Best Paid BBC Presenters Revealed

Some links may help generate a commission that supports The Addition.

The best paid BBC presenters have been revealed. The details emerged as the corporation released its Annual Report and accounts yesterday.

Top of the list was, of course, the now departed Gary Lineker. He was on an annual salary of £1.35 million before standing down amidst controversy. Of those remaining, the best paid BBC presenters are Zoe Ball, who has stood down from the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. She earned £515,000 in the 2024/25 accounting period. Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer, Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Greg James, Today host Nick Robinson, newsreader Fiona Bruce and presenter Stephen Nolan all earn over £400,000.

Here’s how much the best paid BBC presenters earn:

Gary Lineker – £1.35 million
Zoe Ball – £515,000
Alan Shearer, 440,000
Greg James – 425,000
Nick Robinson – £410,000
Fiona Bruce – £410,000
Stephen Nolan – £405,000
Laura Kuenssberg – £395,000
Vernon Kay – £390,000
Justin Webb – £365,000

More Best Paid BBC Presenters

Zoe Ball’s successor on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, Scott Mills, earned £355,000 during the accounting period. He has been on that show for six month, so we shall see if he’s salary rises in line with hers as time goes on. Other high earners include sports host Mark Chapman, who is on £325,000, Jeremy Vine and Sarah Cox on £310,000 and fellow radio host Nicky Campbell on £300,000.

These are all presenters whose salaries via the licence fee, not the commercial outfit BBC Studios. The figures relate to the year ending March 31, 2025. While some of them could undoubtedly earn more in the commercial world, there is always controversy given that they are paid by the compulsory licence fee.

It is also worthing noting that many of them do work away from Aunty, meaning their total income for the year will be more than the figures above. Furthermore, with the BBC under pressure to reduce costs, many staff at the corporation will raise an eyebrow may well raise an eyebrow at how much some of their more famous colleagues are earning.