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Top BBC journalists’ external moonlight earnings have been revealed

Some BBC stars earned as much as £10,000 for single paid events

Peony Hirwani
Friday 11 February 2022 11:37 GMT
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Details of how much money the BBC’s top journalists made in moonlight earnings last year have been revealed.

According to The Times, the company’s highest paid journalists accepted a total of 480 jobs last year, which included giving speeches and appearing on non-BBC shows.

The broadcaster, which shares its journalists’ quarterly earnings every year, revealed that some BBC stars earned as much as £10,000 for single paid events.

Emily Maitlis, who is the lead anchor of BBC Two’s news and current affairs programme Newsnight, is believed to have earned more than £40,000 for her external events, on top of her £325,000 BBC salary.

BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, who is paid over £255,000 a year, could have also taken home more than £50,000 on top of her salary.

Clive Myrie and Dan Walker could have earned more than £10,000 and £15,00, respectively, in external earnings on top of their £205,000 and £295,000 BBC salaries.

BBC’s Dan Walker and Clive Myrie
BBC’s Dan Walker and Clive Myrie (Getty Images)

Walker was paid more than £5,000 in January 2021 to work as a moderator for St James’ Place Management.

The presenter of the BBC’s technology programme Click, Spencer Kelly, also earned more than £10,000 for hosting Indian multinational information technology services, Tata Consultancy Services, in November.

Approximately 55 per cent of payments in the quarterly earnings register also involved payments of less than £1,000.

These revelations come after the BBC’s decision to publish a summary of the external events register for on-air staff in journalism and senior leaders, as part of the BBC’s renewed commitment to impartiality.

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