The home of common sense. This is talk. Good morning. This is morning glory. 734 Wednesday, July the 24th with me, David Bull.

In for Mike Graham, who's having a lovely time on holiday. Let's talk now, shall we, about the BBC. Hugh Edwards is amongst the BBC's highest-paying stars of the last year, despite being suspended in July

2023, as we know, amidst allegations of misconduct. He resigned earlier this year. He was paid

between £475,000 and £479,000 in the 2020-24 financial year, making him the broadcaster's third highest paid presenters.

This is the annual report, essentially where the BBC has to tell you how much they're paying all of these presenters.

Now, Tim Davy, obviously, defending the BBC at that time.

But then you have to look at some of these salaries.

They're just bonkers.

You've got Gary Lineker,

1.35 million. You've got Zoe Ball, nearly a million quid for working on a radio show.

This is Radio 2, of course, the breakfast show there. And then you've got people like Alan Shearer,

Fiona, Laurenne, Greg James, Stephen Nolan. Stephen Nolan paid an absolute fortune for working Northern Ireland. One has to ask, is that appropriate? There's also something quite interesting here.

When you look at the news presenters, and you might argue that all news presenters actually should

be paid the same amount for presenting the news. You've got Hugh Edwards on 479. You've then got Fiona Bruce 409, Nick Robinson

349, Nagamanchetti who does breakfast 349, Michelle Hussein 344, Sophie Rayworth, down 40,000. 32999-9.

I wonder how she feels about that, taking a 40,000 pay cut. Extraordinary. John Mayer, ex-BBC producer and author of several

books about the BBC, an author of How Do We Pay for the BBC? After 2027, joins me now. Good morning,

John. Good morning, David. Why are you all so obsessed with stars? You know,

there's only the BBC will be your stars pay. How much do you get paid? Nothing like that, let me

tell you. How much

do you add and debt get paid? Do you know?

But hang on a minute.

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