Indian-origin presenter back in BBC fold

Indian-origin presenter Hardeep Singh Kohli, who was suspended by BBC in July for allegedly "stepping over the mark" with a female colleague, has been hired by Radio 4, the flagship channel of the public broadcasting service.

Indian-origin presenter Hardeep Singh Kohli, who was suspended by BBC in July for allegedly "stepping over the mark" with a female colleague, has been hired by Radio 4, the flagship channel of the public broadcasting service.

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Kohli, 40, was suspended for six months from the BBC’s 'The One Show', but Radio 4 chose to employ him for a new five-part series titled 'Tea And Biscuits', which is being aired every afternoon this week.

The show, which started on Monday, sees the Glasgow-born Sikh visit people and places where the British tradition of tea and biscuits is strong and his encounters include a blood donation centre, the setting up of an arranged marriage between an Indian bride and groom and a break in a lorry driver's day.

A spokesman for Radio 4 said Kohli's six month absence from The One Show did not affect his work across the rest of the BBC.

He said, "Hardeep has not been banned, he has taken a mutually agreed leave of absence from the One Show. This does not include his work for Radio 4."

In July, Kohli said he had apologised "unreservedly" for his behaviour and said, "Nobody has accused me of sexual harassment. I recognise I over stepped the mark and have apologised unreservedly".