BBC stars paid £54m, figures show (From The Oxford Times)

BBC stars paid £54m, figures show

2:26pm Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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The BBC spends £54 million on its top-earning stars, according to new figures.

The figure accounts for 1.55% of the £3.6 billion annual licence fee income and is paid to artists, presenters, musicians and other contributors earning £150,000 and more.

£115 million was spent on those earning up to £50,000, £44 million on those earning between £50,000 and £100,000 and £16 million on the £100,000 to £150,000 bracket.

The BBC is not releasing details of individual salaries, but top-earners are reported to include Jonathan Ross, Graham Norton, Jeremy Paxman and Fiona Bruce.

The BBC, which came under fire for Ross's £6 million-a-year deal, pays presenters, actors and other talent on its TV and radio programmes a total of £229 million a year.

The amount being paid by the BBC, which also released the businesses expenses of 107 of its most senior staff today, will now be published every year in the annual report.

A total of £188,000 was claimed in overall expenses by 107 of the BBC's most senior staff between July and September 2009, a monthly average per executive of £586.

For the first time, the BBC also published a register of the gifts and hospitality received by senior managers.

Director-general Mark Thompson attended Glyndebourne, the Wimbledon Ladies Final, the Chelsea Flower Show and the Royal Box at Ascot with his wife last year.

He also attended the British Grand Prix with his son.