SEXISM ROW OVER BBC CELEBRITY PAY

Disparity in broadcasters’ earnings creates a stir

PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has criticised the BBC for paying women less than men for doing the same job and insisted the broadcaster must continue publishing its top salaries amid accusations a culture of inequality is endemic at the corporation.

The BBC yesterday revealed its top talent pay – with DJ Chris Evans topping the list with more than £2m and dwarfing the pay packet of the top-earning woman, Claudia Winkleman.

BBC Director-General Lord Hall launched a staunch defence of the amount that star presenters are paid, but admitted more needed to be done to tackle the gender and ethnic divide in salaries. Legal experts predicted that the corporation could be hit with a wave of equal pay claims from female stars, as of the 96 names on the list of talent earning over £150,000, only 34 are women.

And Mrs May maintained it was important the BBC “looks at the whole question of how they pay women and how they pay men for doing the same job”.

She said: “I want to see women paid equally with men. The only reason we know about this though is because the Government required the BBC to publish these figures. The Director-General, Lord Hall, has said that he wants to change this, he wants to make progress, he wants to abolish this gender pay gap. We want to see him doing that too. I think it is important the BBC carries on publishing figures in the future so we can see the progress they are making.”

Only one third of the list of talent earning over £150,000 are women, with the top names being men. Details of stars’ pay were revealed in £50,000 bands.

The top 10 includes just two women, Strictly Come Dancing and Radio 2 host Winkleman (£450,000 to £499,999) and The

One Show presenter Alex Jones (£400,000 to £449,999). Radio 2 Breakfast DJ and former Top

Gear host Evans took home between £2.2m and £2,249,999 in the 12 months to April 2017.

Lord Hall admitted there is a “need to go further and faster on issues of gender and diversity” but said the BBC is “pushing ... faster than any other major broadcaster”.

Paula Chan, an employment lawyer at Slater and Gordon, said female stars would examine the figures closely, adding: “If the justification isn’t satisfactory, equal pay claims may be taken which would not only be costly but incredibly damaging to the standing and reputation of the BBC.”

Labour indicated BBC stars such as Lineker could face significant pay cuts if Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister. A party source confirmed Labour’s promise of a maximum 20 to one ratio between the highest and lowest paid staff in public sector organisations would apply to those directly employed by the BBC.

It is important the BBC carries on publishing figures in the future. Prime Minister Theresa May on the publication of the BBC’s pay list.