Manager defends 'loved' Smillie

Smillie: Now best known for Changing Rooms

TV presenter Carol Smillie's personal manager has defended his client after Lord Taylor of Warwick said she was "a monster" created by the BBC.

Dave Warwick said Smillie's regular television appearances were the result of hard work and broad audience appeal.

"Does one now get savagely attacked for working hard and being successful?" asked Mr Warwick.

Carol is loved by the general public, they trust her as a presenter and as a real person they can relate to

Dave Warwick

"The BBC have not created a monster in Carol, they have just recognised her talent.

"Carol is loved by the general public, they trust her as a presenter and as a real person they can relate to."

Lord Taylor made his remarks in an interview with the Birmingham Sunday Mercury Post newspaper.

He defended his remarks on Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday.

'Dollybird'

The Conservative peer, who has applied for the post of BBC chairman, criticised the BBC's "boring and bland" shows.

He then launched an attack on the corporation, accusing it of creating "clone-like" female presenters.

Lord Taylor: Applying to be BBC Chairman

He criticised the BBC for what he considered to be a trend towards US-style celebrity-driven television with presenters like Smillie saturating the airwaves.

Lord Taylor said his comments were not a personal attack on Smillie but added, when speaking on the Today programme: "The BBC creates these monsters, in inverted commas, and she is everywhere."

"What I think it means is that somebody who may not be particularly good-looking, middle-aged, a woman, may not get a chance because they may think hold on, she's not a dollybird," he said.

Smillie, 39, is currently best known as the host of BBC One's popular DIY makeover show Changing Rooms

She has also presented The National Lottery Show and Holiday, since first breaking into TV on the ITV game show Wheel of Fortune

Lord Taylor joins Labour peer Baroness Jay and David Dimbleby as those who have applied for the £77,950-a-year part-time job as BBC chairman.

It will become vacant in September when Sir Christopher Bland leaves to become full-time chairman of BT.