to come, and said not to “blame” her.
She said: “Although mainly middle aged women are the audience for the show we struggle to be represented in the media.”
Beatie, who’s also starred in BBC shows Prime Suspect and The Coroner, also called upon ageism activist Nicky Clark to get involved and tweeted: “That will probably get me into lots of stick, but it’s true.”
A number of the show’s big stars, including 27-year-old Eleanor Tomlinson, who plays Demelza, were in attendance at the Regal Cinema.
Beatie’s fans rallied around her and said BBC bosses should be “ashamed” of their actions.
The BBC strongly denied they hadn’t invited her to the premiere and said in a statement: “We’d have loved to have Beatie at our event so we’re surprised by this because we were told she couldn’t attend.”
It’s not the first time the BBC have been accused of side-lining middle-aged stars.
Former Countryfile host Miriam O’Reilly, 62, won an employment tribunal against the publicly funded corporation in 2011 after saying she was dropped because of her age when the long-running show moved to the BBC One primetime spot.
During the tribunal, Miriam alleged she’d been warned to “be careful with those wrinkles when high definition comes in.”
Ex-BBC Current Affairs reporter Olenka Frienkiel also accused bosses of ageism and said she felt as though she was being “rubbed out” after reaching her fifties.
Speaking of Miriam’s case in 2014, she alleged nothing had changed and said: “Only Miriam O’Reilly – braver than the rest – had fought the enormously powerful BBC and won.
“And even after she’d won and the BBC had expressed contrition and promised change, inside the BBC, they were still doing it. Nothing had changed.”
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Following the BBC’s statement, Beatie backtracked and admitted she was invited to the period drama’s Season 5 premiere but it came too late for her attend.
She added: “I was invited to the event but too late for me to come along. Unfortunately, I can’t come and celebrate with the rest of the Poldark family in my beloved Cornwall tonight but wish them the best of luck!”
However campaigner Nicky continued to use her message as an example and said Beatie’s claim was still valid.
She tweeted: “I’m crying at the love being shown to @beatieedney and for her courage in speaking out. This is for all women now and in the years to come. #GenderedAgeism targeting women in entertainment is the last accepted showbiz taboo.”
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