Former BBC Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills was the corporation's top earner until his dismissal in March, new figures show. The 53-year-old received between £745,000 and £749,999 for the year ending in March 2026, according to the BBC's Annual Report, for presenting the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show, which he assumed from Zoe Ball in January 2025; Pop: Top 10 shows and various other duties across public service.
Mills was dismissed by the BBC shortly before it emerged that the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into him in 2016 concerning allegations of serious sexual offences involving a boy aged under 16 between 1997 and 2000. The Southampton-born broadcaster received between £355,000 and £359,999 in the previous year's report, when he was joint 11th highest earner alongside Naga Munchetty.
Gary Lineker's Pay Drops
Former England footballer Gary Lineker, once the BBC's highest-paid star, received between £325,000 and £329,999 for the year to March 2026, positioning him 15th in the most recent list, having departed the BBC in May last year. He had earned between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999 in the previous annual report. Lineker's 2025/2026 income derived from his work on Premier League highlights programme Match Of The Day, and additional football coverage.
Lineker was not the only high earner to leave the BBC, as Zoe Ball no longer appears on the list. Ball was second on last year's highest-paid list, and will now host an afternoon programme on Greatest Hits Radio from September.
Alan Shearer's Salary Decline
BBC Match Of The Day football pundit and former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer saw his pay drop from between £440,000 and £444,999 the previous year to between £390,000 and £394,999, placing him sixth on the list.
Top Earners and Gender Representation
BBC political journalist Laura Kuenssberg was the highest-paid female staff member, commanding a salary of between £405,000 and £409,999 in the most recent report. The second-highest-paid staff member was BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James, who took home between £440,000 and £444,999, while third place went to Northern Irish radio presenter Stephen Nolan, earning between £425,000 and £429,999.
Kuenssberg came in fourth on the list, joint with Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay. Journalist Justin Webb ranked seventh with a salary of between £375,000 and £379,999, while Munchetty placed eighth, earning between £360,000 and £364,999. The top 10 was completed by Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce, whose salary ranged between £345,000 and £349,999, securing ninth place; and journalist Sophie Raworth in tenth position with earnings of between £340,000 and £344,999. Four women featured in this year's top 10, an increase from three the previous year.
The list excludes individuals who receive payment through independent production companies or the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Studios. The BBC is required to declare a list of salaries paid to people both on air and off air who receive more than £178,000 from licence fee revenue in the year.
