Former BBC China editor Carrie Gracie says her fight for equal pay was 'worse than breast cancer'

She also says row scuppers her chances of landing a 'big flagship programme'

The former BBC China editor Carrie Gracie has described her fight for equal pay as “worse than breast cancer” – and believes she will never be given a major presenting job at the corporation again.

The journalist resigned from her role in January in protest at inequalities at the BBC, accusing the corporation of having a “secretive and illegal pay culture”.

Last month the broadcaster apologised for underpaying Gracie and reached an agreement over her back pay.

She will donate the funds to gender equality charity The Fawcett Society.

In an interview with the New Yorker magazine, Ms Gracie, who was treated for cancer in 2011, said her battle for equality was “definitely worse than breast cancer”.

“The stress comes from all the judgment calls along the way,” she added.

Ms Gracie also said she accepted that standing up for herself would impact on her future career at the BBC.

“I will not ever get a big flagship programme now,” she said. “You can’t be seen to be rewarded for the trouble you’ve caused.”

Earlier this year Ms Gracie, who is still employed by the BBC, told MPs that the corporation treated women who spoke out about pay disparity as “the enemy”.

Since then, dozens of the BBC’s staff have been sharing their salaries on secure spreadsheets to ensure colleagues are not underpaid.

Lucy Bailey, a producer on Newshour, told the New Yorker that the process was helping to “empower” staff.

PA