The BBC has released its annual list of on-air talent earning over £150,000, providing a glimpse into the salaries of some of the most recognisable faces on British television and radio.
Mishal Husain leads the pack, with her earnings rising to between £340,000 and £344,999 for the 2023/2024 financial year. The journalist and broadcaster presents the Radio 4 Today programme, BBC One news programmes, and hosts the Today debates for Radio 4 alongside other projects. Her salary has steadily increased over the past three years, reflecting her prominent role within the BBC.
Laura Kuenssberg, BBC's Political Editor, saw her earnings increase to between £325,000 and £329,999, up from £305,000-£309,999 in the previous year. Her high profile role presenting "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg" and working on various documentary series likely contributed to the increase.
Justin Webb, another anchor of the Radio 4 Today programme, also saw a significant rise in salary, reaching between £320,000 and £324,999. His role in the popular Americast podcast likely contributed to the increase.
Vernon Kay, known for his work on Radio 2, earned between £320,000 and £324,999 for his mid-morning show and presenting "Dance Sounds of the 90s".
Several other high-profile presenters and journalists also experienced salary increases, including Sara Cox, whose earnings reached between £315,000 and £319,999 for her role on the Radio 2 Drivetime show. Scott Mills, hosting the Radio 2 early afternoon show, received between £315,000 and £319,999, despite a drop from his previous year's earnings.
Clive Myrie, known for his work on BBC News at One, Six, and Ten, saw his earnings increase to between £310,000 and £314,999, reflecting his growing presence across BBC News programmes and international deployments.
Amol Rajan, on the other hand, experienced a slight decrease in salary, earning between £310,000 and £314,999 compared to the previous year. Despite hosting the Radio 4 Today programme and presenting other programmes, such as "Amol Rajan Interviews" and "Rethink", Rajan's salary dropped slightly.
Other noteworthy figures on the list include Nicky Campbell, whose salary remained steady at between £295,000 and £299,999 for his work on Radio 5 Live and other projects. Victoria Derbyshire, presenter of "Newsnight" and the "Ukrainecast" podcast, saw a significant jump in her salary to £295,000-£299,999.
While many presenters saw increases, some experienced decreases. Steve Wright's salary dropped significantly to between £205,000 and £209,999, compared to £465,000-£469,999 in the previous year. This is likely due to a reduction in his workload, with "Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs" now the only regular show he presents on Radio 2.
The release of the BBC's on-air talent salary list continues to spark debate about the salaries paid to public service broadcasters. While some argue that these figures are justified given the presenters' experience and contribution to the BBC, others believe the salaries are excessive, particularly given the BBC's reliance on public funding.
