Gardeners’ Question Time star’s equal pay
KATHY Clugston has revealed she is receiving the same salary for Gardeners’ Question Time as her co-presenter Peter Gibbs.
The broadcaster, who will become the first permanent female host in the programme’s 70-year history, will earn the same amount as Gibbs even though he has worked on it for 15 years.
The Radio 4 newsreader and continuity announcer, well known for reading the Shipping Forecast, is replacing Eric Robson, 72, who has retired after 25 years.
Miss Clugston said: ‘When pay was discussed I said, “Are Peter and I being paid the same?” And I was assured that we are and that one of us would never be paid more than the other. And so that was good enough for me.’
The BBC has been accused of ‘dumbing down’ the programme after giving ‘enthusiastic amateur’ Miss Clugston the reins. The 49-year-old previously revealed that her gardening experience was limited to ‘houseplants and the odd window box’.
But she said: ‘I’ve not been appointed for my gardening expertise; I’ve been appointed for my broadcasting experience. We’re broadcasters and our job is to chair the discussion.’
Her first episode will be broadcast today at 3pm.