The popular 37-year-old has revealed that BBC bosses told her that her long blonde hair was ‘too present’ during her first appearance on the show, and asked her to cut back on the ‘Hollywood’ nature of her looks.
And despite the star’s country upbringing (she was brought up in the Cotswolds), Ellie said she is often viewed as a ‘blonde, fluffy thing’ because of her good looks.
Ellie, who studied geography at Kings College University, has travelled around the world to front wildlife and nature shows, but says people still judge her at face value.
‘I’ve had people approach me - inside and outside TV - who are surprised I can string a sentence together.’
This isn’t the first time Countryfile have come under fire for their treatment of women. In 2008, Miriam O’Reilly was unceremoniously dropped from the show - she later won a case for age discrimination.
She was replaced by Julia Bradbury, 43, who is ten years younger.