‘The One Show’ presenter Alex Jones has expressed her shock upon discovering that she is paid less than co-host Matt Baker.
Earlier this year, the BBC made the salaries of its highest-earning employees public as part of a new government initiative, which included an array of the corporation’s on-screen talent.
This report highlighted, among other things, the disparity between what men and women are paid at the company, including the fact that there could be as much of a £100,000 gap between what co-hosts Alex and Matt earn.
Opening up to The Mirror about the matter, Alex admitted: “Matt and I have never discussed wages, but I assumed we got paid the same.
Both Alex and Matt front other projects for ‘The One Show’, so their annual BBC wages - a maximum of £449,999 and £499,000 respectively - don’t just include what they’re paid for the nightly BBC One magazine show.
After the figures were published, Alex was one of a number of high-profile women who co-signed an open letter to BBC director Tony Hall, calling for him to address the gender pay gap at the corporation, which was also supported by sports presenter Clare Balding, journalist Victoria Derbyshire and ’Today’ programme host Mishal Husain.
The letter said: “The pay details released in the annual report showed what many of us have suspected for many years ... that women at the BBC are being paid less than men for the same work.
“Compared to many women and men, we are very well compensated and fortunate. However, this is an age of equality and the BBC is an organisation that prides itself on its values.
“You have said that you will ‘sort’ the gender pay gap by 2020, but the BBC has known about the pay disparity for years. We all want to go on the record to call upon you to act now.”
