Broadcaster Mariella Frostrup forced to sit on train floor despite buying first class ticket

Broadcaster Mariella Frostrup spoke of her frustration at being forced to sit on the floor during a four-hour rail journey between London and Devon, depsite having a first class ticket.

The 61-year-old shared a selfie of herself next to a carriage door while on the train journey from Tiverton Parkway to London Paddington this week.

Taking to Twitter/X she directed her frustration at operator Great Western Railways, writing: “New lows for ⁦@GWRHelp.

“A first class advance ticket buys you a seat on floor outside the toilet in a train where it’s standing room from front to rear… I’m getting back in my car!”

The post was shared on the social media platform, with one user describing the operator as “unreasonable” for overselling first class seats.

Another said: “One might assume that booking a ticket came with a guaranteed seat?”

“Same thing happened to me a month ago,” shared a third. “It was due to the previous 2 trains being cancelled. It was unbelievable. I got my full fare for the journey refunded.”

Ms Frostup then followed up her original post with another saying she was unable to work as she should have been on the service.

The presenter, who was at Times Radio until earlier this year, wrote: “Well @GWRHelp are taking flexible working quite literally – standing room only, even in first!”

But the saga did not end there for the broadcaster as she was told she would have to request a refund in writing despite having shared the photographs online.

Addressing the railway operator, Ms Frostup wrote: “Is photo proof… that I’ve just sat on the floor from Tiverton Parkway to Paddington DESPITE holding a first class ticket? I’ve just been told (after queuing at your Padd tix office for 15 mins) that I need to write and request compensation! Could you make it any harder?”

The rail service from London to the West Country is often busy at peak times as commuters travel to and from the capital. Last year, campaign group Transport Focus to raised the issue.

Former Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith wrote: “Passengers on both high speed and west services have had to deal with the consequences of short-formed trains leading to overcrowding and in some cases cancelled reservations for far too long.”

A representative for Great Western Railway told The Independent: “We are really sorry to hear of the customer’s experience.

“If you have reserved a seat but are not able to sit down, you are entitled to compensation and we will follow this up.”

The Independent has contacted Ms Frostup for comment.