Transgender star India Willoughby has been met with an online backlash after suggesting that women should shave their legs.

The broadcaster, 51, who was born Jonathan, was the first trans woman to become a panelist on BBC Radio 4's all-female talk show Woman's Hour.

She was chatting with host Jenni Murray and fellow guest, Sunday Times editorial director Eleanor Mills about the Dorchester hotel's new policy, which says female employees must shave their legs even when wearing tights, wear discreet make up and never have oily skin.

(Image: ITV)

When asked by Jenni how she would have reacted if she'd been required to shave her legs when living as a man, India said: "What a bizarre question, Jenni. Why would I shave my legs when I was living as a man?"

When Jenni said that that was exactly her point, India added: "I think if you've got a job in a five-star luxury hotel as a female or a man then certain grooming standards are expected, and I think for women the expectation is that you do look clean. Personally, I wouldn't like to be served by someone with hairy legs, grubby nails, dishevelled hair and looking a bit worse for wear. I think it's fair enough."

Eleanor's jaw reportedly "dropped" at India's comments, and she said: "Well it reminds me of that old joke, why do women need to wear perfume and make up? Because they're ugly and they smell. That's certainly what the Dorchester seem to think about their female employees.

"And the idea that it's mandatory to wear a full face of slap and to have a manicure, these people are being paid £9 an hour. What I object to here - I agree that you have to look presentable if you're working in the service industries - but I don't understand why women are held to a higher standard on this than men and I think that's sexiest and wrong."

The host addressed India, saying: "The whole issue of women shaving their legs has been a political hot potato for such a long time that you know, we've always known men don't have to do it, why do we have to do it? Is that something you're not really aware of because you've come to this fairly recently?"

India replied: "Oh Jenni, I'm not really sure what your stance is on trans but it seems quite hostile, quite honestly. I think growing up as a man social expectations are that men don't shave their legs. I mean, earlier discussions here you've talked about how you enjoyed pink and fairy dust when you were a little girl and that's normal for all girls to go through that stage and some, they want to continue that later on in life and that's perfectly fine.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

"I'm not particularly hung up on clothes or make up or anything like that, it's not a fixation for me, it's not a big factor in my life, but I do have expectations on grooming in a particular environment. If I was digging a road or going for a ramble in the Lake District, then yeah I'm going to dress appropriately and whether I shave my legs doesn't really matter or not. If I'm on stage giving a performance or making an announcement or in that type of environment, then I'm going to be groomed.

India underwent full gender reassignment surgery last year and got a job again with ITV Border in Cumbria, where she had once worked as Jonathan.

On Twitter, one listener of the show branded India a 'misogynist'.

The wrote: "Misogyny at its finest from India Willoughby on #womanshour. Because not shaving is unclean."

Another posted: "Unshaven legs does not mean unclean and ungroomed. If the person is wearing tights/trousers, why should it matter? @IndiaWilloughby"

However, some people thought that India was mistreated.

One said: "I think a lot of the questions were disrespectful and very outdated too, but you handled yourself excellently."

Another wrote: "Shocked to hear trans woman India Willoughby's comments dismissed by Jenni Murray with 'you've come to it fairly recently'"