On £400k, BBC’s best paid actor is...nurse Charlie from Casualty!
IN the real world, a senior nurse would be lucky to earn £40,000. But it seems performing the role in a BBC drama is worth ten times that.
For Derek Thompson – who has played Casualty’s Charlie Fairhead since 1 86 – was yesterday revealed as the Corporation’s highest-paid actor.
The 6 -year-old takes home between £350,000 and £3 , a year, making him the drama department’s top earner. Meanwhile, the highest-paid actress is his Casualty co-star Amanda Mealing, who plays clinical lead Connie Beauchamp and earns up to £300,000.
It puts them above well known actors including outgoing Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi, who earns between £200,000 and £24 , .
Overall, the list shows that 21 stars from the ‘TV scripted’ section of the BBC are paid more than the Prime Minister’s £150,000. Some critics described Thompson’s pay as ‘shameful’. But a source said: ‘Derek is well-liked in the industry.’