The BBC has been slammed today after the organisation released a list revealing its highest-paid presenters. While Gary Lineker remains the top earner on an eye-watering £1.75million a year, there was an increase in the number of BBC stars on £150,000 or more. Radio 4 Today Programme hosts John Humphrys and Nick Robinson are among the corporation’s biggest earners.
The BBC salaries bill wet up from £19.77million to £21.77million in the last financial year.
This increase was criticised by some, as it comes just weeks after the move to stop free TV licences for over 75s was announced.
BBC director general Tony Hall confirmed the total talent bill had risen by £10million but argued it was a smaller proportion of total programming costs.
READ MORE: BBC Breakfast: The HUGE salaries of Naga Munchetty, Dan Walker and Charlie Stayt revealed
He wrote in a blog: “They would earn significantly more elsewhere – and recent departures to commercial rivals show this argument isn’t hollow.
“The simple truth is we have spent more than ever on content, but the amount we have spent proportionally on talent has come down.
“But more importantly, whenever we ask the public whether they want big stars on the BBC they say yes.
“They say yes because they are talented and entertaining.
“They also say yes as it means they are getting big value from the BBC.”
These are the top 10 highest BBC earners of 2019:
1. Gary Lineker – £1,750,000-£1,759,999
2. Chris Evans – £1,660,000-£1,669,999
3. Graham Norton – £600,000-£609,999
4. Steve Wright – £550,000-£559,999
5. Huw Edwards – £520,000-£529,999
6. Jeremy Vine – £440,000-£449,999
7. Nicky Campbell – £410,000-£419,999
7. Alan Shearer – £410,000-£419,999
9. John Humphrys – £400,000-£409,999
9. Nick Grimshaw – £400,000-£409,999
9. Stephen Nolan – £400,000-£409,999
9. Andrew Marr – £400,000-£409,999
13. Claudia Winkleman – £370,000-£379,999
BBC Radio 4 Today Programme presenters
Outrage over the BBC gender pay gap after the salary list was announced last year prompted John Humphrys to take a pay cut.
The Today Programme presenter now earns around the £400,000-£409,999 mark.
Mr Humphrys is the second highest earning BBC current affairs present after Huw Edwards who earns £520,000 – £529,999.
Mr Humphrys’s Today Programme colleague Nick Robinson earns £250,000 – £259,999.
Mr Robinson earns the same as Evan Davis and both are among the highest-paid current affairs presenters at the BBC.
Highest paid BBC current affairs presenters
News and Current Affairs presenters
Huw Edwards £520,000 – £529,999
John Humphrys £400,000 – £409,999
Andrew Marr £400,000 – £409,999
Eddie Mair £330,000 – £339,999
George Alagiah £290,000 – £299,999
Nick Robinson £250,000 – £259,999
Evan Davis £250,000 – £259,999
Jon Sopel £230,000 – £239,999
Mishal Husain £220,000 – £229,999
Emily Maitlis £220,000 – £229,999
Laura Kuenssberg £220,000 – £229,999
Victoria Derbyshire £210,000 – £219,999
Martha Kearney £200,000 – £209,999
Sophie Raworth £200,000 – £209,999
Jeremy Bowen £200,000 – £209,999
Amol Rajan £200,000 – £209,999
Fiona Bruce £180,000 – £189,999
Katya Adler £170,000 – £179,999
Mark Easton £170,000 – £179,999
James Naughtie £170,000 – £179,999
Sarah Montague £160,000 – £169,999
Justin Webb £160,000 – £169,999
Kamal Ahmed £160,000 – £169,999
John Simpson £160,000 – £169,999
Ben Brown £150,000 – £159,999
Tina Daheley £150,000 – £159,999
Simon Jack £150,000 – £159,999
Fergal Keane £150,000 – £159,999
John Pienaar £150,000 – £159,999
Sarah Smith £150,000 – £159,999
