Sports presenter Gary Lineker is still the BBC’s highest earning on-air talent, despite last year agreeing to a pay reduction of around £400,000 (€468,000).
Zoe Ball remains the broadcaster’s second highest paid talent after requesting a pay cut when agreeing a new two-year deal as Radio 2’s breakfast host.
The corporation’s annual report for 2020/21 shows it has slashed 10 per cent from its pay bill for top talent, after some of its biggest names agreed to salary cuts or quit.
It was announced last year that Match Of The Day host Lineker had taken a pay cut, which has reduced his pay from £1.75 million (€2.05 million) to £1.36 million (€1.6 million).
Meanwhile, Ball asked to reduce her pay by 28 per cent to £980,000 (€1.15 million) to reflect the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This figure is lower than is listed in the 2020/21 annual report, which shows her earnings to be in the bracket of £1,130,000-£1,134,999 (€1.32-€1.33 million) and which represents only a few months of Ball’s new salary deal – including the reduction the presenter requested.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “Zoe Ball is a world-class broadcaster hosting Radio 2’s flagship show and her professionalism and commitment to the Breakfast Show is extraordinary.
“She’s hugely talented and has made the show her own, with many millions of listeners tuning in each morning to the [UK]’s most listened to Breakfast Show.”
The report also shows that:
- The gender balance of the top 10 highest-paid on-air talent was the same in 2020/21 as 2019/20, with six males and four females.
- Graham Norton is the only person to drop out of the top 10, after being the third-highest earner in 2019/20. He left his Radio 2 Saturday show for Virgin Radio in December last year, and appears on the 2020/21 list with a salary of £155,000-£159,999 (€181,000-€187,000). Norton’s salary from his popular TV chat show is not included because it is a BBC Studios production.
- The one new name in the top 10 is Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, who is listed with a salary of £375,000-£379,999 (€439,000-€445,000).
- The total number of staff with salaries above £150,000 (€176,000) has gone down slightly, from 76 in 2019/20 to 72 in 2020/21.
Since 2017, the BBC has been made to publish the names of those earning more than £150,000 each year, a move instigated by the UK government.
But pay packets made through BBC Studios, the broadcaster’s commercial arm, are not revealed.
Claudia Winkleman, who has replaced Norton as Radio 2’s Saturday host, does not feature on the list this year, with her salary from hosting Strictly Come Dancing also not included because it is also a BBC Studios production.
Huw Edwards, Fiona Bruce, Vanessa Feltz, Ken Bruce and Emily Maitlis have all seen their salaries reduced, while radio presenters Scott Mills and Greg James have seen increases.
The report says: “Covid-19 has made the on-air environment highly volatile, with delays to productions and the cancellation of live events, especially sport.
“Despite this, we have ensured a stable gender split of 56:44.
“We have demonstrated our ability to deliver improvement since initial publication, with further improvement expected in the forthcoming year as we move towards a 50:50 balance on a gender basis.”
It says that “significant reductions” have been agreed with individuals who appear “towards the very top of this list”.
The report covers the first six months of BBC director-general Tim Davie’s tenure.
Mr Davie said: “The BBC has delivered outstanding content and value to audiences in extraordinary circumstances this year. I am proud of all we have achieved to inform, educate and entertain in record numbers during the pandemic.
“The BBC is responding to global competition and pressure on our finances. But, we know we must do much more to ensure licence fee payers across the UK get best value from the BBC, to maintain their trust and provide a service they cannot do without.
“I am absolutely focused on making the reforms we need to ensure the BBC is positioned to offer all audiences the best possible service well into the future.”
