Also absent from this year’s top 10 is Zoe Ball, who was the BBC’s second highest-paid star last year before leaving the corporation.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg was once again the corporation’s highest-paid female presenter.
Ex Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills topped the rankings for the first time
PA Wire
She was one of four women to feature on the list, alongside Naga Munchetty, Fiona Bruce and Sophie Raworth, a slight improvement on last year’s total of three.
Radio 2 host Vernon Kay, whose weekday programme is the station’s most-listened-to show according to the latest RAJAR figures, was joint fourth on the list alongside Kuenssberg.
Meanwhile, Radio 1 Breakfast presenter Greg James climbed two places to become the BBC’s second highest-paid star, while BBC Radio Ulster host Stephen Nolan ranked third.
The BBC is required to publish the salaries of on-air talent and senior staff who earn more than £178,000 a year from licence fee funding.
Sara Cox, who took over the Radio 2 Breakfast Show earlier this month, ranked 17th
PA Archive
The rankings are listed by salary band, starting with the highest earners. The equivalent pay band from 2024/25 is shown in brackets to highlight year-on-year changes.
The figures only cover those paid directly by the BBC through the licence fee and exclude talent paid via independent production companies or the corporation’s commercial arm, BBC Studios.
Here is a full list of BBC on-air pay above £178,000 for 2025/26, as published in the corporation’s annual report:
1 Scott Mills £745,000-£749,999 (up from £355,000-£359,999)
2 Greg James £440,000-£444,999 (up from £425,000-£429,999)
3 Stephen Nolan £425,000-£429,999 (up from £405,000-£409,999)
4= Vernon Kay £405,000-£409,999 (up from £390,000-£394,999)
4= Laura Kuenssberg £405,000-£409,999 (up from £395,000-£399,999)
6 Alan Shearer £390,000-£394,999 (down from £440,000-£444,999)
7 Justin Webb £375,000-£379,999 (up from £365,000-£369,999)
8 Naga Munchetty £360,000-£364,999 (up from £355,000-£359,999)
9 Fiona Bruce £345,000-£349,999 (down from £410,000-£414,999)
10 Sophie Raworth £340,000-£344,999 (down from £350,000-£354,999)
11= Mark Chapman £335,000-£339,999 (up from £325,000-£329,999)
11= Nick Grimshaw £335,000-£339,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
13= Trevor Nelson £330,000-£334,999 (up from £245,000-£249,999)
13= Nick Robinson £330,000-£334,999 (down from £410,000-£414,999)
15= Reeta Chakrabarti £325,000-£329,999 (up from £300,000-£304,999)
15= Gary Lineker £325,000-£329,999 (down from £1,350,000-£1,354,999)
17= Sara Cox £320,000-£324,999 (up from £310,000-£314,999)
17= Clive Myrie £320,000-£324,999 (down from £335,000-£339,999)
17= Amol Rajan £320,000-£324,999 (up from £315,000-£319,999)
20 Anna Foster £315,000-£319,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
21= Emma Barnett £305,000-£309,999 (up from £285,000-£289,999)
21= Evan Davis £305,000-£309,999 (up from £300,000-£304,999)
23= Ros Atkins £300,000-£304,999 (up from £295,000-£299,999)
23= Tina Daheley £300,000-£304,999 (up from £295,000-£299,999)
25 Nicky Campbell £295,000-£299,999 (down from £300,000-£304,999)
26= Gabby Logan £290,000-£294,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
26= Jason Mohammad £290,000-£294,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)
28 Chris Mason £275,000-£279,999 (up from £270,000-£274,999)
29= Victoria Derbyshire £270,000-£274,999 (down from £275,000-£279,999)
29= Jeremy Bowen £270,000-£274,999 (up from £260,000-£264,999)
29= Simon Jack £270,000-£274,999 (up from £225,000-£229,999)
32 Jeremy Vine £265,000-£269,999 (down from £310,000-£314,999)
33 Sarah Montague £255,000-£259,999 (up from £250,000-£254,999)
34 Jo Whiley £250,000-£254,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)
35= Katya Adler £245,000-£249,999 (up from £240,000 -£244,999)
35= Sarah Smith £245,000-£249,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)
37 Fergal Keane £240,000-£244,999 (up from £235,000-£239,999)
38= Faisal Islam £235,000-£239,999 (no change)
38= Lauren Laverne £235,000-£239,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
40= Matt Chorley £230,000-£234,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
40= Lyse Doucet £230,000-£234,999 (up from £205,000-£209,999)
40= Rick Edwards £230,000-£234,999 (down from £235,000-£239,999)
43= Jon Kay £225,000-£229,999 (down from £240,000-£244,999)
43= Johnathan Joseph £225,000-£229,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
45 Orla Guerin £220,000-£224,999 (up from £210,000-£214,999)
46= Rachel Burden £215,000-£219,999 (down from £220,000-£224,999)
46= Kelly Cates £215,000-£219,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
46= Katie Razzall £215,000-£219,999 (down from £220,000-£224,999)
49= Matthew Amroliwala £210,000-£214,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999
49= Ben Brown £210,000-£214,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999)
49= Paddy O’Connell £210,000-£214,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
49= Jonny Dymond £210,000-£214,999 (up from £205,000-£209,999)
53= Owain Wyn Evans £205,000-£209,999 (up from £195,000-£199,999)
53= Lucy Hockings £205,000-£209,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999)
53= Caitriona Perry £205,000-£209,999 (up from £185,000-£189,999)
53= John Simpson £205,000-£209,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)
53= Sumi Somaskanda £205,000-£209,999 (up from £185,000-£189,999)
58= Maryam Moshiri £200,000-£204,999 (up from £195,000-£199,999)
58= Sally Nugent £200,000-£204,999 (no change)
60= Sally Bundock £195,000-£199,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)
60= Christian Fraser £195,000-£199,999 (down from £205,000-£209,999)
60= Jane Hill £195,000-£199,999 (down from £200,000-£204,999)
60= Annita McVeigh £195,000-£199,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)
60= Alex Scott £195,000-£199,999 (down from £205,000-£209,999)
65= Craig Charles £190,000-£194,999 (no change)
65= Steve Rosenberg £190,000-£194,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
65= Charlie Stayt £190,000-£194,999 (no change)
68= Adrian Chiles £185,000-£189,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
68= Michael Vaughan £185,000-£189,999 (not listed in 2024/25)
70 Steven Lai £178,000-£184,999 (no change)
