LONDON — For the past several days, BBC managers and executives have trooped to a small hearing roo m in central London to defend the broadcaster’s decision to pay a woman a fraction of what it paid a man for what she argues is similar work.

The testimony, which concluded Thursday, has been long and drawn out, comparing in colorless detail the company’s appraisal of a well-known female TV host’s work and a well-known male TV host’s work. The BBC’s position: Her work and her profile were not equal to her male colleague’s.

It is just the latest episode in a two-year drama that has put the BBC on the ropes because of criticism of its pay practices.

The BBC is being sued for back pay by Samira Ahmed, who argues that she was underpaid for years hosting a program called “Newswatch.” Ms. Ahmed was paid 440 pounds an episode in 2012 when she started presenting the weekly program , which discusses audience responses to BBC news coverage.