Up to 6 BBC stars still on £1m plus Top deals despite blitz

Raking in around £2m a year from the BBC ... chat show supremo Graham Norton and Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker

UP TO six BBC stars are still paid at least £1million a year, it was revealed yesterday.

Chat show supremo Graham Norton and Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker are picking up an annual wage of around £2million.
Others still on megabucks deals are thought to include DJ Chris Evans, news anchor Jeremy Paxman and Lineker’s co-host Alan Hansen.
The best paid stars have survived a wages blitz sparked by public outrage at the £18million three-year deal agreed with ex-host Jonathan Ross.
In its annual report, the Beeb said its 16 top earners — which have not been named — shared £16million in 2011/12, £5million down on 2010/11. Some £9million was lavished on celebs earning £1million to £5million, a £5.6million fall.
But Tory MP Damian Collins insisted: “These pay packets are extortionate. There needs to be much greater transparency for salaries paid by the BBC.
“If the BBC really feel they need to pay these salaries, they should be open about them. The BBC have to be careful at a time of job losses.”
The report also revealed drama output on BBC One dropped, while there were more cheaper entertainment shows. Sports coverage fell on BBC One and BBC Two.
Director-General Mark Thompson admitted bought-in daytime dramas had been canned in favour of repeats from the BBC archive.
Meanwhile, the Beeb said yesterday it had sold its landmark Television Centre in White City, West London, to property developers Stanhope Plc for about £200million.
The 14-acre site — opened in 1960 — will be empty by 2015. Staff have moved to other sites.