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Judy Finnigan has said today's TV shows have become shallow and that she doesn't miss her days in front of the camera
The former This Morning presenter, 64, has turned to novel-writing, penning her debut Eloise.
She said that women were under more pressure to be young and beautiful to survive in the TV industry than ever before.
"These days it's more important for women on telly to be young and gorgeous than it ever was, but that's because the programmes have changed. Television itself is much shallower than it was," she said.
"Most young girls these days who want to appear on television, want to be famous, and the quick route to being famous is to look gorgeous and be on a reality show. They don't actually think, what do I want from this as a career? It's just to exist and be there and be feted."
Judy said she was never a victim of ageism, and added: "It's very different from my time, when we joined television newsrooms as reporters and researchers and newsreaders and presenters. We all saw it as a craft. It mattered how good you were at interviewing, and how good you were at finding a story. The whole thing has just become much more superficial."
Judy, who presented This Morning with her husband Richard Madeley and whose daughter Chloe competed on Dancing On Ice, said she doesn't miss TV at all.
"I'm so glad to not be doing it any more because it's so all-consuming. We were never just presenters, rolling up, reading the autocue...
"It's exhilarating in one way, but totally draining in another because you never leave it behind," she said.
:: Eloise, by Judy Finnigan, is published by Sphere, priced £16.99. Available now.
