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Joan Bakewell, 91, reveals she regrets being known as 'the thinking man's crumpet' after creating a 'frivolous' stereotype as a 60s sex symbol

Veteran broadcaster Joan Bakewell has said she regrets becoming known as 'the thinking man's crumpet', as her image created a stereotype about a 'frivolous girl with short skirts'.

One of relatively few prominent female TV presenters in the sixties, she appeared on air in fashionable clothing, like chic dresses and miniskirts, becoming a sex symbol during the decade. But in a speech about her career in broadcasting Dame Joan, 91, said she was not comfortable at having being judged on her appearance, saying it made her feel that the things she cared about did not matter to people. Joan Bakewell has said she regrets becoming known as 'the thinking man's crumpet', as her image created a stereotype about a 'frivolous girl with short skirts' (pictured with Stephen Mangan in April)

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