Humphrys under fire after ‘smug’ off-air chat about gender pay gap

Leaked conversation about Carrie Gracie’s claims that men should be paid less was ill-advised, says BBC

JOHN HUMPHRYS, the host of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, was last night caught up in the corporation’s gender pay row after a conversation between him and Jon Sopel, the North America editor, was leaked.

Humphrys, 74, made comments in an off-air discussion that were caught on a microphone before co-presenting the radio show with Carrie Gracie, the former China editor, on Monday.

Gracie had just resigned from her role as she accused the BBC of gender pay discrimination. She had also said that some of the corporation’s higher earning men should take pay cuts, after learning they were earning more than her. Gracie earns £135,000 while Sopel is paid as much as £249,000.

The conversation began with Humphrys teasing Sopel, 58, by asking him how much of his salary he was “prepared to hand over to Carrie Gracie to keep her”. Sopel, who was said to be a reluctant participant in the chat, responded: “Obviously, if we are talking about the scope for the greatest redistribution, I’ll have to come back and say, ‘Well, yes, Mr Humphrys, but...’.”

Humphrys then remarked that he could “save you the trouble”, adding: “I’ve handed over already more than you f------ earn. But I’m still left with more than anybody else, and that seems to me entirely just. Something like that.” He then goes on to remark: “Oh dear God, she’s actually suggested you should lose money. You know that, don’t you?”

Sopel, who later says “can we have this conversation somewhere else?”, says: “Yeah, I have, yeah.” Humphrys then added: “The idea is I’m not allowed to talk to her about it throughout the whole course of the programme. Not a word.”

Humphrys reportedly dismissed the remarks last night as “silly banter between old mates”. However, a BBC source said management were “deeply unimpressed” and that the presenter regretted what had been said.

The alleged comments are likely to upset people who work at the BBC.

Miriam O’reilly, 60, the former Countryfile presenter, who won a landmark ageism claim after being dropped from the rural affairs show, called the exchange “base, smug and condescending” on Twitter. Others said it was light-hearted and sarcastic.

A BBC spokesman said last night: “This was an ill-advised off-air conversation, which the presenter regrets.”