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Ross quits BBC's Crimewatch in row over ageism
Updated 11:53am on 20 Jun 2007Nick Ross has resigned from Crimewatch after 23 years in a bitter row over ageism at the BBC.
The 59-year-old yesterday fired off a lengthy criticism of the Corporation's 'patronising' obsession with younger presenters.
He warned that a procession of broadcasters 'in their 50s and 60s' could soon be following him out. Scroll down for more...
Veteran: Nick Ross has presented Crimewatch for 23 years
Ross's shock resignation comes only three months after veteran newsreader Moira Stuart was stopped from presenting bulletins amid claims of ageism.
The Daily Mail has learned that the anchor man, a fixture of Crimewatch since it began in 1984, had also been in a growing dispute with bosses over 'dumbing down' and the glamorisation of crime.
Ross, whose 'don't have nightmares' catchphrase made him a household name,
said last night that he had been startled to hear rumours of a 'major review' of the programme three weeks ago. At a subsequent meeting, BBC1 controller Peter Fincham raised the issue of the audience's 'ageing profile'.
Ross, whose co-presenter Jill Dando was murdered in 1999, said: "The fact I hadn't even been part of the decision to have this review meant I was clearly on the outside of the programme I'd always been on the inside of.
"I didn't want to be an appendage to Crimewatch.
"As soon as it was clear I might be a problem rather than part of the solution, I didn't want to stay.
"I don't know if age was a factor. If it was, it's daft."
He went on: "I'm not critical of fundamental reviews but are they right in principle to say 'We want to get some younger people in'? It really depends.
"It's patronising in the extreme to say young people only watch programmes presented by young people.
"I really don't think an 18-year-old looks at the programme and says 'Bloody hell, that presenter's in his late 50s'. They think 'They're good' or 'They're not'.
"My guess would be that if all this dies down then we will see more people at the BBC in their 50s and 60s going as well."
On the sidelining of Moira Stuart, Ross said: "I thought that was sad. If research shows you're no longer doing the job for the audience they're damn right to make changes.
"But in my case I honestly don't think they've got that far."
Ross, 60 in August, added: "It is true terrestrial television has not been attracting - hateful term - 'tweenies', people in their teens and twenties, but Crimewatch has been doing relatively well.
"I'm amazed that when I asked if they have any research showing I'm dragging the programme down, they said 'No'.
"I shall watch with interest to see how they will do better over the next two decades than we have in the past."
Ross, who declined BBC offers of alternative work, said he was approached by two rival broadcasters within hours of his resignation leaking yesterday.
He will present Crimewatch for the final time on July 2.
Ross added: "On the upside of this, there might now come a time when people who see me shopping stop saying 'Don't have nightmares'. It happens about five or six times a day."
The Mail revealed last month that viewers had been complaining that Crimewatch reconstructions were increasingly sensationalist.
"Yesterday, a senior source at the programme, which attracts upm to five million viewers, said tension had been rising since staff from consumer affairs show Watchdog were brought in.
"Ever since Crimewatch started there was very much a family feel to the team," he said.
"But over the last year or two a group of people who have mostly come from Watchdog have brought tensions. Nick's been given the sense he's too conservative.
"He didn't like it when they started putting heavy drum music over murder reconstructions, and started talking about how many crimes people had got away with.
"Nick thought it suggested to young people, 'You might as well go out robbing, it's so easy to get away with'."
Sue Cook, who presented Crimewatch with Ross for the first 11 years, said she was stunned to hear of his resignation.
She added: "Speaking as a presenter, if they want to give Crimewatch a new look that would worry me.
"They need to keep it on the right side of violence and not ignite copycat crime while keeping the programme's integrity.
"There's been criticism of it being too violent and that would worry me. I would be surprised if Nick wasn't worried about that."
A spokesman for the BBC last night denied Ross had been forced out to make way for a younger presenter.
She said his contract was due to expire next month and he had been asked to carry on until Christmas but declined.
The spokesman added: "We haven't said we're getting younger people in - that's jumping to conclusions."
Presenter who has turned us into a nation of sleuths
When Nick Ross signed off the first edition of Crimewatch in 1984 with the line, "Don't have nightmares, do sleep well," he never expected that his ad lib would become a national catchphrase - or that the programme would still be going 23 years later, with him still at the helm.
Although he was already a successful broadcaster when the series began, presenting a whole range of current affairs programmes, Crimewatch was the show that made him a household name.
It was not only hugely popular with audiences but with the police as well, who saw it as an invaluable resource for helping solve their most difficult cases.
Over the years it has helped close the book on about one in six of the cases it has presented - among them the Lin and Megan Russell murders and the James Bulger killing.
Its most dramatic success came in the kidnap of Birmingham estate agent Stephanie Slater.
Within moments of the reconstruction on Crimewatch the ex-wife of kidnapper Michael Sams recognised him and rang up police to identify him. He was jailed for life - not just for the kidnap but also for the murder of Leeds teenager Julie Dart.
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Murdered: Nick Ross' co-presenter Jill Dando was killed in 2001. Barry George is serving a life sentence for the murder
He was convicted of her murder at the Old Bailey in July 2001. George appealed unsuccessfully, but has since launched a second application which is being considered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
After Dando's death Ross proposed launching an academic institute in her name, and together with her fiance Alan Farthing raised £1.5 million. The Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science was founded in 2001 - on the second anniversary of her death - at University College, London.
Despite his association with crime prevention, Ross has presented a wide range of programmes both before and since Crimewatch.
After joining the BBC he started reporting from Northern Ireland in 1971 before moving to London as a reporter for the Today and World at One programmes on Radio 4.
From there his career took off, and in 1984 he was chosen to launch the BBC's Breakfast Time with co-hosts Frank Bough and Selina Scott.
Then, in the early Eighties, an idea started floating around the broadcasting industry for a crime-fighting programme in which viewers could participate.
Many thought it would not work, and many senior police officers were sceptical. When the pilot programme aired, only three chief constables would let their officers take part.
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Colleagues: Nick Ross on BBC Breakfast Time with Selina Scott and Frank Bough
But despite such tentative beginnings, the programme was a huge success, and by its third edition it had helped solve its first murder.
Although the police often brought the programme their most intractable cases Crimewatch - co-presented in the early days by Sue Cook - still managed to achieve results.
It helped trace paedophile labourer Glyn Kenyon, who subjected two schoolgirls to years of horrific abuse, and identified M25 serial rapist Antoni Imiela, who raped seven women and girls as young as 10.
On the first anniversary of the Russell murders an E-fit of the killer was shown on Crimewatch. It was seen by Stone's psychiatrist, Dr Philip Sugarman, who telephoned the police. Stone's arrest followed on 17 July 1997, a week after the Crimewatch screening.
After Dando's killing Ross presented the programme by himself for eight months before being joined by Fiona Bruce.
Reader views (24)
Crimewatch without Nick Ross......................never. I hang on every intelligent clear word he speaks. It's not broke so please don't fix. Even if it is broke i suggest that you leave Nick to fix it. Crimewatch plays an important part in television today, and the people who pay or don't watch it are most probally the ones we need to catch. Leave Nick where he is even if it means the BBC need to eat a bucket load of humble pie!!!!!!!
- Jenny, East Ham-London, 04/09/2009 00:19
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I would just like to mention that Nick Ross has been on TV for 23 years... 23 years ago he was a young man taking over programmes from other older people...lets try and keep it all in perspective please
I read yesterday that a young female presnter was taking over Fern Britons job on Goood Morning TV... one story reported that fern and phillip schofield had fallen out over the fact that phillip was earning more money....Aparrently the new young presenter will be on half Fern Britons salary....Watch out Phil is all i can say...I wonder if he will pull the ageism card when he gets the chop...I dont know what Nick Ross was earning but I can tell you this there is a huge number of professional young presenters who given the opportunity to present programmes like crimewatch would do an excellent job and on half the salary...and as we the public pay the bill in our tv licence fee I say lets see what the younger people have to offer ...I AM 51 AND I AM NOT AGEIST AGAINST YOUNG PEOPLE
- Mark, gloucester, 17/07/2009 08:35
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Nick Ross, was of the highest calibre. He was very professional and his manner was truly inspirational.Without a doubt, Crimewatch will be no longer.
I am twenty years younger than Mr Ross and I never once considered him an ageing presenter. The BBC need to eat a little slice of humble pie!
- Johnny Bertol, Lancashire, 20/08/2007 22:59
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The BBC lost its way many years ago. I've never even THOUGHT about how old Nick Ross might be, I've enjoyed his presentation and thought-provoking comments. Oh well, yet another reason to switch to another channel. There's so little worthwhile programming left on the Beeb as it is.
- Marianne, SW France, 20/08/2007 21:59
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Without Nick to tell the nation not to have nightmares, we may now start to see the nightmares creeping back and disrupting our sleep. Many of these nightmares may be about ageism at work. What a nightmare!
- John Evans, London, U.K., 20/08/2007 21:59
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Nick Ross is extremely professional. His approach is caring and his presentation skillful. The BBC is disregarding the current viewers with whom Nick Ross is very popular.
- Liz Rhodes, Ruislip, England, 20/08/2007 21:59
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Another 'If it is not broke, we will still fix it'. This is not going to raise the viewing figures.
- Pam, Worthing, 20/08/2007 21:59
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I'm in recruitment and I thought I saw a lot of ageism there...this takes the cake. It makes me sick.
- Dani, London, 20/08/2007 21:59
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What a shame, Nick Ross is Crimewatch. If its not broken don't try and fix it!
- Lee Melville, London, 20/08/2007 21:59
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I quite liked him actually. However, I think a good replacement would be Nicky Campbell. He's great on BBC 5 Live.
I suspect millions of women of a certain age will miss him though.
- Paul Jardine, Bromley, 20/08/2007 21:59
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Frankly when I read he was going I didn't even have to read why. It happens to us all once we reach 50ish in fact its amazing he made it to 59. There is nothing like experience so we will miss him. In any case I think there has been too much re-enactments lately. It should be more straightforward and serious. I don't watch it much now as I find it a bit sensationalist he is well out of it and I do wish him well.
- Allie, Enfield, UK, 20/08/2007 21:59
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I agree with Pam, also from Worthing. Why does the BBC see that they should need to compete with ITV and satellite broadcasters. Its funded by the licence payer! But thats another discusion. Nick Ross is a real professional and will be missed. I hope to see him again soon on the Beeb.
- Chris, Worthing. West Sussex, 20/08/2007 21:59
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So Nick is being replaced in order to make the programme appeal more to younger viewers? And what age group watches most television and is likely to be a faithful viewer of Crimewatch? Dare I say it, but it is not the younger age group... enough of the Youthism BBC - lets have more mature presenters!
- John Green, Sheffield, UK, 20/08/2007 21:59
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Another example of the BBC not giving a damn as to what people really want and just making assumptions on our behalf that we want younger presenters. Nick is a CW legend and cannot be replaced so if he has to go then Fiona should continue alone. A sense of reality will be lost if they inflict a much younger presenter on us and the programme will lose credibility. This could be the beginning of the end of Crimewatch's long stint.
- Mib, Bedford, 20/08/2007 21:59
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He is the consumate professional. An enormous loss to the BBC and the viewing public. Crimewatch will not be the same, and without him, I for one, will no longer be watching.
Don't have nightmares.... The BBC powers that be, have just given me one !
- Larry Viner, London, 20/08/2007 21:59
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I thought there was a law against ageism, but then the BBC is a law unto itself isn't it?
- Judith Chisholm, London, England, 20/08/2007 21:59
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Actually, I'm bored with the dumbing down and yoof-ing of the BBC that's why I don't watch much anymore!
I'm also bored with them publicising their own docu-soap-mentaries in the middle of their news programmes!
- Mark, Leyton, 20/08/2007 21:59
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I think the BBC are making a mistake in letting Nick Ross go. They will lose a lot of viewers if they continue to bring in what they perceive to be young trendy presenters to the detriment of real talent and experience. Get it into your heads BBC - it's not the young people who pay for TV licences!
- Rufus, Hampstead, 20/08/2007 21:59
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The programme and it's presenters are there to help the police catch the criminals. Nick Ross was doing a fine job. He looks good, you understand every word he says. The programme is not fictional. One must not over glamorise it. By that I mean having too young a person looking like one of these soap stars. As it's our money that's paying for all the programmes, shouldn’t we have some kind of vote on it?
- Natalie Laden, Chesterfield, 20/08/2007 21:59
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Crimewatch is a factual programme that needs to be taken seriously, it is not the right platform for youthful, glamorous, non-coherent wan-abe's. Good job Jonathan Ross is on the wong side of 45 to get the job! If it ain't broke don't fix it, the BBC has got enough to worry about without looking for more work.
- Mark, Gwent, 20/08/2007 21:59
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He very good presenter.
- Darwati Simonds, Birmingham, 20/08/2007 21:59
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Young presenters usually lack gravitas. Crimewatch is not a youth culture programme. Authority and sensitivity are pivotal personal qualities when presenting this genre of broadcasting.
- William Grierson, Kimpton, UK, 20/08/2007 21:59
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It will be good to see some new faces on television. Nick Ross has been with the BBC for some time and while I don't think he's too old for TV I do think it's time for a change on Crimewatch. I'm sure his experience could be used on other shows though.
- Lizzie, Barking, 20/08/2007 21:59
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You can't possibly have Crimewatch without Nick Ross, BBC have made a lot of mistakes over the years but boy have they got it wrong big time. Lets get him back folks!
- Jo Tarpley, Northampton, England, 20/08/2007 21:59
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