An inflated salary

The former face of ITN News was ill-advised to do so. Most viewers are not pre-occupied with the appearance of newsreaders; they are more concerned at the exorbitant salaries that such individuals now command.

It's not just the six-figure salaries, and Ms Derham has not denied that she is being paid such a sum to present the BBC Proms. It's how they use their careers to branch out into the world of showbusiness, and appearances on the endless array of reality television shows featuring minor celebrities which now saturate the weekend schedules.

No-one is arguing that newsreaders should show the reverence of Kenneth Kendall or Richard Baker, though the latter is particularly fondly remembered by TV viewers of a certain vintage for his appearances on Morecambe and Wise.

Yet, just like public sector executives, there seems to be a growing gulf about what today's presenters think they are worth in financial terms – and what taxpayers actually think they should be paid.

It's a point Ms Derham could consider when she receives her pay cheque for presenting the Proms.