UK presenter Helen Skelton says she was groped on live TV

Helen Skelton says the man was disciplined after the incident on live TV. Photo / Getty Images

UK TV presenter Helen Skelton claims she was groped on live TV by a man she was interviewing while she was pregnant.

Skelton, who stars in BBC1's Countryfile and fronts the BBC's swimming coverage, said the incident happened during a sporting event in 2014.

The 34-year-old mother-of-two said she felt "really awkward" but was too intimidated to complain.

She told the Telegraph: "Basically, this guy grabbed me on the a*** when I was presenting live telly. I felt really awkward about it. I was pregnant at the time as well.

"I didn't really know what to do. It's intimidating and you don't want to be the person who is being difficult and awkward. That's just the culture that television breeds.

"No one wants to be difficult. You want to bring solutions, not problems. We are all Happy, happy…"

Skelton, who is married to professional rugby player Richie Myler, did not go into further detail about the incident or what programme she was presenting.

But she did reveal her fellow presenter Colin Murray reacted furiously and the man was disciplined.

She said she was happy with how it was handled and there was a line drawn under the incident.

She told the newspaper she was speaking out to alert people to the problems some women find in speaking up about situations at work through embarrassment.

However she also said she felt the #MeToo movement needs "a bit of perspective", adding "we are getting too wound up about it all, and losing the ability to actually change things".

Skelton's CV includes stints on Newsround and Blue Peter and she was part of the BBC's 2016 Olympic Games coverage.

During the interview with the Telegraph, she also touched upon the corporation's gender pay gap.

She said the entertainment industry was "unfair" but if she did not sign her contract, there would be others queuing up behind her who would.

Earlier this month Skelton was axed from the BBC's Commonwealth Games coverage allegedly over her "revealing" dresses.

The games are scheduled to take place next month.