Janet Street Porter let one of her staff keep their baby in a box when she was at the BBC because they were so desperate to come back to work.
The broadcaster, who worked at the corporation as head of youth and entertainment features, admitted it sounded like something out of the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous but said it worked out "fine".
Speaking on today's Loose Women on ITV1, she said: "Years ago when I was an executive at the BBC someone who was a key member of my team was pregnant and wanted to return to work quickly because she liked her job.
"I let her bring - probably breaking all the health and safety laws - I let her bring her baby into the office in a box. We had baby in a box in the corner of the office.
"When they are little and they are like tadpole size, they can't get out. It's fine, isn't it? You can get on with your job. Baby in the corner needs feeding."
Her co-host, Lisa Maxwell, said childcare had been "an issue" while she was working long hours on police drama The Bill in which she played Detective Inspector Samantha Nixon.
She said: "All the actresses got together and tried to get a creche. We did everything we could. We offered to put money in but in the end it was too expensive.
"A lot of male actors as well, that had to look after their children, wanted it too.
"It's a terrible shame in this day and age when people need to earn as much as they can. I think creches are a good idea."