Lineker’s agent says ‘market has set rate’ of sport presenter’s high salary

Gary Lineker’s agent has defended the football star’s large BBC salary, saying “the market has set the rate”.

The broadcaster has revealed it paid the Match Of The Day presenter between £1.75 and £1.8 million between April 2016 and April 2017, making him the second highest paid star behind Chris Evans.

The highest paid female presenter was Claudia Winkleman, who earned between £450,000 and £500,000.

Lineker’s agent Jon Holmes said the huge pay gap between men and women is the fault of the agents who represent the 0 Presenter Gary Lineker earned between £1.75m-£1.8m female talent, and the broadcaster.

He said: “I can only speak for sport but it is a gross failure for an agent if their clients are doing the same job [as men] on less money. The broadcaster is to blame too, they should pay them the same money.”

He added: “If you go 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. The danger is they can’t afford it and run away. Maybe women feel happier being represented by women and women are not as tough, but I have found women very tough negotiators and vowed never to buy a house off a woman.

“At the end of the day it’s up to people to negotiate and for the negotiators to push for what they are worth.”