Top BBC journalists’ external moonlight earnings have been revealed

Some BBC stars earned as much as £10,000 for single paid events

Details of how much money the BBC’s top journalists made in moonlight earnings last year have been revealed.

According to The Times, the company’s highest paid journalists accepted a total of 480 jobs last year, which included giving speeches and appearing on non-BBC shows.

The broadcaster, which shares its journalists’ quarterly earnings every year, revealed that some BBC stars earned as much as £10,000 for single paid events.

Emily Maitlis, who is the lead anchor of BBC Two’s news and current affairs programme Newsnight, is believed to have earned more than £40,000 for her external events, on top of her £325,000 BBC salary.

BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, who is paid over £255,000 a year, could have also taken home more than £50,000 on top of her salary.

Clive Myrie and Dan Walker could have earned more than £10,000 and £15,00, respectively, in external earnings on top of their £205,000 and £295,000 BBC salaries.

BBC’s Dan Walker and Clive Myrie (Getty Images)

Walker was paid more than £5,000 in January 2021 to work as a moderator for St James’ Place Management.

The presenter of the BBC’s technology programme Click, Spencer Kelly, also earned more than £10,000 for hosting Indian multinational information technology services, Tata Consultancy Services, in November.

Approximately 55 per cent of payments in the quarterly earnings register also involved payments of less than £1,000.

These revelations come after the BBC’s decision to publish a summary of the external events register for on-air staff in journalism and senior leaders, as part of the BBC’s renewed commitment to impartiality.