Huw Edwards's BBC pay increased by £40,000 last year

Previous BBC news anchor Huw Edwards, who left the BBC in April due to medical guidance, experienced a £40,000 raise in his salary last year.

Edwards was put on hold in July 2023 due to accusations in The Sun newspaper of giving money to a young individual for inappropriate photos.

The police decided not to do anything to him because they didn't have any proof that he had done something illegal.

According to the most recent annual report from the BBC, his earnings for the year 2022/2023 were in the range of £435,000 to £439,999. This increased to between £475,000 and £479,999 from April 2023 to April 2024.

Edwards continued to receive his salary while suspended, following the typical BBC protocol.

Edwards left nine months after his wife shared that he had been hospitalized for "severe mental health problems".

He was also the top earner at the company for news reporting last year.

The BBC verified that Edwards had not received any financial compensation upon his resignation.

In a speech given on Tuesday, Tim Davie, the director general of the BBC, mentioned that no one wants to spend money unnecessarily. However, it is important to respond appropriately and justly, which is what he believes the BBC did in this situation.

Before the (Edwards) story broke, individuals often receive salary increases for taking on additional responsibilities and working more hours. This is a common occurrence and is what ultimately led to the change.

Gary Lineker came in first place for the seventh year in a row.

Gary Lineker was once again named the highest-paid star at the BBC for the seventh consecutive year, making between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999 in the previous financial year.

Zoe Ball from BBC Radio 2 earned the second highest salary after the Match of the Day presenter. She made between £950,000 and £954,999, which was £30,000 less than the previous year.

Lineker's BBC duties also involve hosting broadcasts for the FA Cup final and presenting the Sports Personality of the Year awards.

As always, the BBC's yearly report doesn't give a complete view of the salaries of top presenters working at the BBC.

Many salaries of stars are not disclosed because the company is not required to share this information publicly. This includes those who are paid through BBC Studios or independent production companies.

Zoe Ball presents the Radio 2 morning show during the week.

Who's Out? Who's In?

Edwards ranked third, following BBC Radio 1 host Greg James who came in fourth, making a salary ranging from £415,000 to £419,999 (a raise of £20,000).

Radio host Stephen Nolan and Fiona Bruce, who hosts Question Time on BBC One and is the face of other BBC programs, made between £405,000 and £409,999. Fiona's work on Antiques Roadshow is not part of these earnings.

Lauren Laverne, who hosts Desert Island Discs and 6 Music, is next on the list earning between £395,000 and £399,999. Following closely behind is football presenter Alan Shearer, earning between £380,000 and £384,999. Shearer's salary decreased by £65,000 compared to last year.

BBC Breakfast and 5 Live host Naga Munchetty, along with Today host and podcast presenter Nick Robinson, each made a salary of around £345,000 to £349,000.

Robinson's pay rose by £70,000 compared to the previous year.

Munchetty and Robinson did not rank in the top 10 last year.

Sophie Raworth's ranking slipped outside of the top 10 following a decrease of £40,000 in 2022/23.

Steve Wright, who passed away in February, made between £205,000 and £209,999 for hosting Radio 2's Sunday Love Songs, Pick of the Pops, and filling in for other shows.

The study found that fewer households were paying for the license fee, including some elderly individuals over the age of 75 who do not have to pay for it. This resulted in a decrease of 500,000 households (2%).

The company also mentioned that it is now the "sole UK provider included in the top five most preferred media brands among young individuals".

It was stated that 95% of adults in the UK typically use its services monthly, however, all areas experienced a decline in viewership on platforms like the internet, television, radio, and iPlayer except for Northern Ireland.

In England, there was a decrease from 88% to 85% compared to last year. Scotland also saw a drop from 87% to 84%, and Wales saw a decrease from 91% to 90%. However, Northern Ireland experienced an increase from 84% to 86%.

In the year 2023/24, only 71% of people between the ages of 16 and 34 used the BBC on a weekly basis.

The yearly update mentioned that the BBC has reduced its workforce by 2,000 positions over the past five years, indicating a 10% decline. Additionally, it stated that another 500 roles will be eliminated by March 2026.

The blog post was released the day following the announcement from the BBC that a separate investigation into Tim Westwood's behavior during his time at Radio 1 has been finished. However, the publication of the report has been delayed because of a current police investigation.

Lawyer Gemma White KC was chosen in August 2022 to investigate the DJ's tenure at the BBC following accusations of sexual misconduct. The BBC anticipated the investigation would be completed within a six-month timeframe.

The spokesperson for Westwood has stated that they "categorically deny all claims of misconduct" and have dismissed all allegations of impropriety.

He was questioned by the Metropolitan Police after the accusations were made.

Scotland Yard stated they are currently looking into allegations of crimes that reportedly occurred from 1982 to 2016.