The BBC’s wage bill has come under renewed scrutiny after it was revealed that Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen nets a staggering £1.5million a year – that’s £40,000 for each appearance.
The revelation comes as the corporation insists it is falling in line with the austerity measures being endured by the rest of the public sector. It is aiming to cut 2,000 jobs and save £670million.
An MP has urged the BBC to justify the former Liverpool player’s huge pay packet.
Damian Collins, a Tory member of the culture, media and sport select committee, told The Sunday Telegraph: ‘It is a lot of money for Alan Hansen, and the BBC needs to justify such large amounts at a time when every pound they spend is being scrutinised.
‘Talent pay is something members of the public are concerned about and they (the BBC) have to be extra careful at a time of job losses.’
Mr Hansen’s pay puts him in the very top tier of BBC earners, with the likes of fellow presenter Gary Lineker, but a spokesman for the BBC told the paper that Match of the Day salaries are not likely to be altered.
‘We remain very happy that Gary and Alan continue to lead our football output so successfully,’ he said.
Mr Hansen began his TV punditry career in 1991 after 14 trophy-laden seasons with Liverpool.
He has also boosted his income with commercials for Carlsberg lager and supermarket chain Morrisons.
Earlier this year it was revealed that up to nine of the BBC’s stars still earn more than £1million, sharing a total of £14.6million between them, and the number of people on £250,000 a year or more jumped from 47 to 52.
The BBC won’t name stars earning more than £500,000, but as well as Mr Lineker and Mr Hansen, it’s likely to include Graham Norton, Anne Robinson, Jeremy Paxman, Trevor Eve, John Humphrys, Chris Moyles, Andrew Marr, Bruce Forsyth and Fiona Bruce.
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has previously admitted that bloated senior management salaries and the huge amounts paid to stars have left the broadcaster ‘commanding less affection’ from the public.
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