BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker has admitted it is “awkward” that people now know how much he is paid by the broadcaster.
The Sheffield-born former Key 103 presenter was revealed to earn between £220,000 and £229,999 for his roles on BBC Breakfast and Football Focus.
He’s now about to also front a new game show for BBC One called Chase The Case.
Walker told the Press Association: “I totally understand the way that the BBC works and I can appreciate the pressure that they’re under, and the licence fee is under more scrutiny than it’s ever been under.
“I still think working for the BBC is brilliant and the BBC are a fantastic organisation, and they provide value for money. But I’d be lying if I told you it’s not awkward for people to know how much you earn.”
When the latest list of the BBC’s top earners was released in July, it was revealed that Walker’s co-host on BBC Breakfast, Louise Minchin, did not make the list at all and was therefore earning less than £150,000.
But Walker insisted he was paid the same as Minchin for the MediaCityUK-filmed programme.
He said: “I do think it’s important to say as well that, I’m proud of the fact that we do have equal pay at BBC Breakfast, I’ve always earned the same amounts as Louise, whatever the various papers have said.
“The reason I’m higher up the (pay) list is because I’ve got two jobs. So I think that’s really important and that’s something which is important to me, it’s as important to me as it is to Louise and Naga (Munchetty, another BBC Breakfast host) and the others.
“There’s still work to be done across the BBC. But they are trying their best to address it, and you’re right to bring it up, because it is an important issue.”
