TV HOST Kaye Adams was axed from the Beeb in an “ageist, sexist stitch-up”, a pal has told The Sun.
She was let go after a probe found her guilty of three misconduct claims, including swearing at a colleague, throwing a pen and berating an intern.
Kaye, 63, will be replaced in her £155,000-a-year BBC Scotland radio job by Grant Stott, 58, with stand-in host Connie McLaughlin continuing in the role for the immediate future.
A source close to the ITV Loose Women regular said she leaves “with her head held high and conscience clear”.
They added: “It feels like a stitch-up. Her ratings are really good — the highest on BBC Scotland.
“She’s worked there for 15 years without issue, and at ITV without complaints since 1999. Are we to believe she has suddenly become a different person? She’s freelance, so they could have just said, ‘This isn’t working out’.
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“It doesn’t make sense, unless the BBC just wanted her out and didn’t want to be accused of ageism and sexism as it has been in the past.”
In one incident, 14 years ago, Kaye is claimed to have used the C-word.
Our source added: “In a court of law, there would have to be solid evidence and you’d get a fair trial.
“But in the world of corporate HR, they can just use hearsay and decide that you’re guilty to suit their needs.
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“The C-word allegation, which she categorically denies saying, relates to a heated exchange 14 years ago, dealt with at the time, so why dig it up again?
“As for the allegation that she threw a pen at someone — she sits in the radio booth, an empty room, on her own.
“The news jingle crashed into a sensitive conversation with a caller, and she allegedly threw it in frustration.
“Even if she did, it was thrown in an empty room because the production team were next door and behind glass.
“Is the BBC seriously suggesting a couple of frustrated exchanges is worth someone losing their job? If so, the newsrooms would be empty.”
Mother of two Kaye worked at BBC Scotland for 15 years until she was suspended in October last year.
She has been on ITV’s Loose Women panel on and off since 1999.
The source added: “Dozens of people who have worked with Kaye over the years wrote to the BBC in support of her because they feel it has got this wrong, but this seems to have been disregarded and clearly didn’t make any difference to the outcome.
“They said it’s an independent investigation but it’s conducted by people who work for the BBC and then overseen by someone that works for the BBC.
“It seems that little or no consideration has been given to the fact that, over the past three years, she repeatedly raised concerns with management about feeling unsupported whilst doing the high pressured, live broadcast because the team were so inexperienced.
“Nothing was ever done yet the managers she raised it with remain in their jobs.”
The investigation into Kaye’s conduct comes in the same year complaints about BBC Breakfast editor Richard Frediani.
The exec was cleared to return to work last year.
