BBC Rich List 2025: Here are the 15 biggest earners at the Beeb according to latest figures
But it will be the last time the former professional footballer will appear on the list, as he has now left the BBC following a string of controversies.
He was paid more than double the salary of second placed DJ Zoe Ball, who left her BBC Radio 2 three quarters of the way through the financial year before returning to present a Saturday show in May.
Of the 20 highest earners 13 are men and seven women, while 11 were involved in news and political coverage.
It should be noted that the list doesn't tell the whole story, as the BBC doesn't need to make public the salaries of those paid through independent production companies ot through its BBC Studios commercial arm.
It means the likes of comedian Michael McIntyre , The One Show's Alex Jones, music presenter Jools Holland, Pointless host Alexander Armstrong, and stars of shows including Eastenders and Doctor Who are not included - despite being probable high earners.
The figures we are using are the salary brackets the BBC employees fall into, spanning £4,999 of earnings.
Here are the 15 stars that took home the most in 2024/25.
1 . Gary Lineker
Sports prenter and former English footballer Gary Lineker remains the BBC's top earner by quite some distance. He took home over £1,350,000 in 2024/25 for hosting the likes of Match Of The Day, BBC Sports Personality Of The Year, and FA Cup coverage. He earned the same amount in the previous three years. This will be the last year he wall appear on the list, having 'stepped back' from presenting for the BBC. | Getty Images for Premier League Photo Sales
2 . Zoe Ball
BBC Radio 2 breakfast show host Zoe Ball is the corporation's highest paid female star with a salary of £515,000 - £519,999 -despite leaving the corporation half way through the year. Last year, she was paid £950,000-£954,999. | Getty Images Photo Sales
3 . Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer was paid £440,000 - £444,999 for football punditry on Match of the Day. That's up from £380,000 - £384,999 last year. | Getty Images Photo Sales
4 . Greg James
Radio 1 Breakfast Show Greg James was paid £425,000 - £429,999 in 2024/25. That's a £10,000 increase on the year before. | Getty Images Photo Sales
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
13 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Fans stunned as THREE Destination X contestants are immediately axed in brutal opening twist
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TV FANS were left feeling stunned as three Destination X contestants were immediately axed in a brutal opening twist. Forget Barry Island, Rob Brydon has set off on a new adventure – this time to Destination X. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 TV fans were left feeling stunned as three Destination X contestants were immediately axed in a brutal opening twist. 3 Chloe-Anne, Claire and Ashvin were axed from the show in a shock twist 3 Only ten of the thirteen players were able to gain boarding passes for the game Destination X is a show based on a Belgian series, which sees contestants sent to a random destination before they have to try and work out where they are. They all travel on a blacked out bus and will have to take on challenges and games along the way which will give them clues as to where they are. At the end of each episode the contestant who places an X on the map the furthest away from their actual destination will be sent packing. It is a promising cross between The Traitors and Race Across The World, which each command six million viewers and the BBC has invested millions in the show. In tonight's launch, a group of thirteen travellers met each other at a busy airport. But there was a shock twist in store - only 10 players would make it through to continue the game. Host Rob called the players towards him and said: "The game is observation, deduction and alliance building. "And all the time you should have one question in mind - Where in the world am I?" He added: "There are 13 of you in front of me but only ten of you will be progressing beyond these doors. "There are numerous suitcases strewn around, I would like you each to bring me one that weighs the maximum hand baggage allowance of 10kg." Destination X tipped to be BBC's new reality show which is 'better than The Traitors' The contestants scrambled about to weigh various suitcases and chaos reigned as clothes were discarded from pieces of luggage. Rob then remarked that only the first six people would be given an exclusive lounge access card. Once six had been successful, Rob then told the remaining contestants that only another 4 would go through and that three would go home. The first four of them to bring him a trinket or souvenir from one of the passengers previously mentioned at the airport - would be their key to a boarding pass. As the contestants searched keyrings, mugs, and gifts in the airport and tried to remember the passenger names - the pressure was on. Until, Retired Detective Sergeant Claire, Economics Graduate Ashvin and Historian Chloe-Anne were left waiting behind. Rob said: "Claire, Ashvin and Chloe-Anne, I'm afraid it's goodbye. Please leave the airport." Then he added: "Well that doesn't feel nice." Fans of the show flocked to social media and one wrote: "We can't lose the retired detective so early on?!" Another added: "Hate early eliminations in games like this - all the players will have taken time out of their lives to play, seems harsh to boot them day one. "Unless there's a twist involving the players removed." "3 gone already? Damn," stated another viewer. While a fourth said: "They're going to do a traitors and bring those 3 back aren't they?" "This is a perfect mix of The Traitors, Coach Trip and Race Across The World," said another fan. "Very harsh twist," added another fan of the show. Destination X airs Wednesday and Thursday's at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fans stunned as THREE Destination X contestants are immediately axed in brutal opening twist
TV FANS were left feeling stunned as three Destination X contestants were immediately axed in a brutal opening twist. Forget Barry Island, Rob Brydon has set off on a new adventure – this time to Destination X. 3 3 3 Destination X is a show based on a Belgian series, which sees contestants sent to a random destination before they have to try and work out where they are. They all travel on a blacked out bus and will have to take on challenges and games along the way which will give them clues as to where they are. At the end of each episode the contestant who places an X on the map the furthest away from their actual destination will be sent packing. It is a promising cross between The Traitors and Race Across The World, which each command six million viewers and the BBC has invested millions in the show. In tonight's launch, a group of thirteen travellers met each other at a busy airport. But there was a shock twist in store - only 10 players would make it through to continue the game. Host Rob called the players towards him and said: "The game is observation, deduction and alliance building. "And all the time you should have one question in mind - Where in the world am I?" He added: "There are 13 of you in front of me but only ten of you will be progressing beyond these doors. "There are numerous suitcases strewn around, I would like you each to bring me one that weighs the maximum hand baggage allowance of 10kg." The contestants scrambled about to weigh various suitcases and chaos reigned as clothes were discarded from pieces of luggage. Rob then remarked that only the first six people would be given an exclusive lounge access card. Once six had been successful, Rob then told the remaining contestants that only another 4 would go through and that three would go home. The first four of them to bring him a trinket or souvenir from one of the passengers previously mentioned at the airport - would be their key to a boarding pass. As the contestants searched keyrings, mugs, and gifts in the airport and tried to remember the passenger names - the pressure was on. Until, Retired Detective Sergeant Claire, Economics Graduate Ashvin and Historian Chloe-Anne were left waiting behind. Rob said: "Claire, Ashvin and Chloe-Anne, I'm afraid it's goodbye. Please leave the airport." Then he added: "Well that doesn't feel nice." Fans of the show flocked to social media and one wrote: "We can't lose the retired detective so early on?!" Another added: "Hate early eliminations in games like this - all the players will have taken time out of their lives to play, seems harsh to boot them day one. "Unless there's a twist involving the players removed." "3 gone already? Damn," stated another viewer. "This is a perfect mix of The Traitors, Coach Trip and ," said another fan. "Very harsh twist," added another fan of the show.
Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Without hesitation as the whistle blows... The wit, wisdom and epitaph of a comic genius: CRAIG BROWN
When is a comedy not a comedy? Perhaps when it involves Radio 4's quiz show Just A Minute and the incomparable Kenneth Williams. As I explained on Tuesday, I am addicted to the website which offers complete transcripts of every episode of the show, dating back to the 1960s. On one episode, broadcast on January 20, 1976, Williams had to speak on the subject of 'When It Is My Go'. He used the topic to round on his fellow panellists. 'When it is my go,' he began, 'I should be allowed to get under way properly and not be interfered with by pygmy-like minutiae and rubbish from other people... 'Get out, you old gasbag!' and rudeness! Whereas I, used to the cloistered world, or groves of academe, as they are sometimes called, should proceed evenly and calmly through life on some vast panopoly. Silken gowns and beauty, noise. No ugly chants. No discord shall interrupt!' At this point, he accused his fellow panellists of failing to interrupt for sly reasons of their own. 'Oh, I realise I'm being set up rotten!' he continued. 'They've all just decided . . .' But then the whistle went: he had completed the minute, without hesitation, deviation or repetition. However, instead of being triumphant, he was wary, complaining. 'They just sat there with no intention of pressing their buttons… I could see what they were doing: give him enough rope and he'll hang himself!' Throughout his life as a comic, Kenneth Williams worried that audiences were laughing at him rather than with him. His diaries form a record of extravagant exhibitionism juxtaposed with intense self-loathing. They often seem to echo the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who wrote in his 1836 journal: 'I have just returned from a party of which I was the life and soul; wit poured from my lips, everyone laughed and admired me, but I went away – and wanted to shoot myself.' On another episode, Williams expatiated on the subject of 'Wellies'. 'The other use to which they could be put is shoved under a drainpipe and thus you collect water which in these times of emergency . . .' he began. A buzzer went. The actor Alfred Marks was challenging him. 'I don't know of many drainpipes that would take a full-sized welly,' said Marks. Williams erupted with what appeared to be genuine fury. 'I don't care what drainpipes you're familiar with, mate! You don't know anything about drainpipes! You've never been round my place! What a nerve! Sitting there pontificating about drainpipes! You know nothing about them! What do you know about plumbing! You couldn't even change a washer! 'Look at him! He's gone white! He sits there – what a nerve! You've interrupted one of our great pundits! I know more about plumbing than you've had hot dinners!' At this point, panellist Peter Jones interjected: 'You've touched on a very sensitive area there, Alfred!' 'How dare you!' retorted Williams. Another time, he was asked to speak on 'My Other Self'. 'It is the side of me few people ever see,' he said. 'I closely guard this private person because all of us do cherish some secret feeling which we feel, if it were to be betrayed… 'It was Emerson, I believe, who said we have as many personalities as we have friends. Mine consequently are varied and extraordinary. Many times, people say, 'Well, we saw a side of you we didn't know existed! How won-derful it was to have the curtain or the veil, as it were, lifted on your pro-cliv-ities!'' There were roars of laughter but, once again, the private man had unwittingly revealed his vulnerability. Williams did have many personalities: in his private diary he would often employ five or six entirely different styles of handwriting. And most of his personalities were tormented. In February 1976, asked to speak on 'My Epitaph', he quoted – or slightly misquoted – these lines from Gray's Elegy: Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth A youth to fortune and to fame well known And talent smiled upon his humble birth, But melancholy claimed him for her own.
