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BBC star salaries have been revealed and the lack of diversity among top earners is staggering.

Today the BBC has published the salaries for its staff earning over £150,000 per year. The figures highlight that there is still a long way to go in terms of diversity and equal pay.

The top seven on-air earners are all white men. Radio 2 host Chris Evans is the highest earner making between £2.2 million and £2.35 million per year. Next is Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker who earns between £1.75 million and £1,799,999. Graham Norton is the third highest paid star, on a salary of between £850,000 and £899,999. Despite an out gay presenter making the top three earners, other data shows worrying signs for diversity.

Where are the women? Where are the people of colour? There isn’t a woman in sight until we reach Strictly host Claudia Winkleman at number eight, who earns between £450,000 and £499,999. And while Lineker takes home between £1.75 million and £1,799,999, presenter Clare Balding earns a comparatively paltry £150,000 to £199,999.

Looking at the top 20 earners, only five are female and not one is of black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) descent.

DJ Trevor Nelson, newsreader George Alagiah and Radio Wales presenter Jason Mohammad are the highest paid BAME on-air stars, all earning between £250,000 and £299,999.

The highest paid BAME woman is newsreader Mishal Husain, with a salary of between £200,000 and £249,999.

The BBC is now facing criticism for the lack of diversity among its top earners.

BBC Director General Tony Hall insisted the corporation is “more diverse than the broadcasting industry and the civil service” in general.

Speaking about the gender pay gap, he added:

“We’ve set a clear target for 2020: we want all our lead and presenting roles to be equally divided between men and women. And it’s already having an impact. If you look at those on the list who we have hired or promoted in the last three years, 60% are women and nearly a fifth come from a BAME background. Meeting our goal on this is going to have a profound impact not just in the BBC, but the whole media industry. It’s going to change the market for talent in this country”.

He did admit that there is “more to do” to achieve equality and diversity at the BBC.

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