TV presenter Laurie Mayer was "dismissive and patronising" about a BBC regional news programme where he claims staff were bullied, a tribunal heard.

Senior managers at BBC South East, based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, told the hearing that Mr Mayer, a former national newsreader for the BBC and Sky, thought he was a "cut above" the station and was critical of its lighter news content.

Mr Mayer, former spokesman for Harrods boss Mohammed Al Fayed, claims he was sacked from his £69,000-a-year post as chief presenter because he exposed concerns over bullying of journalists at the studio.

The 57-year-old says he was "harassed" out of his job after making several complaints to senior manager Laura Ellis about the "atmosphere of intimidation" in the newsroom, about which he claims nothing was done.

He is claiming that under "whistle blowing" legislation, he suffered detrimental treatment because he highlighted the problems.

But yesterday Ms Ellis, head of regional programmes at BBC South East, told the tribunal in Ashford that a decision was made not to renew Mr Mayer's contract purely because he was not committed enough to regional news.

She said: "I had the impression he thought he was a cut above the programme he was doing. He was dismissive and patronising."

Ms Ellis recounted one occasion when Mr Mayer was asked, as part of a programme, to present a soft news item about a railway station cat. She claimed he was critical of the item, and rewrote the introduction minutes before going on air.

She said: "He argued about it and then named the wrong station."

One incident which aroused concern involved Mr Mayer branding a policeman "obviously a mason" off air, which Ms Ellis thought could lead to a libel if it was broadcast.

Mr Mayer complained to Ms Ellis about another of the programme's managers Davina Reynolds, who was at the centre of several allegations of bullying made by staff at the station.

He also criticised her relationship with another senior manager, to whom she was engaged.

Ms Ellis told how he asked her to sort out the problem. "He was shouting at me, jabbing his finger. He was berating me generally."

During 2002, Ms Ellis said she became increasingly concerned about Mr Mayer's attitude to regional news, particularly in the light of comments made by the public and senior BBC managers that the show was dull.

It was decided that the show would have two presenters, with Mr Mayer being named as the main one.

Mr Mayer, from East Horsley, Surrey, agreed but Ms Ellis continued to be concerned about Mr Mayer's commitment to the show and, in mid 2002, he was advised by his agent that his contract would be terminated.

Mr Mayer claims he was sacked after storming out of Ms Ellis's office in anger over the suggestion that falling viewing figures were partly his fault.

He also claims he was dismissed for speaking out about Miss Reynolds' treatment of staff.

The hearing continues.