BBC's 10 highest paid male presenters revealed amid shocking teenage photos scandal

On 7 July 2023, The Sun published an article about allegations concerning a BBC presenter. In their article, the publication said that the ‘BBC star’ was ‘taken off the air’ because of a complaint made by a mother accusing a presenter of paying a ‘teenager for sexual pictures.’

While the initial article doesn’t name who the presenter is, rumours have been flying around all weekend. BBC presenters have had to come forward themselves in order to defend their involvement in the affair. Since the news broke, the BBC announced that they were conducting an internal investigation and that the police might be involved.

In the middle of the scandal concerning one of its presenters, the salaries of the highest paid male presenters have been made public. So who is at the top?

The BBC under fire as one of their presenters is accused of paying for ‘sexual pictures’

On 7 July, The Sunreleased a shocking article alleging that a BBC presenter had been paying a teenager for ‘sexual pictures.’ We understand that the publication was approached by the mother of the tennager after she allegedly made a complain on 19 May which the BBC didn’t address.

The Sun reported what the mother of the teenager allegedly involved said:

I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life

Still according to the mother who contacted The Sun, the BBC presenter would have paid the teenager £35K for the pictures which the mother claims her child used to feed their addiction to crack cocaine.

At the moment the BBC is conducting an internal investigation and is meeting with the police on Monday 10 July. Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, called the allegations ‘astonishing’ and reprimanded the channel on its lack of quick response.

Chalk said to Sky News:

You would have expected robust action to have been taken much more quickly. I don’t know precisely what was said, and that is why there needs to be a full discussion of this in the fullness of time

While the presenter, the mother and the teenager all remain unnamed, rumours have been circulating online since the news broke. Moreover, people have expressed real concern about the BBC’s lack of promptness considering the complaint was first made in May.

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The presenter has now been ‘suspended.’

The BBC's highest paid male presenters

Amid those allegations concerning one of their presenters, the BBC presenters are under more spotlight but this time about how much they are getting paid.

A report has been released which lists the top 10 male presenters that got the most money in the past year. At the top of the list is Gary Lineker. According to Yorkshire Live this is the fifth year in a row that he is at the top of that list. Lineker’s salary last year was £1.35 million.

The amount places him far ahead of the other two presenters that make the top 3.

Tied at number 2 are Alan Shearer and Steve Wright who respectively earned between £450K and £454K. Finally, at number three we have Stephen Nolan with a salary between £415K and £419K.

While the salaries are interesting, the scandal currently unfolding at the BBC has taken precedent. However, some people online are still questioning the amounts these presenters are making. One user tweeted:

When the name of the #bbcpresenter is revealed, hopefully we can focus on the really scandalous thing, the size of their salary.

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While another said:

All these BBC salaries are obscene!

Morever, the salaries have been used to feed the rumours as people are comparing the alleged price the presenter would have paid the teenager and the amount they could have earned.

The investigation is still ongoing but several BBC presenters have denied being the one in question. Among the BBC presenters who denied the allegations are Gary Lineker and Rylan.

Sources:

Yorkshire Live: Top 10 male BBC star salaries from Gary Lineker to Huw Edwards and Scott Mills

The Guardian: Minister says BBC may be investigated over handling of allegations against presenter

The Sun: Top BBC star taken off air after ‘paying teenager for sexual pictures’

BBC: BBC presenter: Corporation in touch with police over explicit photo allegations

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