BBC salaries annual report: The stars who have had a pay cut in the last year

The BBC has released its top salaries for those earning more than £178,000, tracking the annual salaries of its biggest earners.

That includes many household names, with Gary Lineker, who recently left his role on Match of the Day, topping the list with an annual salary of £1,350,000.

The BBC acknowledged that some celebrities like Michael McIntyre and Claudia Winkleman aren’t included on the list because the company does not have to disclose the salaries of any stars paid by production companies like BBC Studios.

This is because such companies are commercial entities, rather than being funded by public license fees like the BBC itself.

While the majority of BBC presenters like Greg James, Stephen Nolan, and Fiona Bruce, have seen their pay go up, nine have seen pay cuts this year. Here’s a closer look at some of the stars with less money in their pocket from the BBC in the financial year 2023/24, compared to 2022/23.

Zoe Ball

Zoe Ball presenting a concert in front of more than 12,000 people (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

Known for her titular radio show, Radio 2's Zoe Ball Breakfast Show, Ball is paid £950,000, a £30,000 decrease from the year before.

In fact, her salary has been diminishing for the last few years, having remained the same between 2021 and 2023, but dropping from £1,130,000 in the financial year 2020/21.

Alan Shearer

Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and David Moyes take part in The Rest Is Football live show, at the Audley Public House in Mayfair, central London (Ben Whitley/PA) (PA Wire)

Also a star on Match of the Day, Alan Shearer earns almost a million pounds less than his colleague, Gary Lineker.

At £380,000, down from £445,000, Shearer is £65,000 worse off in his BBC salary this year.

Sophie Raworth

(PA)

You’ll recognise Sophie Raworth from BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten, for which she earns a tidy £325,000.

That’s down £40,000 from last year, but still £20,000 more than her salary in 2021/2022.

Amol Rajan

University Challenge’s Amol Rajan went viral on social media for his response to a question on the show (Lifted Entertainment/ Ric Lowe)

Amol Rajan appears on a number of BBC titles, including Radio 4's Today programme, Amol Rajan Interviews, Radio 4’s Rethink, and The Today Podcast.

He just makes the top 20 earners, with a salary of £310,000, down from £335,000 the year before.

Kirsty Wark

Kirsty Wark with the Bafta Fellowship (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

Bafta winner Kirsty Wark earns a cool £250,000, a £30,000 decrease from the year before for her work on BBC Two's Newsnight, Radio 4's Start the Week, Lives Well Lived documentary, and Archive on Four.

She’s almost back to her 2021/2022 salary of £245,000 – although just about staying ahead.

Jason Mohammad

(BBC)

Trailing just behind, Jazon Mohammed earns £245,000, known for appearing on the Daily BBC Wales programme, Final Score, and Radio 2's Good Morning Sunday.

His earnings are down £10,000 from last year, which was in turn down a further £30,000 from the year before.

Trevor Nelson

Trevor Nelson will replace Scott Mills (BBC/PA)

With radio shows on Radio 2 and 1Xtra, Trevor Nelson is a familiar voice on the BBC’s airwaves.

He takes home £235,000, £5,000 less than the year before – but still £25,000 more than his salary in 2021/22.

Martha Kearney

(BBC/ITN Productions/Rosie Collins)

Another radio star, Martha Kearney, earns £225,000, down from £260,000 last year.

In fact, this is the lowest Kearney has been paid since 2020, with past salaries of £255,000 in 2021/22 and £250,000 in 2020/21.

Steve Wright

DJ Steve Wright who died from a ruptured ulcer in his stomach, according to his death certificate (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

The late Steve Wright, who passed away on February 12, 2024, was creating radio shows right up until the day before he died.

He was earning £205,000 before his death, down from £360,000 the year before.