Julie Etchingham has withdrawn her application to join the Garrick Club amid claims of hostile behaviour towards women.
The ITV newsreader was reportedly uncomfortable with the process of being vetted by the London club’s 1,500 male members.
She is understood to have been uneasy at the level of hostility displayed by men opposed to the admission of women during a recent candidacy lunch.
One member told The Guardian that with “hardly any women being elected, it is very uncomfortable to walk into a room full of men scrutinising (and ogling) you”.
Only three women have been admitted since the 193-year-old institution, whose prominent members include King Charles, dropped its men-only rule last year.
Actress Celia Imrie was accepted into the organisation last month, joining female members Dame Judi Dench and Dame Siân Phillips.
Several women from the first batch of female nominees have allegedly expressed frustration at the West End club’s “half-hearted” steps towards admitting women.
In May 2024, two-thirds of members voted to scrap the club’s rule that only men could be admitted.
Classicist Mary Beard, former home secretary Amber Rudd and Labour peer Ayesha Hazarika were among the first nominees.
But none of the seven women nominated as prospective candidates last year, all of whom work in journalism, law or academia, have had their applications approved.
Meanwhile, a cohort of male members are said to have created a WhatsApp group named “Status Quo”, where they continue to protest against the admission of women.
One female applicant said: “We’re all being made to feel we need to beg to join; most of us don’t give a toss whether we join or not and think they should be making every effort to persuade us.
“It’s frankly ridiculous and embarrassing. What are they scared of?”
Another prospective candidate called it a “dead man’s shoes” process, whereby they must wait years for older members to pass away before being considered.
MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore and former cabinet secretary Sir Simon Case resigned after the club's secretive membership list was made public.
The Standard has approached Ms Etchingham and the Garrick Club for comment.
