BBC gender pay gap: Chris Evans takes home five times more than top female presenter

BBC talent is back in the headlines after the broadcaster published salaries of their highest-earners on Wednesday (19 July) as part of its annual report.

However, the figures disclosed highlight the glaring disparity between the salaries of men and women, proving that the gender inequality is still thriving.

Only 34 out of the 96 names released were women, suggesting that high-profile women such as Emily Maitlis and Sarah Montague are still struggling to reach the £150K salary band.

Strictly Come Dancing's Claudia Winkleman is the only woman in the top 10 highest-earners list made up actors, presenters, journalists and panellists. However, her £450K salary is five times less than her male colleague Evans.

Meanwhile, Alex Jones, who fronts the One show, is listed as earning more than £400,000, making her the second-highest earning woman. The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg takes home between £200,000 and £249,999.

Also on the list Winkelman's Strictly co-host Tess Daly, who was in the £350,000 to £399,999 bracket, along with radio presenter Vanessa Feltz and Nick Grimshaw.

Addressing the pay gap Evans said: "I think this is the beginning of it [the gender pay gap] being redressed, I imagine. I think the most important thing is that we're the ultimate public company and therefore I think that, on balance, it's probably right and proper that people know what we get paid."

While Lineker and Norton are yet to address the gender imbalance, BBC's director general Tony Hall admitted that there was work to do to level the playing field. "On gender and diversity, the BBC is more diverse than the broadcasting industry and the Civil Service," he said. "We've made progress, but we recognise there is more to do and we are pushing further and faster than any other broadcaster."