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BBC stars told to expect 40 per cent salary cuts
Terry Kirby10.06.09
Dozens of BBC stars have been warned by the Corporation to expect large cuts in their salaries, it was disclosed today.
Around a hundred, including Jeremy Clarkson, Terry Wogan, Jo Brand, Lenny Henry, Bruce Forsyth and John Inverdale, were summoned to Television Centre on Monday night for a meeting with director-general Mark Thompson which was described as a "wake-up call" to those negotiating contracts in coming months.
The mood in the room was described as "grim".
Corporation sources say those on the very highest salaries are likely to face cuts of up to 40 per cent, while those earning about £100,000 would see their pay reduced by about 25 per cent.
The meeting followed warnings by senior BBC figures that cutbacks would have to be made due to public outrage at salary excesses and the wider economic climate.
Last week BBC 1 Controller Jay Hunt signalled that Jonathan Ross's reported £6million-a-year contract was "not immune" although the Corporation has not confirmed speculation it could be halved.
Two days later, the Commons public accounts committee attacked high pay levels for BBC presenters, as well as the secrecy that surrounds their contracts.
Also present on Monday to hear Mr Thompson spell out the BBC's difficult financial position were Alan Yentob, the BBC's creative director, and Jana Bennett, the director of BBC Vision.
Ross and two other highly paid presenters, Graham Norton and Radio One's Chris Moyles, were not.
There was said to have been a mood of resignation among the stars.
One was quoted as saying: "Some of us are in very difficult contract renegotiations right now. No one was left in any doubt what they were getting at."
Another said it was "churlish" to moan, adding: "Many people will take the line: 'Keep me on, I'll take a pay cut to keep up my public profile. The thing is that no one is on the breadline."
A BBC spokesman said today: "No organisation is immune from the economic climate and we have to find substantial savings. Talent fees are not excluded from the economic pressures faced across the organisation."
In March, Mr Thompson warned staff the Corporation had to find £400million in budget cuts over the next three years or risk breaching its statutory borrowing limit.
The BBC has cut 7,200 jobs over the past four and a half years.
Reader views (20)
It is an insult to viewers to refer to these presenters as "talent". Talented they are not. The odious Ross has dragged the BBC down to gutter level and is the main reason I did not renew my licence this year.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
When will the licence fee be cut - even a 40% cut would be a start for the cash strapped UK taxpayer.
- Taxfreetv, London
If we cut wages too much our young people won't have anything to aspire to.
- Gwaddilove, London..England
A tiny bit of light fights to break through the darkness.
- Trunk, US
Oh Darlings, I love you all especially the Governors of the Beeb. No matter how lovely are all the Lovelies, are they really worth millions of pounds? Course not, they just got lucky for a while. Thanks to the TV licence fee payers.
- Nick Cotton, West Sussex UK
You refer to there being a 'mood of resignation'. How realistic is that? If they resign from the BBC, where else can they go? ITV is not going to be an alternative because they have bigger financial problems than the BBC. They also need to remind themselves that viewers have short memories; these artists are only 'names' today because they are regularly seen or heard on either
TV or radio. Take that away from them and they very quickly become non-persons.
- Geoffrey Speller, Altrincham, UK
Only 40%, they will still be grossly overpaid.
- Anthony, London Borough of Waltham Forest.
I thought Wossy only got a 3m paycut - so max 17% ??? Why is he STILL getting special treatment?
- Marianne, SW France/London
People like Clarkson and Wogan do not need to take a pay cut. They can negotiate with ITV to maintain their pay. If no other broadcaster will meet their demands then the market suggests they are being over paid.
- David Burns, Beckenham
i am sending the 'poor' celebs at least ten per cent of my salary..they are important and need the money..sarcasm?..you cant beat it!!
- Jonnie Of Brixton, brixton,london,england
"BBC stars told to expect 40 per cent salary cuts" - BBC Managers told to expect salaries and bonuses. Public told to expect above-inflation license fee increase.
- Clovis, London
Its funny how even the BBC are using the economic climate to cut salaries. As far as I know they are funded via TV Licenses?? And we are all still paying!
- Marko, London
not a moment too soon, talent has been far outweighed by ego for some considerable time and none are worth a fraction of what they have been given thus far.
should they consider otherwise, then it is well time to move on, see if any other institution is daft enough to cough up what these 'stars' deem they are worth and then ruminate on their circumstance.
meanwhile the great unwashed will have quietly forgotten about them, as they have always done to past 'mega stars'
and new talent will have been given the opportunity to shine and fill the vacancies left by yesterdays egos.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
EXCEPT FOR THE ORDINARY STAFF SHOULD BE AT LEAST 60% CUT FOR SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS AND PRESENTERS . THEY WOULD BE STILL AMOUNG THE HIGHEST EARNERS IN THE LAND.
- Alan Green, Woodford Green
I endorse the reply of James Fennessey of London.
Spot on James.......Mick.
- Mickyinlondon, london
The BBC is a waist of Taxpayers money to the CLUB if ever there was one.
- A.Txpayer, London
Can somebody please make sure the word 'Stars' is correctly used? The trash we have to watch surely the more correct work 'freak' should be used?
The Americans produce Trash-TV while we British produce Freak-Shows!
- Joe, Thornton Heath, UK
Sorry Jo Brand!!! is that the best they can do for females?
- Gary, Brentwood 2
And of course the trough-feeding, Armani-clad 'managers" will be taking a pay cut too. Not bloody likely! People like Clarkson and the pre-2009 Eurovision Wogan are worth every penny they get.
- A. Cameron, Liege, Belgium
about time to the bbc have got away with murder for years paying extortionate pay rates to awful so called celebrities the licence fee should be scrapped this undemocratic fee should be abolished handinf out the publics hard earned money like it was confettie is a national scandal .
- James Fennessey, london
