A second Countryfile presenter axed from the BBC1 show was told by a member of the production team that she did not pass the "primetime test" because she "was not young or pretty", a tribunal heard today.

Charlotte Smith was one of four female presenters who were dropped from the rural affairs show when it switched from Sunday mornings to a new Sunday teatime slot last year.

She was giving evidence today at the tribunal in Holborn, central London, hearing an age discrimination complaint from Miriam O'Reilly, another presenter dropped from the show.

Smith, who had presented on the show for a decade, told the tribunal that she had light-heartedly suggested she could fill in on the show when it found itself short of presenters last year.

"I was told by a member of the team that I would not be able to pass the primetime test because I was not young or pretty," said Smith.

The former Countryfile presenter, now 46, was 44 when she was dropped from the show.

Smith said the comment had been made by Sam Bailey, an assistant producer and director on the show.

Asked by lawyer Jason Galbraith-Marten, representing the BBC, if it could have been an "ironic response" to her lighthearted suggestion, Smith said: "It's possible but I honestly don't think that was how it was meant.

"It was obviously discussed a lot by members of the team and it was a reflection of what the BBC more corporately wanted."

Smith said she thought the decision to drop her from the show had come from the then BBC1 controller, Jay Hunt. She was told the news by the BBC's head of rural affairs, Andrew Thorman.

"I asked if it was worth going to see Jay Hunt to plead my case. He said it was not," said Smith. "I got the impression the decision had been taken mainly by Jay Hunt."

She added that there was a general feeling among the Countryfile team that the four female presenters – including O'Reilly (53), Michaela Strachan (42) and Juliet Morris (45) – had been "badly treated".

Smith said she and her fellow presenters had been dropped because corporation bosses "wanted the programme to look and feel younger and they felt they could not do it with us".

Thorman, giving evidence to the tribunal after Smith, said the impetus to drop both her and O'Reilly had come from Hunt.

"It was clear to me that Jay did not think Miriam or Charlotte had the right television profile to go forward. I was quite clear about that," said Thorman. "Jay said Miriam and Charlotte were primarily radio reporters or words to that effect."

Thorman, who said in his witness statement yesterday that he had not specifically discussed O'Reilly with Hunt, clarified today that he had a "one-sentence conversation" with the BBC1 controller about the presenter.

When O'Reilly's representative, Heather Williams QC, suggested such inconsistencies occur when "people are not telling the truth", Thorman replied: "I find that offensive."

When later asked by Williams about the choice of presenters for the new-look Countryfile, Thorman said: "To some extent the appearance of somebody – whether you like it or not – it does play a role ... But not a significant role that rules out other strengths and weaknesses."

The programme is now fronted by former Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker and former Watchdog presenter Julia Bradbury.

Smith added: "I don't feel the new presenters are doing anything that I am not capable of."

The tribunal continues.

• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000.

• If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".