Gary Lineker at the top of BBC salary list still dominated by men

Gary Lineker is the BBC’s highest earner in a list still dominated by men.

The Match Of The Day host, 57, took home between £1.75 million and £1,759,999, eclipsing previous highest-earner Chris Evans, newly published accounts reveal.

Last year’s accounts showed the Radio 2 Breakfast DJ took home up to £2.2 million but his pay has now dropped to between £1.6 million and £1,669,999, since stepping down from Top Gear.

There are several women on the list of talent earning more than £150,000 who did not appear last year.

They include former Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry, who earns between £190,000 to £199,999 “for a range of programmes and series”.

Women who appear to have received pay rises include Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, on between £220,000 and £229,999, 5 Live Breakfast’s Rachel Burden, on up to £159,999, and Woman’s Hour host Jane Garvey, who has been outspoken in her criticism of unequal pay.

Maitlis worked 100 days on Newsnight, according to the report, meaning that her day rate would be an average of £2,250.

Garvey was paid between £150,000 and £159,999 and told the Press Association: “I made the list of high earners this year as the result of what the BBC called a ‘pay revision’.

“I know I am incredibly well paid. Many in the real world would argue that I am too well paid.

“Female broadcasters, journalists and producers at the BBC are a privileged bunch. In the last year, as BBC Women, we’ve used that privilege in the right way, to start a conversation about equal pay. There’s still a long way to go … and, obviously, not just at the BBC.”

Sarah Montague, who has since moved from the Today programme to World At One on Radio 4, is on the list this year after being previously absent, and on up to £169,999.

The top 12 published this year is made up entirely of men, with Lineker and Evans followed by Radio 2 DJ Graham Norton, on up to £609,999 – not including payments for his TV chat show.

Broadcasters Steve Wright, Huw Edwards, Jeremy Vine, Alan Shearer, Nicky Campbell, Nick Grimshaw, Stephen Nolan, John Humphrys and Andrew Marr also make up the top 12.

There are only two women in the top 20.

Radio 2 presenter Claudia Winkleman is still the highest-paid female, receiving between £370,000 and £379,999, excluding her Strictly Come Dancing role.

Radio 2 and Radio London presenter Vanessa Feltz earned between £330,000 and £339,999.

The BBC argues that the list does not reflect the true balance of payments to men and women as salaries through BBC Studios, which is not funded by the licence fee and became a commercial entity, are not revealed.

If included, they would feature payments to Winkleman for Strictly Come Dancing,  Alex Jones for The One Show and Fiona Bruce for Antiques Roadshow.

It also says that changes to pay packets in recent months are also not reflected as the list is compiled from salaries up to April this year.

Over the last 12 months, the BBC has announced pay cuts for some of its male stars, including broadcasters Humphrys, Vine and Edwards.

Last year, BBC stars were able to see what their colleagues were paid when the corporation published salaries for 96 people for the first time.

It catapulted the broadcaster into turmoil, with respected China editor Carrie Gracie resigning over unequal pay.

On Wednesday, salaries were revealed in bands of £10,000 rather than last year’s £50,000, after discussions with the Government over transparency.

The BBC published figures earlier this month showing it had reduced its gender pay gap by nearly a fifth.

BBC director-general Lord Hall said that he would not be drawn on individuals, but added that “Lineker… is doing the most amazing job and I hope will do an amazing job when England is in the (World Cup) final at the weekend.”

He added: “When you’re talking about a Lineker, and I don’t want to talk about individuals, you are talking about someone who has the option of going elsewhere.

“But am I satisfied with the fact that there are not enough women in the top 20 people in this organisation? I’m absolutely not and I want change.”

Lawyer Jennifer Millins, who represented Gracie in her equal pay dispute with the BBC, said: “Pay equality at the BBC appears to remain an aspiration, not a reality.

“There are significant differences in the reporting, for example – this year’s list details what programmes employees work on and how many programmes they commit to.

“This does not allow for a direct comparison to be drawn by anyone concerned that they may have an equal pay claim, but it will be one of a number of factors that determines pay.

“It is important to remember that the BBC’s equal pay crisis affects women at all levels of the corporation.”

Figures on Wednesday also revealed that BBC Studios reported headline sales of £432 million and earnings of £7.2 million in its first year of trading.

Meanwhile, BBC Worldwide saw sales dip 2% to £1.04 billion, while earnings jumped 42% to £118.3 million.