Michaela: I don’t care if Chris gets paid more than me, he is worth it
Springwatch star defends pay gap
MICHAELA Strachan says her Springwatch co-host Chris Packham deserves to be paid more than her.
They are the main presenting pair on the live nature programme and hugely popular with viewers.
But although Michaela gets similar screen time to Chris, she does not believe the gender pay equality argument applies to their work for the show.
She said: “I’m absolutely not interested in what anybody else gets paid on Springwatch. I love doing it, I’m happy with what I get paid.
“If Chris was paid more, and I don’t know if he is, I wouldn’t be upset because you cannot pay for his knowledge, it’s an extraordinary knowledge.
“If I’m honest, what Chris brings to Springwatch in terms of knowledge is way more than what I can bring.
“Chris is extraordinary and the campaigning that he does is extraordinary and I think he’s everybody’s hero on the team at Springwatch.
“So I’m not interested in what he earns from it – it’s none of my business.
“It’s a fact that the programme would not be as good if there were two Chris Packhams or two Michaela Strachans and that’s why Springwatch works so well as we both have different strengths.”
Michaela and Chris, adored by fans for their cheeky banter and love of naughty double entendres, fronted The Really Wild Show together for two years from 1993. Chris, 57, then left but Michaela continued until 2006.
They have co-hosted Springwatch since October 2011 and are expected to be back on screen in Autumnwatch at the end of October.
Michaela, 52, hopes that they will continue to work together for many years to come, regardless of what they are getting paid.
She said: “I think there is more for us to do together, and we are going to be doing more stuff together for the BBC.
“We both really enjoy working together, we work well together and we have a lot of fun.
“We also know each other’s strengths, which is important when you’re filming, and we respect one another. Because we’ve been together for so long we are comfortable with one another.
“I think that’s another reason Springwatch works so well, because we’re happy to take the mickey out of each other and no one is offended.
“We’re confident in each other, and in the respect we have for each other, and so the jokes never cross the line.”
Chris is working with the Daily Mirror to help bring five abused circus tigers from Spain to live in spacious new enclosures at the Isle of Wight Zoo.
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He’s extraordinary and is everyone’s hero, I’m not interested in his earnings MICHAELA STRACHAN ON CO-HOST CHRIS PACKHAM