The One Show host Alex Jones has criticised the conduct of men within the media industry, saying that they need to “behave”.
The 48-year-old has had an almost three-decade-long career in TV. During that time she has witnessed a series of controversies, most recently at her current employer, the BBC.
Jones’s One Show co-presenter Jermaine Jenas was axed last year after admitting to sending inappropriate messages to junior staff.
Asked what she would say to men within the industry, Jones told The Times: “You have to behave yourself. Just be a tidy human being. Even if it was OK before, well, it doesn’t mean it’s OK now. It’s inexcusable, so just behave. It’s not hard.”
The presenter admitted that she had experienced her fair share of inappropriate behaviour throughout her career, but it was less apparent to her at the time.
“At the time I didn’t feel uncomfortable,” she said. “But looking back I think, God, that probably wouldn’t happen now. I wouldn’t have spoken up then. It was the way things were. It’s terrible and I’m so glad now that it doesn’t have to be like that. If anything happened now I would speak out. One hundred per cent.”
MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode were recently dropped from the programme after an investigation found Wallace guilty of “inappropriate behaviour”, following a series of complaints by staff. Torode was dismissed following an investigation into the alleged use of racist language.
Speaking about Jenas’s sacking, Jones said: “We weren’t told what was going on. I assumed he was on an extended holiday because he just didn’t come back.
“Allegations were made and the BBC acted swiftly. I thought, hmm, I really like the young people who work with us. I’ve been there myself, starting out in TV, and if anybody, at any time, feels uncomfortable for whatever reason, it’s right that action is taken.
“There are a lot of young people working on the show, girls and boys who are just starting out. And if I don’t speak up if something’s wrong, well, they don’t feel that they can. We were lucky because they did. But some people don’t feel that they can, even now.”
She added that she didn’t know who had complained at the time of the allegations.
“I didn’t at the time, but I know now,” she added. “Nobody’s bigger than the show, and whether it’s a presenter or one of the producers or a runner, it doesn’t matter. If someone’s not 100 per cent happy, they need to speak up, and I’m glad they were able to.”
