BBC Chairman Samir Shah has stated that the corporation will consider presenters' earnings from outside work when determining their BBC salaries. This announcement signals a potential reduction in pay for high-profile individuals who leverage their BBC platform for lucrative external opportunities.
"They make a lot of money out of presenting for the BBC in my view," Shah commented, suggesting that presenters often use their BBC affiliation to secure other jobs. He indicated that the BBC would "factor [moonlighting] into the deal we do" during salary negotiations.
The BBC recently released a list of its highest-paid presenters, showing that former Radio 2 host Scott Mills was the top earner with a £750,000 salary before his dismissal in March. Other prominent figures such as Laura Kuenssberg, Vernon Kay, Greg James, and Stephen Nolan each earned over £400,000 in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Some presenters have already supplemented their BBC incomes with external contracts. Sarah Montague, a presenter for BBC Radio 4's "World at One," reportedly earned up to £5,000 from the coffee chain Caffe Nero.
Additionally, the BBC's economics correspondent Andy Verity is reported to have earned up to £10,000 from the insurance company Aon.
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This move comes as the BBC navigates a period of scrutiny regarding public trust, following several scandals, including the case involving newsreader Huw Edwards, who was convicted of making indecent images of children in 2024.