Ageism remains an issue at certain parts of the BBC, as fewer presenters on BBC One are aged over 50 compared to main rival ITV1, a new report claims.
According to The Older Faces Audit, compiled by market research consultancy PCP, 20% of presenters and cast on the BBC's flagship channel are aged 50 or over, compared to 27% on ITV1.
After studying TV programmes on all five main terrestrial channels between February 20 and February 26, the researchers found that BBC Two had the highest proportion of older faces at 37%, but Channel 4 only managed 12% and Five had none at all.
The study found that 22% of presenters and cast on all the main terrestrial channels were aged over 50, despite the age group accounting for 34% of the general population.
The results will disappoint BBC executives following a series of high-profile ageism scandals, including the replacement of Arlene Phillips, 66, on Strictly Come Dancing with 30-year-old Alesha Dixon.
After widespread criticism of the move, the BBC hired Carole Walker, Fiona Armstrong and Julia Sommerville to the BBC News team. However, the report found that only 28% of news presenters are aged over 50 on BBC One, compared to 31% on ITV1 and just 23% of soap actors are 50 or over on the channel, compared to 25% on ITV1.
The study, commissioned by the residential care provider Anchor, further found that only 20% of female presenters and cast members are aged over 50 on all main terrestrial channels, compared to 25% of men.
Anchor chief executive Jane Ashcroft said: "It is scandalous that the over-50s are not represented more fairly on television, particularly when they are the fastest growing demographic in this country.
"As a public sector broadcaster funded by the taxpayer, the BBC has a duty to reflect the diversity of our nation. We must rally against institutional ageism and be proud of the value older people contribute to British life."
After polling 1,020 adults, the study found that the public view ITV1's Coronation Street and Emmerdale, along with Channel 4's Deal Or No Deal, as most fairly depicting older people. Top Gear and The X Factor were viewed as the worst.
However, the BBC's Sir David Attenborough was named by the largest portion of respondents (30%) as giving the most positive portrayal of older people, ahead of Sir Trevor McDonald and Bruce Forsyth.
In response to the findings, a BBC spokesman said: "While we welcome any research into our output, and are pleased that BBC Two has been identified as having the highest representation of older people in UK broadcast media, we do not believe that a one-week sample study is an accurate reflection of the BBC's output throughout the year.
"The reality is that we have a very wide range of artists on the BBC including presenters and actors such as Sheila Hancock, Arlene Phillips, Sir David Attenborough and Julia Somerville, as well as other new faces who we hope will be with us for years to come."
I misread the headline as suggesting that BBC1 had fewer viewers over the age of 50.
