BBC's Salary Report Fuels Gender Pay Gap Debate

The BBC has disclosed the salary information of its highest-earning actors and presenters igniting the debate over the gender pay gap. The list was published after the Government ordered the broadcasters to reveal the pay packs of its top-most employees under the strict rules of its new Royal Charter.

The list, published on Wednesday (19th July, 2017) shows that the BBC pays 96 people, at least £150,000 ($195,000) in a year, which is more than what the country's Prime Minister receives.

It also revealed that its best-paid star, radio host Chris Evans, earns more than £2.2 million ($2.9 million) a year while ‘Match of the Day’ host Gary Lineker receives between £1.75 million and £1.8 million.

Shockingly, two-thirds of the top earners at BBC are men while the highest-paid woman earns less than a quarter of Evans’ salary. For instance, Claudia Winkleman earns less than half a million pounds for her work on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and other shows.

BBC's best-paid stars, Pic Credit: BBC.com

Gender disparity in terms of salaries paid to its top journalists is also visible as the male presenter of the main nightly news bulletin earns around £200,000 a year more than his female counterpart.

Tony Hall sets out BBC commitment on gender equality: https://t.co/I4NNTDY33K #BBCPay pic.twitter.com/WO1q4AkRaM

— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) July 19, 2017

Prime Minister, Theresa May, also pointed out the Gender imbalance. “I think what has happened today is we have seen the way the BBC is paying women less for doing the same job as the men. I want to see women paid equally with men,” she said in an interview with LBC.

"We are a global broadcaster, we want to employ stars, we want to employ the very best presenters, correspondents," Director General Tony Hall said. "We're in a market, and it's a competitive market." He, however, has promised to bridge the gender pay gap between men and women's salaries by 2020.

The figures quoted only refer to the amount of licence fee money each person receives and do not include their earnings from other broadcasters or commercial activities.

The annual report is not inclusive of stars who receive their pay through BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm.