The BBC has released its list of highest earners, with several familiar faces making an appearance. Former Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills tops the list with a salary of between £745,000 and £749,999, despite being sacked from the corporation in March.
Mills took over as presenter of the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in January 2025, following the departure of Zoe Ball. However, his tenure was short-lived, as he was sacked shortly before the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences involving a boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.
Former England footballer Gary Lineker, who left the BBC in May last year, appears at number 15 on the list with a salary of between £325,000 and £329,999. His earnings come from his work on Match Of The Day and other coverage.
BBC political journalist Laura Kuenssberg takes the title of highest-paid female staff member, earning between £405,000 and £409,999 in the latest report. Radio 1 DJ Greg James comes in second with a salary of between £440,000 and £444,999, while Northern Irish radio presenter Stephen Nolan takes third place with a salary of between £425,000 and £429,999.
Meanwhile, Lineker's former colleagues Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball have seen their salaries decrease. Lineker's earnings dropped from between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999 to between £325,000 and £329,999, while Ball no longer features on the list.
Alan Shearer, a Match Of The Day football pundit and former Newcastle United striker, saw his pay decrease from between £440,000 and £444,999 last year to between £390,000 and £394,999, making him sixth on the list.
Comparing this year's figures to the 2025 BBC salaries, several changes are evident. Scott Mills' salary has increased significantly, while Alan Shearer's has decreased. Other notable increases include Greg James, Stephen Nolan, and Laura Kuenssberg's salaries, while Fiona Bruce and Sophie Raworth have seen their earnings decrease.
Justin Webb, a BBC journalist, takes seventh place on the list with a salary of between £375,000 and £379,999, while Naga Munchetty comes in eighth with a salary of between £360,000 and £364,999. The top 10 is rounded off with Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce, journalist Sophie Raworth, and journalist Vernon Kay.
