“Posh white men” are the default option as television presenters, according to Anita Rani, who says she has been asked to justify working on programmes that are not linked to her Asian heritage.

The Countryfile host said she had tried to follow up her BBC Bollywood documentary with a second film about Hollywood but was asked: “Why you, Anita?”

Rani has become one of the BBC’s most accomplished presenters, seen on TV this week in the BBC One documentary War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita, but said she had faced prejudice in her career.

In a speech to Channel 4’s diversity festival, reported by The Guardian, Rani said: “I feel I have to justify why I should present things more than anyone else because I’m an Asian woman, and on top of that I’m blimmin’ northern.

“I’m expected to explain why I should be presenting something much more than others. You would never think to ask the number of posh white men on TV, ‘Why did you get to present shows about train travel in India?’ or whatever it might be because, you know what, they are the default.

“They don’t need to worry about authenticity or what space they are taking up. I do, all the time.”