
Gary Lineker named BBC's highest earner for the final time
Radio presenter Zoe Ball was the second highest-paid, earning between £515,000 and £519,999, for her work on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, which she left on December 20 last year.
Ball has since returned to a new Saturday afternoon show on the station, which she began hosting in May 2025.
Match Of The Day pundit Alan Shearer was the third-highest earner with a salary of between £440,000 and £444,999.
The former Newcastle United striker will continue to analyse football on the BBC in the new season with Match Of The Day's incoming presenters Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan.
His pay also covered work on the BBC's coverage of European football competitions, such as the Uefa Champions League.
BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenter Greg James came fourth on the list, earning between £425,000 and £429,999, for work which also included his Radio 4 show Rewinder, while Fiona Bruce and Nick Robinson were the joint fifth-highest earners, with both earning between £410,000 and £414,999.
Bruce's pay covered her work on Question Time and other presenting work on BBC One and coverage of the UK general election, while Robinson's included his presenting work, Political Thinking and Today podcasts, and his work covering the UK general election.
The publication of salaries comes after former England striker Lineker left his presenting role earlier than planned following a social media row after he shared a post about Zionism which featured a depiction of a rat, historically an antisemitic insult.
Lineker issued an unreserved apology for the incident, and will no longer front the BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup next season.
The rest of the top 10 was made up of BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Stephen Nolan, who earned between £405,000 and £409,999, TV presenter Laura Kuenssberg, who earned between £395,000 and £399,999, BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay, who earned between £390,000 and £394,999, and journalist Justin Webb, who earned between £365,000 and £369,999.
The annual report and salary reveal comes as the BBC has made headlines over its coverage of the Glastonbury Festival, the Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary, and a report into Gregg Wallace's behaviour on MasterChef.
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RTÉ News
23 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
MasterChef series filmed last year to be broadcast in August, says BBC
An upcoming series of MasterChef that was filmed last year before allegations against presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode were upheld will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Wednesday 6 August. Both MasterChef presenters will feature in the upcoming series, but the edit will be looked at in light of the findings, with focus being given to the contestants, the PA news agency understands. A decision on airing the celebrity series and Christmas special has not been decided. Plans for those shows will be confirmed later in the year, the BBC said. A BBC spokesperson said: "After careful consideration and consultation with the contestants, we have decided to broadcast the amateur series of MasterChef on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 6 August. " MasterChef is an amazing competition, which is life-changing for the amateur chefs taking part. The focus of it has always been their skill and their journey. "This has not been an easy decision in the circumstances, and we appreciate not everyone will agree with it. In showing the series, which was filmed last year, it in no way diminishes our view of the seriousness of the upheld findings against both presenters. We have been very clear on the standards of behaviour that we expect of those who work at the BBC or on shows made for the BBC. "However, we believe that broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process. We want them to be properly recognised and give the audience the choice to watch the series. "At this stage, we have not taken a decision on the celebrity series and Christmas special, which was filmed earlier this year, and we will confirm our plans later in the year. "Most importantly, MasterChef is a brilliant, much-loved programme, which is bigger than any one individual. There are many talented, dedicated, and hard-working people who make the show what it is. It will continue to flourish on the BBC, and we look forward to it returning stronger than ever in the future." The statement followed news last week that John Torode's contract on MasterChef would not be renewed, as confirmed by the BBC and production company Banijay UK. Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Gregg Wallace. Torode said he had "no recollection of the incident" and was "shocked and saddened" by the allegation. In November 2024, the show's production company, Banijay UK, announced Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated. The sacked Wallace issued an apology, saying he is "deeply sorry for any distress caused" and that he "never set out to harm or humiliate" in the wake of a report that saw 45 out of 83 allegations made against him upheld. It concluded that the "majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour", adding that "a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated", with "one incident of unwelcome physical contact" also substantiated. Torode began presenting the BBC cooking contest alongside Wallace in 2005.


The Irish Sun
23 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
EastEnders fans slam ‘worst storyline in soap history' as they claim it ‘didn't need' to happen
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Sunday World
43 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Drug mule Michaella McCollum set to star on new series of reality show
Michaella McCollum will join the new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins on Channel 4 Michaella McCollum is set to appear on the new series of a Channel 4 reality TV series. McCollum, who made headlines in 2013 after being imprisoned in Peru for drug smuggling charges, will join the likes of Traitors winner Harry Clark, Sir David Beckam's former assistant Rebecca Loos, and ex-Premier League footballer Troy Deeney, as they are pushed to their limits as they join the new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Michaella McCollum (Photo by Presseye) The reality spin-off series will follow 14 famous faces – which also includes professional boxer Conor Benn, S Club star Hannah Spearritt and the first celebrity deaf recruit, former Love Island contestant Tasha Ghouri – as they endure special forces training in an attempt to make it through SAS selection. The 2025 line-up includes celebrities from across industries such as former soldier Clark, dancer Louie Spence and former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan. McCollum, now known as one of the 'Peru Two', will also join up with Loos, who claimed that she had an affair with David Beckham. Troy Deeney (Richard Sellers/PA) Former Watford player Deeney also joins the line-up and said: 'I'm at a crossroads in my life, so I'm hoping the course can highlight the good and bad in me and hopefully we'll see at the end, that the good outweighs the bad. 'I'm sure the DS (directing staff) will get me irritated very quickly, but they will also know how to nurture and to reshape and probably help me along the way.' Group shot of all recruits lined up on beach (Channel 4/PA) News in 90 Seconds - July 23rd Deeney will be joined by former footballer and broadcaster Adebayo 'The Beast' Akinfenwa, along with a few Love Island veterans including Chloe Burrows (series seven) Adam Collard (series four and eight) and Ghouri (series eight). Ghouri, who was born deaf, said: 'I'm very excited to actually take on the course and just go for it, push myself and really challenge myself. 'I also want to show people that having a disability makes you no less able – we can also push ourselves, and do crazy challenges if we put our mind to it.' Tasha Ghouri (Alamy/PA) The line-up is completed with musician Lady Leshurr and drag artist and DJ Bimini, who said: 'People in the UK love to debate gender like it's a concept, not a lived experience. It gets reduced to headlines and toilet talk. I'm doing this to remind them that behind every opinion is a human being. 'The course, the SAS and the Army have got a very masculine stereotype and I've got both elements of masculine and feminine and that's my superpower. Vulnerable, raw, and stronger than ever.' Michaella McCollum escorted in handcuffs by police following her arrest The celebrities will be taken to Wales where they will immerse themselves in special forces training, led by chief instructor Billy Billingham and his team of directing staff (DS) which includes Jason Fox or 'Foxy', Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver. Billingham said: 'This course is not an attendance course, the bar is set high and will not waiver. 'Every recruit is a volunteer who chose to step into our arena. Although many will start, very few will finish and even less will pass. This is not for the weak minded or faint hearted.' Airing across eight one-hour episodes, the seventh series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins will be available to watch on Channel 4 every Sunday and Monday from 9pm starting on August 3.