GARY Lineker and Zoe Ball remain the BBC's highest-earning stars - with scandal-hit Huw Edwards making the top three despite being off-air. Match of the Day presenter Gary, 63, remains top of the list having stayed within the same bracket of £1,350,000 - £1,354,999. 6 Huw Edwards is listed as earning £475,000 – £479,999 despite being off-air most of the year Credit: Splash 6 Gary Lineker remains the highest-paid BBC star Credit: Alamy 6 Zoe Ball retained her spot in second on the list of high-earners Credit: Getty 6 He is followed by Radio 2 host Zoe, although she took a slight cut.
Her salary now falls in the bracket £950,000 - £954,999, down from £980,000 - £984,999. Edwards, who quit the BBC after 40 years in April, was listed as earning £475,000 - £479,999, a rise from the £435,000 - £439,999 bracket a year earlier. It comes despite the newsreader having been suspended on full pay over allegations he paid £35,000 to a young person who sent him explicit images.
The BBC's annual salary report covers the period from April 2023 to March 31, 2024. This means Edwards received the salary despite being off-air from July 2023. He officially parted ways with the Beeb in April.
The BBC said Edwards had resigned on "medical advice" and confirmed he had not been paid off as part of his departure. Radio 1 breakfast host Greg James is the fourth-highest earner with £415,000 - £419,999, up from £395,000 - £399,999. Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce received a jump in.