The annual report from the BBC is set to be released, and once again all eyes will be on the salaries of its top stars. Predictably, Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball will feature among the biggest earners for their hosting roles on Match of the Day and Radio 2’s breakfast show respectively. However, the lack of transparency regarding payment through production companies means that many big names, potentially earning more than Lineker and Ball, will remain hidden from view.
Several leading BBC hosts, including Michael McIntyre, Bradley Walsh, and Graham Norton, are paid through production companies and therefore not required to disclose their salaries. Tess Daly, Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke are also among the many missing from the list. Even major actors and creatives involved in soap operas like Doctor Who, Casualty, EastEnders, and Call The Midwife remain unknown.
Since 2017, the BBC has been compelled by parliament to disclose the salaries of talent and executives earning above a certain threshold (£178,000). However, the salaries of stars paid via production companies, including those working for BBC Studios, remain confidential. Though it’s not difficult to guess which names might be high on the list, as the hosts of several primetime shows throughout the year, including The Wheel, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, and Blankety Blank, are undoubtedly well-paid.
The fact that the BBC is publicly funded via a mandatory license fee means that many critics argue transparency is vital. However, with the corporation’s commercial arm, BBC Studios, in competition with other broadcasters, it has convinced the government that salaries paid via the arm should not be listed. Ultimately, therefore, it’s unlikely that the names of those paid through production companies will ever be disclosed, meaning that we can likely expect Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball to dominate the news every July for a while yet
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