BBC pay: What else did we learn?

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Claudia Winkleman and Alex JonesImage source, Reuters/PA
Image caption,

Claudia Winkleman and Alex Jones are the top female earners

A day after the BBC revealed its stars' salaries, people are still talking about it.

We found out the top seven earners were all male, with the biggest hitters coming from entertainment and sport - Chris Evans, Gary Lineker and Graham Norton.

The annual report also revealed there's a gap between the pay for white stars and those from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background.

But what else did we find out?

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Rachel Burden acknowledged the many colleagues she works with earn "far, far less"

Some presenters revealed their salary unprompted

BBC Radio 5 live Breakfast's Rachel Burden, who co-presents with Nicky Campbell (who's in the £400,000 - 449,999 bracket), was under no obligation to reveal her salary as it falls below the £150,000 threshold.

But she tweeted, external: "Whilst we're in the transparency game, and for those asking, I fall in the middle of the 100-150k category.

"This is a huge amount of money for a job I love doing five days a week, and I know what a privilege it is to be able to say that.

"Also worth saying we have a brilliant team of journalists on far, far less than that who we totally rely on and I'm so grateful to them."

Political correspondent Chris Mason added, external: "Good on Rachel for volunteering this. I'll do same: I earn £60,000 as a Political Correspondent. Best job in world."

BBC Radio 4 Money Box host Paul Lewis also disclosed his earnings, saying, external: "Many of us are now doing this. Excellent. As I said some hours ago in 2016/17 I got £67,413 total BBC fees."

Dame Joan Collins doesn't think much has changed

"Oh dear only couple of actresses on BBC Rich list reminds me when John Forsythe contractually had to receive much more than me on Dynasty!" tweeted, external the veteran actress, about her time playing Alexis Carrington on the glamorous '80s soap opera.

Soaps still pay relatively well, however, with women including EastEnders' Letitia Dean on £150,000 - 199,999, along with Gillian Taylforth and Lacey Turner, as well as Holby City's Jemma Redgrave.

EastEnders' Danny Dyer and Adam Woodyatt are both on more, with £200,000 - 249,999, along with Doctor Who's Peter Capaldi, Silent Witness's Emilia Fox and Sir David Jason, who stars in Still Open All Hours.

Image source, Declan Lawn/Twitter
Image caption,

The revelations from the report prompted this tweet

Dame Joan may be pleased to note that Holby City's Amanda Mealing earns £250,000 - 299,999, with Casualty's long-serving actor Derek Thompson, who plays Charlie Fairhead, on £350,000 - 399,000.

Older, white men are highest in the pecking order

The top seven earners on the list are male, white and aged over 50.

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Vanessa Feltz is the highest-earning female radio presenter

The two women who managed to break into the top 10 earners are relative spring chickens Claudia Winkleman, who's 45, and 40-year-old Alex Jones.

Radio presenter Vanessa Feltz, 55, was outside the top 10 but she still earns £350,000 - 399,999, while Radio 6Music's Lauren Laverne, 39, is on £300,000 - 349,999.

George Alagiah and radio presenter Trevor Nelson are the joint highest BAME earners, with £250,000 - 299,999.

Lord Sugar says Gary Lineker has nothing to worry about

Match of the Day's Gary Lineker, who earns £1,750,000 - 1,799,999, joked about not earning as much as Chris Evans, external. But Lord Sugar said, external: "You should not worry. You are in a market where presenters are paid at going rates ITV CH 4 pay more than the BBC. You have shown loyalty."

Football is the most lucrative sport for presenters, with MoTD's Alan Shearer earning £400,000 - 449,999, followed by tennis, with Sue Barker on £300,000 - 349,000.

And finally... where do Ant and Dec fit into all of this?

Image source, Getty Images

Well, they've certainly done very well for themselves since they left the BBC, external in 2000. According to The Sun, external, they earned £29.5m in 12 months. This would exceed the entire bill for the 96 personalities listed in the report - whose combined salaries were £28.7m.

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