Talent comes at a reduced cost at the Beeb

VIEWERS NEED not fret if the belts of the likes of Jeremy Clarkson and Graham Norton appear a little tighter - it is not an indication that the BBC’s biggest stars are piling on the pounds.
Jeremy ClarksonJeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson

In fact, it is rather the opposite. Proof that, when it comes to austerity, we all really are in this together comes with the release of the corporation’s annual accounts, which shows the Beeb’s talent pay was slashed by £6million in the last financial year.

It comes following fierce criticism of the wage bill for big names, including the Yorkshire-born Top Gear presenter and chat show host.

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Jeremy Paxman’s decision to leave BBC Two’s Newsnight after 25 years, which is expected to make a further saving, will serve as little consolation to the 415 employees in the news department facing the axe under cost-cutting measures. And it is bad news, perhaps, Evan Davis’ hopes of inheriting the big pay packet of his predecessor, as the Dragon’s Den presenter is unveiled as the anchor’s replacement.

News that celebrities are being hit in the pocket is unlikely to cause licence fee payers to celebrate, however, as governing body the BBC Trust lays bare the hefty payments awarded to some former staff. Other examples of where public money has been wasted also form part of the report.

Acting chairwoman Diane Coyle said: “There have been some high-profile failures. The BBC’s Digital Media Initiative project was closed at a cost of nearly £100 million.

“And there was the controversy surrounding past severance payments. Both of these episodes involved significant sums of public money and saw the BBC falling well short of what licence fee-payers expect.”

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While the trust found severance payments to all staff, including senior managers, had dropped from £40.2 million in 2012/13 to £25.6 million last year, it is unlikely to do much to dampen criticism. Excessive payouts came under scrutiny last year when it emerged that deputy director-general Mark Byford left the BBC with a payout of £949,000, former operating officer Caroline Thomson was given £680,000 and George Entwistle took £470,000 when he resigned as director-general in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal after just 54 days in the post.

The Commons Public Accounts Committee said the BBC had ‘put its reputation at risk’ with golden goodbyes.

Davis’ appointment could also fuel unrest among licence fee payers, given that Newsnight’s female presenters Laura Kuenssberg, Kirsty Wark and Emily Maitlis, had all been tipped for the role.

The programme’s editor Ian Katz said: “Evan brings a rare combination of curiosity, intelligence and mischief to his broadcasting - just the qualities I want Newsnight to be known for.”

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Audiences have completely fallen out of love with the corporation, though, according to the trust. A handful of success stories, such as drama Happy Valley, set in the West Yorkshire market town Hebden Bridge and original programmes Sherlock and Call the Midwife were held up as examples of where the licence fee had been well-spent.