BBC gender pay gap: Casualty actor claims men earn higher salaries as they are breadwinners

Tom Chambers defends his co-star, who is the highest-paid actor on the corporation's pay list

Casualty star Tom Chambers, who defended his co-star Derek Thompson after he was revealed as the BBC's best paid actor (PA)

A BBC actor has defended the broadcaster’s gender pay gap, saying men often use their salaries to support stay-at-home mothers and their children.

The issue of gender equality at the corporation came to the fore last week when a list of the BBC’s top-paid talent was published.

Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans topped the list on more than £2 million, while the highest paid woman was Claudia Winkleman, on between £450,000-£499,999.

The yawning gap between the pay packets of men and women in similar or identical jobs prompted a fierce debate about the broadcaster’s pay scale.

Wading into the row, Casualty star Tom Chambers said the stark contrast between the salaries of the best paid men and women had a simple explanation.

“Many men’s salaries aren’t just for them, it’s for their wife and children, too,” Mr Chambers, who did not make it onto the list of stars paid £150,000 or more, told The Sun.

“My wife works really hard as a stay-at-home mum, but I’m the only one bringing in a salary for our family.”

On Sunday, more than 40 senior female presenters and reporters signed a letter demanding immediate action from the Director-General of the BBC to tackle the gender pay gap.

Household names including presenters Clare Balding, Victoria Derbyshire and Angela Rippon were among those calling on Tony Hall to "correct this disparity".

Speaking at the launch of the report, which revealed two-thirds of the best paid presenters were male, Lord Hall admitted more needed to be done.

"Is that where we want to be? No. Are we pushing further and faster than any other major broadcaster? Most certainly,” he said.

Mr Chambers was quizzed on BBC actors’ pay after it emerged his Casualty co-star Derek Thompson earns between £350,000-£399,999 – the highest paid actor on the list.

He said: "It's like being a footballer - you earn your credits. I've just done six months on Casualty, but Derek has done 31 years of service.

"That means arriving in the dark at 6am and leaving when it's dark at 9pm.

"It's demanding stuff.

"Likewise, Chris Evans has been a household name for 20 years and his Radio 2 figures are outstanding."

His comments sparked an angry reaction, including from Labour MP Stella Creasy, who wrote: "Guessing dancing in 1950s musicals has given Tom Chambers that kind of mindset too."

Mr Chambers responded to the criticism with a statement saying: "I am completely mortified by the stories that have run today and didn’t mean to offend anyone by my comments which have been taken out of context from a conversation I had at a book launch.

"I in no way advocate the gender pay gap and I was explaining that I thought it had stemmed from that past, and shouldn’t be how things are now. I truly believe that change needs to happen."