Lineker agent says women aren’t as tough

GARY LINEKER’S agent waded into the gender pay row by suggesting that women at the BBC are paid less because they have female agents who cannot do “tough” negotiating.

Jon Holmes said he successfully negotiated Lineker’s salary of up to £1.8million per year, and agents who did not get good deals were guilty of “gross failure”. Many of the women at the lower end of the list are represented by women. Mr Holmes said: “On a negotiating course, they will tell you there is no one way to negotiate. I will say it’s better to lay your marker down, and as high as possible. Maybe women feel happier being represented by women and women are not as tough.”

He then rowed back, saying: “I have found women very tough negotiators.”

Defending Lineker’s pay, Mr Holmes said: “He has a dual skill as a presenter and an ex-player. Only someone who has played the game can see something helpful and can add to the discussion.”

Katie Lydon, who represents Sir Bradley Wiggins, Freddie Flintoff and Jamie Redknapp as director of talent management company M&C Saatchi Merlin, said Mr Holmes was wrong.

“Whether you are male or female is completely irrelevant. I would hate to think that I’m defined by my gender. The idea that you would have a female agent just because you are a female client is bizarre. I have a predominantly male client list and I don’t think for a second that they would accept a below par offering from me.”