ITV rejected me for live national service debate because I'm a girl, says Cambridge Union president

Joanna Mobed asked to take part in debate on ITV's Alan Titchmarsh Show



Linguistics student dropped when researchers realised she was a woman

Joanna, 20, told discussion was about 'reinstating national service for men'

Cambridge Union president instead asked if she knew any male debaters



Snubbed: Joanna Mobed was stunned when researchers from ITV's Alan Titchmarsh Show changed their minds her taking part in a debate because she was a woman

As the president of the Cambridge Union, Joanna Mobed is one of the best young debaters in the country.

So the 20-year-old felt more than capable of taking part in a current affairs discussion when a TV show contacted her.

But she was left stunned when researchers from ITV’s Alan Titchmarsh Show had a change of heart – because she was a girl.

They explained that since the debate was about national service, they wanted two men to take part and asked her if she knew any male debaters instead.

Yesterday, Miss Mobed, a linguistics finalist at Murray Edwards College, said she was upset by the treatment.

‘Being a woman should not disqualify me from speaking on that motion,’ she said. ‘I was disappointed by the decision to take the programme in this direction.’

But last night ITV defended its decision, saying male debaters were needed because the discussion had been about ‘reinstating national service for men’.

However, the Bill before Parliament regarding national service also applies to women.

Producers of the daytime programme on ITV had wanted to pit the presidents of the Oxford Union and Cambridge Union against each other in a segment called the ‘Daily Ding Dong

’.

After Miss Mobed – who is expected to get a first when she graduates next year – agreed to take part in the feature, she received an email telling her she was no longer needed.

The male researcher wrote: ‘This afternoon I thought I had finally got everything sorted and would be able to come back to you with the debate motion and all the details.

‘However, my executive producer has decided she wants the debate to be a specific way so all my plans have got [sic] out of the window. She would like two men to debate the motion, “This house would reinstate national service” so would it be possible for you to find me a guy who would be willing to take part? It would also be best if he was British.

‘If you could let me know as soon as you can if this would be OK and the details of who you would like to put forward.’

Miss Mobed, who has also represented the university in cross-country running and completed several summer internships in banking and finance, was upset by the email.

‘I was also a bit surprised by the request for a British speaker,’ she told student newspaper The Tab.

Change of plan: Producers of the Alan Titchmarsh Show had had wanted to pit the presidents of the Oxford Union and Cambridge Union against each other, but when Miss Mobed agreed to take part she was told she was no longer needed

No girls allowed: ITV has defended its decision, saying male debaters were needed because the discussion had been about 'reinstating national service for men'

‘When debating, what matters is a person’s ability to think through and understand the issues involved.

‘Gender and nationality should not be a consideration in this matter.’

Conservative MP Philip Hollobone has proposed legislation that would make it mandatory for anyone aged 18-26 –regardless of sex – to spend a year doing charity work, caring for the elderly or serving in the armed forces. According to the Bill which is currently under consideration by Parliament, participants would be paid the minimum wage and would be required to live away from home, although accommodation and food would be paid for.

Academic: Miss Mobed is expected to get a first when she graduates in linguistics from Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge

The Alan Titchmarsh Show is made for ITV by production company Spun Gold. Last night an ITV spokesman said: ‘As a TV programme we cast contributors in accordance with the subject matter.

‘For this particular item we wanted to debate the motion of reinstating national service for men and so we were looking to cast two men who would explore both sides of the argument.’