BBC boss Charlotte Moore defends presenters' huge salaries

It was revealed last year, for instance, that Gary Lineker earns £1.3 million a year from the BBC – three times as much as Moore earns herself. Other big earners include Zoe Ball, Steve Wright and Huw Edwards.

In an interview with Radio Times Magazine, Moore said: "Look, I think we know that viewers really value the presenters that we have on some of our bigger shows. And the audience that loves Match of the Day has huge love for Gary Lineker.

"It’s about value to the audience in the end, and whether we think that it’s the right person for the job, with the right level of experience, with the right ability to present in a way that is really accessible, enjoyable and entertaining."

Asked if any BBC presenters are "indispensable", Moore said: "I don’t think any of us in this world is indispensable. There are always new people out there."

Asked specifically about Graham Norton, who left his Radio 2 show in 2020 but whose BBC One Friday night chat show remains hugely popular, Moore commented: "I think Graham Norton is absolutely genius at what he does.

"But when a show comes to the end of its life, you find somebody new. When a presenter wants to move on, you think about how you evolve the show.”

Following reports that the government plans to scrap the TV licence fee, Then Barbara Met Alan's Jack Thorne recently wrote about why we need the BBC for RadioTimes.com, calling it "precious".

The full version of this interview is available to read in this week's edition of Radio Times magazine, out now.

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