The highest-paid stars at the BBC have been revealed in its annual report for 2023, with Gary Lineker and Zoe Bell ranked as the top two.

Match of the Day presenter Lineker was the only person to take home over £1 million at the broadcaster, earning between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999.

Zoe Ball continues to be the broadcaster’s second highest-paid talent, and the highest-paid woman with a salary of £980,000 – £984,999 for her Radio 2 breakfast show.

Lineker’s Match Of The Day colleague Alan Shearer is in third place with a salary of £445,000 – £449,999, dropping from £450,000-£454,999 last year.

BBC newsreader Huw Edwards is in fourth place with a pay bracket of £435,000 – £439,999, a slight increase from the previous year.

Bournemouth Echo: Zoe Ball was the highest paid woman on the BBC's rosterZoe Ball was the highest paid woman on the BBC's roster (Image: James Manning/PA Wire)

BBC's Top 10 highest-paid stars

The top 10 highest-paid stars at the BBC have been stated as follows:

1. Gary Lineker: £1,350,000 - £1,354,999

2. Zoe Ball: £980,000 – £984,999

3. Alan Shearer: £450,000-£454,999

4. Huw Edwards: £435,000 – £439,999

5. Stephen Nolan: £400,000 – £404,999

6. Fiona Bruce: £395,000 – £399,999

7. Greg James: £395,000 – £399,999

8. Ken Bruce: £390,000-£394,999

9. Lauren Laverne:£390,000 – £394,999

10. Sophie Raworth: £365,000-£369,999

Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, said: “I am proud of the content we have delivered – the very best of the BBC – from royal programming to wonderful sporting moments and coverage of the Ukraine war. We have seen this again recently, with Eurovision, the Coronation and Glastonbury.

“It remains a period of change, financial pressures and great competition in the media market. Our task is not always easy and we have to make some difficult choices.

“But these are challenges we must embrace as we know that the BBC is needed now more than ever, in an age of polarisation and increasing disinformation.”

The BBC released the report as bosses deal with the fallout from allegations made against an unnamed presenter, who allegedly paid a teenager for explicit images.