Entertainment

The top 12 BBC earners revealed – and they are all men

Gary Lineker is this year’s top-earning star at the BBC, the new report has revealed.
Gary Lineker is this year’s top-earning star at the BBC, the new report has revealed. Gary Lineker is this year’s top-earning star at the BBC, the new report has revealed.

A list of the top 12 earners at the BBC is male-heavy, with no women featuring.

The corporation has for the second year in a row disclosed the salaries of on-air talent earning more than £150,000 in the annual report.

Last year’s report sparked a gender pay gap dispute as only 34 women featured on the 96-strong list. There were also no women featured in the band of earnings above £500,000 last year.

MEDIA BBC List
MEDIA BBC List Top 12 highest-earning BBC stars in 2017/18 (PA) (PA Graphics/PA)

This year, figures have been revealed in bands of £10,000 and not last year’s £50,000. They also exclude on-air talent and their earnings who fall under the remit of BBC Studios, meaning the salaries of talent from EastEnders, Strictly Come Dancing, Doctor Who and more have not been disclosed as they were last year.

Last year, Strictly host Claudia Winkleman was revealed to earn between £450,000 to £499,999. This year, she is still listed as the highest earning woman on the list, but she is listed in the pay bracket of £370,000 – £379,999, a figure which includes work done on her weekly Radio 2 show and then a BBC TV fee for “a range of programmes and series”.

Her salary is likely to be higher than what is listed, but her earnings for Strictly are not reflected due to the BBC One dancing series being made by BBC Studios, so they have not been disclosed.

Some on-air male talent including John Humphrys, Jeremy Vine and Huw Edwards received pay cuts over the last 12 months.

The top 12 highest-paid stars listed in the annual report (April 2018 – March 2017) are:

Gary Lineker – £1,750,000 – £1,759,999


Principal sport: Men’s Football


Match of the Day: Premier League and FA Cup


Sports Personality of the Year

Chris Evans – £1,660,000 – £1,669,999


Principal Programme: BBC Radio 2


Programme commitments: Approximately 200 editions of the Chris Evans Breakfast Show

Graham Norton – £600,000 – £609,999


Principal activity: Radio and Television


Programme commitments: Weekly show on Radio 2


BBC TV fee for a range of programmes and series

Steve Wright – £550,000 £559,999


Principal Station: BBC Radio 2


220 editions of Steve Wright in the Afternoon


50 editions of Sunday Love Songs

Huw Edwards – £520,000 – £529,999


Principal Programme: BBC News At Six And BBC News At Ten


180 presentation days for BBC1 & News Channel


Elections and News Specials

Jeremy Vine £440,000 – £449,999


Principal Activity: Radio And Television


Daily show on Radio 2


60 episodes of Eggheads

Alan Shearer £410,000 – £419,999


Principal Sport: Men’s Football


Match of the day: Premier League and FA Cup

Nicky Campbell £410,000 – £419,999


Principal Station: BBC Radio 5 Live


210 editions of 5 live Breakfast


210 editions of Your Call

Nick Grimshaw £400,000 – £409,999


Principal Station: BBC Radio 1


230 editions of Radio 1 Breakfast Show


Radio 1 Big Weekend


Teen Awards

Stephen Nolan £400,000 – £409,999


Principal Station: Multiple Stations


210 shows on Radio Ulster


20 editions of Nolan Live


30 Question Time Extra Time


120 Stephen Nolan on 5 live

John Humphrys £400,000 -£409,999


Principal Programme: Today


140 programmes

Andrew Marr £400,000 – £409,999


Principal Programme: The Andrew Marr Show


40 programmes


BBC1 documentaries


20 start editions of Start The Week