It is one of the most politically correct shows on radio.

But now Woman's Hour has been hauled over the coals for being too PC – by showing bias in favour of a woman who accused a Donald Trump - supporting judge of sex assault.

The BBC has forced staff members behind the Radio 4 show to take 'impartiality' training after presenter Jane Garvey broke rules in a programme about US judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Jane Garvey (right) and Jenni Murray present Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4. The BBC forced staff members to take 'impartiality' training after show on US judge Brett Kavanaugh

Miss Garvey, who has led protests over the BBC's gender pay gap, was ticked off by bosses after she gave 'the impression of sympathising' with a guest who believed Mr Kavanaugh, 54, was guilty of sexual assault.

Last year he was accused of sexual misconduct by a number of women, including psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford, 52, who said he groped her at a party when she was a teenager.

She tearfully testified against him before he was confirmed as a member of America's Supreme Court, but Mr Kavanaugh made emotional denials.

Garvey's £30,000 pay rise Jane Garvey has admitted she was afraid to fight the BBC in an equal pay case – but told how bosses handed her a £30,000 pay rise anyway. The Woman's Hour host claimed the BBC makes things 'difficult' for women who try and pursue a legal complaint and she 'lacked the courage' to do so. She told an event hosted by industry campaign group The Radio Academy: 'Frankly I lacked the courage to fight an equal pay claim, because it just seemed like too much work.' In an indictment of the BBC's attempts to deal with the problem, she told corporation radio chief Bob Shennan it was difficult for women to fight equal pay claims. Miss Garvey questioned what she had done to deserve the £30,000 pay rise she was handed in 2017. Advertisement

In a Woman's Hour programme before the Supreme Court confirmation, Miss Garvey, 54, said it was 'horrifying' that some people interpreted his response as 'entirely right'.

She insisted: 'What is horrifying – well, I suppose if you are a feminist it's horrifying – is the way that Kavanaugh's indignation, his outrage, his frankly peculiar almost hysterical demeanour... has been interpreted by some as entirely right. Exactly how a man would react in those circumstances.'

The presenter, who is paid around £160,000 a year, agreed with a guest, law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, who drew parallels between the Kavanaugh case and allegations of sexual assault by judge Clarence Thomas before he was appointed to the Supreme Court in the 1990s.

Accused: Last year Mr Kavanaugh was accused of sexual misconduct by psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford, 52, who said he groped her at a party when she was a teenager

Miss Crenshaw argued that both men tried to convince people to ignore 'these women and the facts' as part of a smear campaign driven by other issues.

Miss Garvey agreed with her, saying, 'Same thing, yes'. Woman's Hour was accused of pushing the parallels too far.

A listener complained to the BBC that the Thomas case was 'immaterial and prejudicial' to the Kavanaugh hearings.

Case that split America Sex assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh polarised opinion in the US last year. Professor Christine Blasey Ford told a Senate hearing he attacked her when she was 15 and he was 17. Many were convinced by her tearful account, but others were swayed by Mr Kavanaugh's furious denials. President Donald Trump, who supported Mr Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, claimed he was the victim of a 'hoax'. He said: 'It was all made up, it was fabricated and it's a disgrace. He's a great person.' A second woman claimed Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when they were students. However, a brief FBI investigation failed to support the women's claims. Advertisement

They claimed it was biased of the BBC to invite Miss Crenshaw on the programme and Miss Garvey had broken the rules by expressing 'her own views on a controversial topic'.

The BBC rejected some allegations, but it accepted Miss Garvey had not been impartial.

The broadcaster said in its judgment: 'The presenter gave the impression of sympathising with that viewpoint and did not challenge the interviewee in a manner which would have ensured due impartiality.'

Accuser: Christine Blasey Ford, 52, tearfully testified against Mr Kavanaugh before he was confirmed as a member of America's Supreme Court, but Mr Kavanaugh made emotional denials

It added that the programme's editor Karen Dalziel has 'briefed the whole team about the importance of impartiality in their programmes' and put them through extra training.

The BBC stressed: 'The Woman's Hour team (along with other production staff) have attended a BBC radio briefing session on impartiality.'

BBC bosses insisted that all of the Woman's Hour team underwent extra training, including Dame Jenni, 68, who has presented the show since 1987, and editor Miss Dalziel. Miss Garvey declined to comment.

The row comes after the BBC issued Dame Jenni Murray with an impartiality warning in 2017 after she claimed in a newspaper article about transgender issues that a sex change can't make a man a 'real woman'.