Samantha Brick in another 'ugly' row

Samantha Brick, who claimed "women hate me for being beautiful", has risked further vitriol by saying BBC presenter Mary Beard "is too ugly for TV".

Ms Brick, a 41-year-old journalist, provoked anger among women and disbelief among men with an article entitled "there are downsides to looking this pretty".

However, the furore appears not have dented her appetite for controversy as she has now waded into the row between Beard and the TV critic A.A. Gill.

Writing in the Daily Mail, she said: "When the acid-tongued TV critic A.A. Gill wrote a highly uncomplimentary review recently suggesting TV presenter Mary Beard should be kept away from the cameras because of the way she looks, I can't say I was entirely surprised.

"While there is no denying that Ms Beard is a supremely intelligent and fiercely ambitious woman, there is absolutely no chance of her becoming a successful broadcaster in prime-time slots on flagship TV channels. The plain truth is that Ms Beard is too ugly for TV."

She went on to add: "The greatest tragedy isn't Ms Beard's wild hair, ungainly posture or make-up free face: it's the fact that the BBC didn't offer her guidance on her appearance in the first place."

The remarks drew renewed criticism of the former television producer on the newspaper's website, with many describing Brick as "delusional" and "hypocritical".

One reader commented: "Samantha Brick you are right, some women are too ugly for TV, but the ugliness is the type displayed by you."