Selina Scott is suing Channel Five for ageism after accusing the broadcaster of backing out of a presenting deal because she is too old.

The 57-year-old had been approached to fill in for 35-year-old newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, who is on maternity leave.

It has been claimed that the offer, reported to be worth up to £200,000, was cancelled when a new head of programmes arrived at the network and wanted a younger face to front its flagship bulletins.

Ditched: Selina Scott is taking Channel Five to an employment tribunal and claiming age discrimination

Although there had been initial discussion, Miss Scott was then not offered a final contract and Five opted instead to use Isla Traquair, 28, and Matt Barbet, 32.

The pair, who were already correspondents for Five's news programmes, took over the main presenting roles for the 5pm and 7pm weekday bulletins on August 22 after Miss Kaplinsky went on maternity leave. 

Miss Kaplinksy, whose baby is due this month, was pictured out and about in Lewes, East Sussex, at the weekend.

Miss Scott, who became a household name fronting News At Ten at the age of 29 in 1980, is taking Channel Five to an employment tribunal, claiming ageism.

Isla Traquair, 28, and Matt Barbet, 32, are now presenting Five's flagship daily news programmes

If she wins, legal experts say she could receive in excess of £500,000 in compensation for injury to her feelings, loss of earnings and loss of earnings that she might have received through her raised profile.

However, insiders at Channel Five are adamant that only an initial approach had been made and that a number of people were in the frame to cover Miss Kaplinsky's role.

Years of experience: Scott found fame on News at Ten

They said that in the end the decision was taken to promote internally in order to ensure there was continuity and to build up Five's own talent.

Natasha Kaplinsky on Saturday

It is understood that the decision was made by Five's director of programmes Ben Gale, who started in April.

Mr Gale and Channel Five are named as defendants in the case, which is listed at the London Employment Tribunal.

Although Miss Scott was never offered a contract, leading employment lawyers say she still has a case if she can prove that the reason for her failure to get one was ageism.

James Knight, managing partner at Keystone Law, said: 'If somebody is not selected for the role, or even an interview, and can show they were discriminated over because of their age then there is a case to answer.'

Channel Five said it did not accept the claim and would be 'vigorously defending' it.

Miss Scott has been vociferous in her criticism of broadcasters' attitudes to women in their late forties and fifties. She publicly attacked the BBC this year after it dropped veteran newsreader Moira Stuart.

And more recently she said: 'Since October, new agediscrimination laws have been in place. How long will it take for television to wise up and ask itself why older women are strictly off-limits on our screens?'

Miss Scott and her agent were unavailable for comment last night.