The BBC’s male presenters could face a pay cut in a bid to close the gender pay gap.
The organisation’s highest paid stars could be asked to take a pay cut, as the BBC pledges to close their gender pay gap.
The news comes after the BBC released the salaries of its employees earning over £150,000 a year.
The report revealed a large pay gap between its male and female stars, with only a third of women appearing on the top earners list.
Claudia Winkleman is the highest paid woman, earning £450,000; while Chris Evans is the highest paid man, earning £2.2 million.
The list comprises of 96 stars who earn over £150,000 a year. Of the 96, 62 are male and just 34 are female.
Within the top ten highest-earning stars, only three are women – Winkleman; newsreader Fiona Bruce, who earns over £350,000; and Alex Jones, who earns over £400,000.
Speaking on BBC’s Newsnight programme, the organisation’s director of radio and education, James Purnell said, “Quite a lot of men have been taking pay cuts; John Humphrys said that today on air.”
When asked if he expected more male stars to take cuts, Purnell said, “I’m not going to start negotiating live on air, but that’s clearly one of the levers we can pull, and we have been doing that.”
The BBC has faced widespread criticism for its gender inequality. Social media has voiced many people’s concerns over the pay gap, with #NotOnTheList and #GenderPayGap trending on Twitter.
Speaking on LBC, Theresa May said, “We’ve seen the way the BBC is paying women less for doing the same job…I want women to be paid equally.”
However, the BBC have defended the wages of its stars, with BBC director general Tony Hall saying, “Chris Evans is presenting the most popular show on the most popular radio network in Europe.”
“The BBC does not exist in a market on its own where it can set the market rates.”
“If we are to give the public what they want, then we have to pay for those great presenters and stars.”
