I missed out on top job after I got pregnant, says TV boss

Samantha Rowden was paid £83,500-a-year as head of acquisitions for Sky One, Two and Three, a role that was to be merged with another.

She did not get the new position but was instead offered an alternative role with fewer duties, she told a tribunal, and was later fired.

Mrs Rowden had made her name by negotiating multi-million pound contracts for shows such as The Simpsons, Nip/Tuck and 24.

But she said she was effectively shunted aside in favour of a colleague who had been nicknamed Smithers after the servile assistant in The Simpsons.

David Smyth had joined the company from an adult channel and, according to 34-year-old Mrs Rowden, was shy and unsure of himself while she had been hailed as "a rising star" in a staff appraisal.

In June last year, 12 months after he arrived as head of light entertainment, it was announced that their roles were to be amalgamated into one, she told the hearing.

The unsuccessful applicant would be offered another job elsewhere in the organisation.

Five days before her interview with director of programmes, Richard Woolfe, she had informed human resources that she was expecting a baby with her husband, Jason.

Concerned how it may impact on her duties if she were to be offered the new job, she sought reassurance from Mr Woolfe.

"It seemed he could not be bothered to answer the question because it was not in his plan," she told the hearing in Croydon.

Two hours after her 45-minute interview Mrs Rowden was told she had not been successful. She claims she was instead told she could take on a role with fewer duties because of her pregnancy.

"I was really insulted," she said. "I thought it was outrageous."

A month after the interview she was fired after no role of equal or higher pay had been found for her.

Mrs Rowden told the hearing she joined the satellite TV company in 1998 and had risen swiftly through the ranks to become their top programme buyer.

Her appraisal in 2005 read: "She is definitely one of our rising stars."

But soon after Mr Woolfe arrived early last year it was clear that he and Mr Smyth had formed a close working relationship, she claimed.

"They became firm friends and people started to refer to Mr Smyth as Smithers," she told the hearing. "They chatted a lot about general media gossip and I felt excluded.

"Mr Smyth hung on Mr Woolfe's every word. Other colleagues made specific comments about his personality transformation."

Within weeks of his arrival Mr Woolfe conducted her appraisal. She was left feeling "deflated" by his comments while Mr Smyth had been told that he was "a great asset" to the Sky One team.

Mrs Rowden added: "I have no doubt Mr Woolfe had earmarked Mr Smyth for the new head role.

"I was stunned that while Mr Woolfe thought it was too early to comment on my performance, he gave a glowing reference to Mr Smyth."

Mrs Rowden claims she was unfairly dismissed and discriminated against on the grounds of sex and flexible working legislation.

She is also disputing the payment of a bonus. The tribunal continues.