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.
The 62-year-old, who hosts Match of the Day on BBC One, earns up to £1.35million per year, whereas 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.
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.”
Gary’s Match of the Day co-hosts are some of the highest paid sports’ presenters at the broadcaster, with Alan Shearer raking in almost £450,000, while Jermaine Jenas earns over £190,000.
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.
In March, he said the Government's wording of their new immigration policy was “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”, which triggered national debate and a crisis at the broadcaster.
He refused to retract his tweet, and was suspended by the BBC, which led to a mass walkout of other high-profile stars, including his MOTD co-host Alan Shearer, as well as Alex Scott.
Gary reached a deal with boss Tim, and was back on the air, and he admitted he was relieved to put the controversy behind him.
“To be fair to Tim Davie, he admitted they had got it wrong and sorted it out. I love the BBC and I was very glad to be back on air and talking about football again,” he told Mens’ Health magazine.
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
