BBC gender pay gap – do men earn more than women at the BBC and why have top earners salaries been revealed?
On the salary list for 2017 - 2018, 12 of the BBC's top earners are men, while Claudia Winkleman is still the broadcaster's top paid woman at over £370K
THE BBC revealed the salaries of its presenters and staff for the second year in a row which has shown how much more money men made compared with their female colleagues.
But what exactly do these stars do for their money? And why are some earning more than others?
Do men earn more than women at the BBC?
On the salary list for 2017 - 2018, 12 of the BBC's top earners are men, while Claudia Winkleman is still the broadcaster's top paid woman at £370,000-£379,999.
The BBC insists their figures are better than last year in terms of the gender pay gap.
The split between men and women is now 60:40 rather than 75:25 from last year in terms of on-air talent earning over the £150,000 cut-off.
But BBC presenter Mishal Husain said the list showed "how far the BBC still has to go in valuing women and men equally for their work."
What do the top earners actually do?
Gary Lineker - £1,750,000-£1,759,999
Top earner Gary Lineker presents Match of the Day on Saturday nights. The former England striker is also one of the hosts for the annual Sports Personality of the Year awards night.
Chris Evans - £1,660,000-£1,669,999
Last year's top earner, Chris Evans has dropped into second place on the list and has hosted Radio 2's Breakfast Show every weekday morning since 2010. He also co-presented one disastrous series of TV show Top Gear.
Graham Norton - £600,000-£609,999
Graham Norton is the host of a Saturday morning show on Radio 2 as well as co-presenting BBC One's Saturday evening talent show Let It Shine.
He also commentates on the Eurovision Song Contest.
Graham’s earnings do not include those from his Friday night chat show as the BBC pays an independent production company, which in turn pays his salary.
Steve Wright - £550,000-£559,999
Wright hosts the BBC Radio 2 afternoon show.
Jeremy Vine - £440,000-£449,999
Jeremy Vine hosts the lunchtime show on Radio 2 every weekday. He also presents Crimewatch, Points of View, and Eggheads.
The BBC has previously said he's taken a pay cut, down from £700,000 -£749,000 last year.
Huw Edwards - £520,000-£529,999
The BBC News presenter has taken a pay cut down from £550,000 - £559,000.
Nicky Campbell - £410,000-£419,999
The Scottish radio and television presenter and journalist has presented the BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast programme since 2003, BBC One's Sunday morning show The Big Questions since 2007, and Long Lost Family on ITV since 2011.
Alan Shearer - £410,000-£419,999
The retired English footballer is a pundit on Match of the Day.
Nick Grimshaw - £400,000-£409,999
The presenter has hosted a variety of shows on BBC Radio 1 and has been host of The Radio 1 Breakfast Show since 2012.
John Humphrys - £400,000-£409,999
Welsh broadcaster Humphrys has presented BBC Radio 4 programme Today since 1987 and Mastermind since 2003, which is made by BBC Studios, accounting for some of Humphrys' drop in pay, in addition to a pay cut he has previosuly taken.
Andrew Marr - £400,000-£409,999
Andrew Marr is a presenter on The Andrew Marr Show, Start the Week and some documentaries for the broadcaster.
Stephen Nolan - £400,000-£409,999
Nolan is the host of The Stephen Nolan Show on Radio Ulster as well as a presenter on 5 live.
Claudia Winkleman - £370,000-£379,999
The BBC Radio 2 host is the broadcaster's highest paid woman and receives a BBC TV fee for a range of programmes.
What about the rest of those on the list?
Vanessa Feltz - £330,000-£339,999
Feltz has been the presenter for the Early Breakfast Show on Radio 2 and The Vanessa Feltz Breakfast show on Radio London.
Eddie Mair - £330,000-£339,999
Mair was a presenter on the Radio 4 PM programme, but has since announced his departure from the Beeb to join LBC in September.
Scott Mills - £280,000-£289,999
British radio DJ Mills is best known for The Scott Mills Show weekday afternoons on BBC Radio 1.
Who is missing from the list?
Compared to last year, more than 30 names, including actors from EastEnders and the Strictly Come Dancing panel, have had some of their pay hidden through the Beeb's commercial arm BBC Studios.
Some of the names, including Zoe Ball, Alex Jones, Mark Baker, Tess Daly and Derek Thompson have dropped off the list because most entertainment, factual and drama programmes are made by BBC Studios which, as a commercial entity, no longer has to declare the salaries it pays its staff because it is competing with other production companies.
In last year's report, Claudia Winkleman was the best-paid woman, earning between £450,000-£499,999. This year, she is still the top earning female star, but has slid down the rankings with earnings between £370,000-£379,999 because - like Graham Norton, Mary Berry and Fiona Bruce - her programmes are produced for BBC Studios, so their actual earnings will exceed the amount given in the annual report.
Why were BBC wages revealed?
The BBC has been forced to make the salary disclosures as part of negotiations with the Government for its new royal charter.
Director general Tony Hall admitted the BBC was only revealing the information because they had been forced to — moaning that the government had “insisted”.
In an internal video sent to all staff he complained about having to share the information.
He said: “We said giving names could be inflationary – setting benchmarks and raising expectations – driving up wages at a time we’re bringing costs down. In effect, it would set up a poachers’ charter.
“But in the end the Government insisted. So – tomorrow – we’ll publish the names of everyone – on-screen and on-air – who is paid for by the licence fee and has earned more than £150,000 in the last year.”
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