BBC chiefs seek Christa Ackroyd successor – at fraction of price

Ms Ackroyd was dropped by the corporation this summer after it emerged an investigation was under way into her tax arrangements.

Yesterday an advert posted on the BBC’s recruitment website said the corporation was looking for “an experienced, accomplished, engaging news presenter” to work alongside co-presenter Harry Gration on Look North. Mr Gration tweeted: “Being inundated with would be presenters wanting to work on Look North.”

According to the job description, the role will pay somewhere between £30,000 and £50,000 and applicants must have a “passion for Yorkshire”.

The BBC confirmed earlier this year that Ms Ackroyd’s deal, reportedly worth around £180,000 a year, had been brought to a premature end because of a “breach of contract”.

It said: “We consider there had been a breach of contract and we have now brought the contract to an end.”

Ms Ackroyd received around £2m from the BBC since joining Look North from rival ITV regional news programme Calendar in 2001.

She was initially paid around £120,000 a year but the BBC dramatically enhanced the deal in 2004 when – owing to 
concerns about journalistic impartiality – the corporation required her to give up a lucrative column she wrote for the Sunday Express.

Ms Ackroyd had anchored 
Look North for 12 years when she left in July. Speaking at the time, she said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my 12 years at Look 
North.

“I wish all my colleagues there all the very best for the future.”