Prince persuades radio queen Sarah to return
PRESENTER Sarah Montague is interrupting her radio silence over Christmas to return to the Today programme for one day only – after being promised she can co-host with Prince Harry.
Sarah, 51, has been off the early morning Radio 4 show for several weeks as she battles BBC bosses over the massive pay gap between her and male colleagues.
But I can reveal that Harry’s festive visit to Broadcasting House in London will mark her temporary return.
Intriguingly, Sarah has been chosen for the show over veteran John Humphrys, 74, and Mishal Husain, who interviewed Harry and Meghan Markle after their engagement was announced.
Radio 4 staffers are whispering that Sarah got the gig as something of an olive branch from bosses after she discovered that Humphrys earns about £650,000 a year compared to her £150,000.
Sarah has since received a 25 per cent pay rise but is still set to quit Today, swapping places with Martha Kearney, host of the l unchtime World At One news programme.
In July I broke the news that Harry had been to Broadcasting House for meetings with the Radio 4 team, with a view to being a guest editor and presenter at Christmas. At the time staffers joked that he was coming in for ‘work experience’.
Harry’s fiance Meghan will undoubtedly get the Prince to pass on words of encouragement to Sarah over her pay battle as she too is an outspoken champion of women’s equality.
However, Harry will avoid the issue on the show, with a spokesman for Kensington Palace saying: ‘Prince Harry is grateful to have Today’s considerable reach to shine a spotlight on a number of issues that are close to his heart. He is working closely with Today’s team to produce segments on a range of topics, including youth violence, conservation and mental health.’
The special Royal edition of Today will be broadcast between Christmas and New Year.