BBC boss defends Huw Edwards’ salary and £40k pay rise despite presenter spending nine months off-air
BBC boss Tim Davie has defended Huw Edwards’ salary and his £40,000 payrise despite his time off-air.
Edwards, who quit the BBC after 40 years in April, was listed as earning £475,000 – £479,999 – a rise from the £435,000 – £439,999 bracket a year earlier.
This is despite the newsreader having been suspended on full pay over allegations he paid £35,000 to a young person who sent him explicit images.
The BBC’s annual salary report covers the period from April 2023 to March 31, 2024.
This means Edwards received the salary despite being off-air from July 2023. He officially parted ways with the Beeb in April.
Beeb boss Davie defended the £40,000 payrise – saying the star’s salary had been managed “proportionally and fairly”.
The channel’s Director-General also said there was no settlement.
Davie said: “We’re always trying to be very judicious with the spending of public money, and no one wants to waste a pound.
“But what you’re trying to do, and from the onset of that affair, was trying to act proportionally, fairly, and navigate this appropriately. I think that’s what we did.
“And it ended up in the conclusion we all know, but I think we wouldn’t have wasted money if we weren’t doing the right thing.”
The Beeb boss continued: “I wouldn’t go into the specifics of the individual case.
“In terms of the increase in pay, prior to any breaking of the story, you know, people do get, as you’ll have seen, overall our pay progress is pretty good.
“It’s well underneath the collection generally.
“But people on the list would be getting pay rises for extended responsibility and actually if they’re doing more hours work.
“So that is fairly normal business and that’s what would result in a change.”
Edwards went off air after the Sun exclusively revealed a high-profile star had paid a teenager £35,000 and received sexually explicit images.
His wife Vicky Flind then confirmed the revelations referred to him, and said he was receiving hospital treatment for depression.
Edwards was subsequently suspended on full pay by the broadcaster and in April this year he formally resigned.
The BBC's top 10 earners 2023/24
- Gary Lineker, £1,350,000 – £1,354,999
- Zoe Ball, £950,000 – £954,999
- Huw Edwards, £475,000 – £479,999
- Greg James, £415,000 – £419,999
- Fiona Bruce, £405,000 – £409,999
- Stephen Nolan, £405,000 – £409,999
- Lauren Laverne, £395,000 – £399,999
- Alan Shearer, £380,000 – £384,999
- Nick Robinson, £345,000 – £349,999
- Naga Munchetty, £345,000 – £349,999
Edwards is named as the Beeb’s highest paid newsreader as well as its third biggest earner behind Match of the Day host Gary Lineker and Radio 2 Breakfast Show host Zoe Ball.
Match of the Day presenter Gary, 63, remains top of the list having stayed within the same bracket of £1,350,000 – £1,354,999.
He is followed by Radio 2 host Zoe, although she took a slight cut. Her salary now falls in the bracket £950,000 – £954,999, down from £980,000 – £984,999.
Look, we’re always trying to be very judicious with the spending of public money, and no one wants to waste a pound.
Tim Davie
Radio 1 breakfast host Greg James is the fourth-highest earner with £415,000 – £419,999, up from £395,000 – £399,999.
Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce received a jump in pay to £405,000 – £409,999, up from £395,000 – £399,999.
Beeb boss Tim Davie's statement in full:
“There was no settlement, we’ve said that before, no settlement payment, so just to confirm that. I’m not going to get into who’s spoken to who.
“I think that’s inappropriate with an individual case like this. Look, we’re always trying to be very judicious with the spending of public money, and no one wants to waste a pound.
“But what you’re trying to do, and from the onset of that affair, was trying to act proportionally, fairly, and navigate this appropriately . I think that’s what we did.
“And it ended up in the conclusion we all know, but I think we wouldn’t have wasted money if we weren’t doing the right thing.
“And I think sometimes many people on this call will be in organisations and you’re making calls on what’s the right and appropriate process with regard to paying someone while you’re working out an outcome for something.
“So, I wouldn’t go into the specifics of the individual case. In terms of the increase in pay, prior to any breaking of the story, you know, people do get, as you’ll have seen, overall our pay progress is pretty good.
“It’s well underneath the collection generally. But people on the list would be getting pay rises for extended responsibility and actually if they’re doing more hours work.
“So that is fairly normal business and that’s what would result in a change.”
Radio 5 Live presenter Stephen Nolan is next on the list, earning between £405,000 – £409,999, a slight bump from the £400,000 – £404,999 he earned the previous year.
BBC 6 Music and Desert Island Discs host Lauren Laverne overtook Lineker’s Match of the Day colleague Alan Shearer to become the fifth-highest paid star, earning £395,000 – £399,999.
Ex-footballer Shearer, meanwhile, was paid £380,000 – £384,999, a significant pay cut from the £445,000 – £449,999 he earned the previous year.
Four women make up the top 10, the same as last year, with Naga Munchetty replacing Sophie Raworth.