The BBC's biggest stars' hefty salaries are a talking point yet again following the publication of the organisation's annual report.
It reveals BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball requested a pay cut during the pandemic, because she felt uncomfortable with her seven-figure salary while the nation was on its knees.
The former It Takes Two star took a cut of 28% from her BBC salary, and next year will earn a slightly more modest £980,000 a year, instead of the previous £1.36m.
But Zoe, who was recently unmasked as Llama on The Masked Dancer, still remains the second highest earner for the broadcaster - with Match of the Day host Gary Lineker pipping her to the top spot.
But Gary has also taken a pay cut, as it was reported he agreed to earn 23% less when he signed his new contract last year.
The five-year deal to front Match of the Day saw his pay reducing 23% from £1.75m to £1.36m.
But not all of the BBC's top stars have their pay packets revealed.
The payroll from BBC Studios, which is classed as a commercial entity, is exempt from the report - including what it pays Graham Norton for his Friday night chat show.
Stars of EastEnders, Strictly Come Dancing, and Top Gear are also missing for the same reason, as is anyone who made less than £150,000.
This has raised questions of transparency with regards to stars including Claudia Winkleman, who last year was reported to have pocketed £365,000, but dropped off the list this year.
Graham took the biggest cut from his published earnings, from £725,000 to £160,000, after Eurovision was cancelled last year and he departed from his radio show.
Unveiling the BBC's annual report, Director General Tim Davie explained: “We have reduced pay on our top stars by 10% and I should say some of the changes won't yet have fed through in the numbers in the report.
"Zoe Ball, for example, requested a pay cut when she agreed her new deal and that full reduction of 28% isn't yet fully reflected in the figures published today.”
He said many stars had been more than willing to accept pay cuts during the pandemic, adding: "Everyone recognises the strategy which is about getting value to audiences.
"Conversations have been constructive. Everyone is with the programme on that one.”
The BBC said it still had not fully closed the gender pay gap, but it had been further reduced from 6.2% to 5.2%.
The licence fee income was up £230million – 7% - to £3.75bn thanks to over-75s now paying for licence fees.
Commercial income was down from £1.57bn to £1.38bn because of the impact of Covid-19 on production, but Davie said BBC Studios remained on track to hit its five-year target.
Here are the BBC's stop paid stars according to the published figures, ranked from the top millions to paltry £200,000s.
Gary Lineker: £1.36m
Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, 60, remains the BBC's biggest earner, raking in £1.36m in the 2020/21 financial year, down from £1.75m.
This marks the fourth year that the sports pundit and ex-footballer has topped the rich list for the broadcaster.
The Premier League highlights show, which airs at 10:30pm Saturday nights, was renewed by the BBC for £211.5 million back in 2018, meaning the show will run until at least the end of this upcoming season.
His co-host Alan Shearer also topped the list, though he earns significantly less at £390,000.
As well as his BBC earnings, Lineker will be making serious cash from his brand partnerships with Walkers, as well as his very own production company, Goalhanger Films.
In 2020, it was reported he had signed a three-year deal worth £1.2million to continue to be the face of the crisps, which he has promoted since 1995.
Zoe Ball: £1.13m
Though she took a pay cut last year, Zoe Ball, 50, still tops the list because it takes into account her earnings before she took the cut.
Ball earned £1.36m in the 2020/21 financial year, down from £1.75m.
Last year, she earned the same as Lineker's earnings in the latest financial year - £1.36m, while her current salary is actually £980,000, a reduction of 28% from 2019/2020.
As well as her Radio 2 Breakfast Show hosting gig, Ball is a regular on our television screens, recently starring on The Masked Dancer as Llama and on Celebrity Gogglebox with her son, Woody.
Steve Wright: £465,000
Steve Wright, 66, is the BBC's third highest paid star, but he has also taken a pay cut, as the report revealed Wright will now earn £470k after taking a £10,000 hit.
This makes Wright, who presents Steve Wright in the Afternoon and Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2, the second highest-earning male star.
He joined the BBC back in 1980 as the presenter for Saturday evenings on BBC Radio 1 - and is credited with introducing the zoo format to British radio.
Huw Edwards: £425,000
BBC News presenter Huw Edwards, 59, is another of the most high-paid stars of the corporation, pocketing £425,000 a year.
However, the Welsh star has now taken a pay cut of £40,000 compared to the previous financial year.
Edwards now makes £420,000 for his work and he is the fourth-highest-earning star at the BBC, often hosting election coverage and a plethora of political shows.
The BBC News lead presenter for major breaking news in the United Kingdom first joined the corporation as a news trainee in 1984.
Fiona Bruce: £405,000
BBC News, Question Time and Antiques Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce, 57, is the second highest earning woman on the list, after Zoe Ball.
However, Bruce also took a pay cut of £45,000, leaving her with £410,000 a year.
She first joined the BBC as a researcher for Panorama in 1989 before becoming the first female newsreader for BBC News at Ten.
She also hosts many flagship programmes for the corporation, including BBC News at Six, Crimewatch, Real Story, Antiques Roadshow, and Fake or Fortune?.
Since January 2019, Bruce has has been the presenter of BBC One political programme Question Time.
Stephen Nolan: £405,000
Northern Irish BBC presenter Stephen Nolan is now paid £405,000 as of the year 2020-21.
Nola, who hosts The Nolan Show, has seen a pay increase of £15,000, having earned between £390,000 and £394,999 in 2019-20.
As well as his show on BBC Radio Ulster, Nolan also hosts The Stephen Nolan Show on BBC Radio 5 Live and Nolan Live on BBC One Northern Ireland.
Nolan has recently been awarded damages from two separate Twitter users who posted false allegations about him, and is expected to receive a six-figure and five-figure sum as part of settlements reached.
Lauren Laverne: £395,000
Lauren Laverne, 43, made £395,000 on this year's list, making her the third highest paid woman.
She is known for presenting the BBC Radio 6 Music breakfast show, as well as Radio 4's Desert Island Discs when Kirsty Young took time off due to illness.
Laverne, who also once sang and played guitar in band Kenickie, has hosted several television shows including 10-o-clock Live on Channel 4, The Culture Show, and coverage of Glastonbury Festival on the BBC.
Vanessa Feltz: £390,000
Vanessa Feltz, 59, is the oldest woman to top the list of BBC earners, taking home £390,000 last year.
She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2 and the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio London.
She also regularly sits in for Sara Cox and for Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2, and appears as a panelist on This Morning on ITV.
Alan Shearer: £390,000
Football pundit and retired striker Alan Shearer, 50, earns a lot less than his Match of the Day co star Gary Lineker at £390,000.
The former Newcastle United star has seen no change in his pay in the last 12 months, but it has actually decreased from the year before - he earned between £440,000 and £444,999 in 2018-19.
Shearer also appears on BBC 5 Live and has been a regular on the Euros 2020 coverage of late.
He also works alongside betting firm Coral and sports website The Athletic.
Scott Mills: £375,000
Radio 1 host Scott Mills, 47, pocketed £375,000 last year, the BBC report reveals.
Mills has hosted his radio show since 2004 after he initially joined to cover for Sara Cox, who was taking maternity leave.
Elsewhere, Mills also presents coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest and has had minor acting roles including in Casualty and Hollyoaks.
The rest of those listed on the report are as follows:
£195,000-£199,999
- Jermaine Jenas
£190,000-£194,999
- Mark Easton
- Simon Jack
- Charlie Stayt
£185,000-£189,999
- Louise Minchin
- Sarah Smith
£175,000-£179,999
- Jonathan Agnew
- Reeta Chakrabarti
- Michael Vaughan
£170,000-£174,999
- Ben Brown
- Victoria Derbyshire
- Annie Mac
- James Naughtie
£165,000-£169,999
- Clara Amfo
- Gabby Logan
£160,000-£164,999
- Orla Guerin
- Shaun Keaveny
- Simon McCoy
£155,000-£159,999
- Joanna Gosling
- Steve Lamacq
- Graham Norton
£150,000-£154,999
- Nihal Arthanayake
- Isa Guha
- Mary-Anne Hobbs
- Carolyn Quinn
- Winifred Robinson.
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