Fiona Bruce too sexy, say viewers

When Fiona Bruce (pictured) joined the team that presents the BBC's long-running Antiques Roadshow, it was expected she would breathe fresh air into a much-loved if fusty old stalwart of the corporation's schedules. However, dedicated Roadshow followers claim she has "dumbed down" the programme and introduced an unwanted element of sexiness. On the BBC website, dozens of disgruntled viewers say her coquettish manner is a far cry from the avuncular presentation styles of Michael Aspel and, before him, Hugh Scully.

The 43-year-old newsreader replaced Aspel last month and many viewers are calling for his return, while others have suggested Moira Stuart, who left the corporation in a row over ageism, as a more suitable presenter. Says one complainant: "I started watching Antiques Roadshow only to realise that it has become the Fiona Bruce Show. In the past, the antiques and the members of the public were the story - now it's all about her. Get her off before she ruins it. It's yet another example of what the BBC does all the time - making the presenter more important than the programme."

Says another: "How irritating is Fiona Bruce? She appears to have little or no knowledge about any antiques, and treats it all as a great joke. The Antiques Roadshow is fast losing its credibility while this giggly, gauche female is appearing on it."

Bruce's relative youth - Aspel was 74 when he left the programme after a seven-year stint - is being blamed for her perceived lack of gravitas. However, the complaints are not borne out by the viewing figures. Ratings have risen steadily since Bruce took the helm. The programme is averaging 6.5 million viewers per episode, compared with 5.9 million for the last series.