BBC's highest earners revealed with number of Irish staff making the list

Gary Lineker has been named the BBC's highest paid star for the sixth year running, and earns more than the broadcaster’s director general, Tim Davie.

And a number of Irish names have appeared in the top earners list including journalists Martha Kearney and Orla Guerin.

Kearney was born in Dublin but has worked most of her life in the UK beginning her career on phone-in programmes at the London radio station LBC and Independent Radio News.

She was the main presenter of BBC Radio 4's lunchtime news programme The World At One for 11 years, and in April 2018 became a presenter of the early morning Today programme and now earns just under £265,000.

Guerin the Senior International correspondent working for BBC News takes home between £178,000-£184,999.

Meanwhile Stephen Nolan who hosts the popular Nolan Live on BBC Northern Ireland has a salary in excess of £400,000.

Nolan, who is known for his work on TV and radio, is the fifth highest paid person on the list.

Zoe Ball continues to be the broadcaster’s second highest paid talent, and the highest paid woman with a salary of £980,000 – £984,999.

Alan Shearer has come in at third place with a salary of £445,000 – £449,999, which dropped from £450,000-£454,999 last year.

On the highest end of the scale however is the 62-year-old Lineker, who hosts Match of the Day on BBC One, earns up to £1.35million per year, whereas top boss Tim is paid just £529,999 - with the former footballer raking in more than £825,000 more than his boss.

Former England footballer Gary tops the earnings’ list of BBC stars despite taking a £400,000 pay cut back in 2020 as part of a five-year deal, after he was scolded over his use of social media.

“Gary knows that he has responsibilities to the BBC in terms of his use of social media,” Tim said at the time.

Gary hosts Match of the Day, as well as live football coverage on the BBC (BBC / Pete Dadds)

In 2021, Gary poked fun at his pay cut, as he shared a news article that suggested his wages were being hit once again.

“'Another one? Christ, nobody told me,” he tweeted, before deleting the post.

Just a few months earlier, he reacted to news the BBC was to raise the TV licence fee, prompting him to joke: “But, but I’ve just taken a pay cut.”

Tim Davie earns almost £825,000 less than Gary (Getty Images)

Gary, who also presents the BBC’s live football coverage as well as Sports Personality of the Year, first topped the list in 2017, when he was paid £1.75million, but three years later he had taken a voluntary pay cut as part of a new deal.

His reign at the top of the earnings’ list comes after he was involved in a huge controversy, which prompted other BBC hosts to go on strike after Gary was reprimanded for a post on Twitter.

Here’s the full list of BBC earners:

• Amol Rajan - £335,000-£339,999

• Mishal Husain - £315,000-£319,999

• Justin Webb - £280,000-£284,999

• Nick Robinson - £275,000-£279,999

• Martha Kearney £260,000-£264,999

• Sarah Montague - £245,000-£249,999

• Evan Davis - £280,000-£284,999

• Huw Edwards - £435,000-£439,999

• Sophie Raworth - £365,000-£369,999

• George Alagiah- £335,000-£339,999

• Clive Myrie - £285,000-£289,999

• Reeta Chakrabarti - £215,000-£219,999

• Fiona Bruce - £395,000-£399,999

• Victoria Derbyshire - £295,000-£299,999

• Kirsty Wark - £280,000-£284,999

• Charlie Stayt - £190,000-£194,999

• Jon Kay - £185,000-£189,999

• Sally Nugent - £178,000-£184,999

• Laura Kuenssberg - £305,000-£309,999

• Stephen Sackur - £190,000-£194,999

• Yalda Hakim - £178,000-£184,999

• Matthew Amroliwala - £178,000-£184,999

• Ros Atkins - £260,000 - £264,999

• Faisal Islam - £230,000 - £34,999

• Jeremy Bowen - £230,000 - £234,999

• Katya Adler - £225,000 - £229,999

• Chris Mason £223,000 - £229,999

• Sarah Smith - £220,000-£224,999

• Fergal Keane -£215,000-£219,999

• Simon Jack - £210,000-£214,999

• Lyse Doucet - £205,000-£209,999

• Mark Easton - £195,000-£199,999

• Jonny Dymond - £195,000-£199,999

• Orla Guerin - £178,000-£184,999

• John Simpson - £178,000-£184,999

• Greg James - £395,000-£399,999

• Zoe Ball - £980,000-£984,999

• Ken Bruce - £390,000-£394,999

• Steve Wright - £360,000-£364,999

• Scott Mills - £300,000-£304,999

• Jeremy Vine - £285,000-£289,999

• Sara Cox - £285,000-£289,999

• Trevor Nelson - £240,000-£244,999

• Jo Whiley - £230,000-£234,999

• Emma Barnett - £185,000-£189,999

• Nicky Campbell - £295,000-£299,999

• Rachel Burden - £195,000-£199,999

• Colin Murray - £185,000-£189,999

• Rick Edwards - £178,000-£184,999

• Lauren Laverne - £390,000-£394,999

• Craig Charles - £178,000-£184,999

• Stephen Nolan - £400,000-£404,999

• Gary Lineker - £1,350,000-£1,354,999

• Alan Shearer - £445,000-£449,999

• Jermaine Jenas - £190,000-£194,999

• Alex Scott - £185,000-£189,999

• Jonathan Agnew - £185,000-£189,999

• Michael Vaughan - £178,000-£184,999

• John McEnroe - £205,000-£209,999

• Sue Barker - £185,000-£189,999

• Mark Chapman - £325,000-£329,999

• Gabby Logan - £240,000 - £244,999

• Clare Balding £178,000 - £184,999

• Naga Munchetty - £335,000-£339,999

• Tina Daheley - £240,000-£244,999

• Jason Mohammad - £255,000-£259,999

• Louis Theroux - £200,000-£204,999

• Mary Berry - £215,000-£219,999