BBC must reveal star wages

The BBC is facing mounting pressure to make public the salaries of its big-name stars, after Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell signalled the Government may restrict rises in the licence fee.

Ms Jowell warned that high wage costs across the corporation need to be addressed as part of a wider need to find efficiency savings.

Senior Government ministers have also privately warned that the broadcaster "absolutely must" reveal details of the wages it pays to radio and TV personalities in future.

A series of damaging leaks about the lavish pay packets of BBC names have revealed that Terry Wogan is paid £800,000 to front his Radio 2 breakfast show, Radio 1's Chris Moyles gets £630,000 and Jeremy Paxman is on £940,000.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Ross has become the highest paid presenter on TV after striking a reported £18 million, three-year deal.

Ministers believe more openness is needed if the BBC is to justify its bid to put up the annual licence fee by 2.3 per cent above inflation as part of a 10-year funding deal.

Ms Jowell today described the bid as "very high" and pointed out that a report by consultants earlier this year had been "somewhat sceptical" about the BBC's plans for efficiencies.

"Where I do think we have to look is in relation to wage costs," she said in a newspaper interview.

The Culture Secretary stressed that there is no evidence that record salaries for big stars are pushing up costs for rival broadcasters, but she made clear that overall wages are an issue for licence fee payers.

The revelations have come at a highly sensitive time for the BBC. It faces accusations that its salaries for star presenters are "distorting the market" - and are increasingly difficult for the commercial sector to match.

The BBC itself has refused to confirm the salaries, repeatedly refusing to answer Freedom of Information requests.

But while the Government publicly insists it cannot interfere in the corporation's pay decisions, privately ministers believe the broadcaster must prove it is willing to offer greater accountability to licence fee payers - who provide a £3 billion subsidy.

One high-ranking Government source said: "The BBC absolutely must disclose the salaries of its big-name stars in future if it is to be fully open and transparent.