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Pressure For BBC’s John Humphrys To Step Aside After Gender Pay Gap Jibes
BBC faced a fierce backlash from female MPs, campaigners and even its own stars, after veteran presenter John Humphrys worked as normal on Friday despite mocking its gender pay gap.
The corporation faced calls to make Humphrys, 74, step aside from presenting duties after audio transcripts leaked last night showed him jesting about the gap with another male colleague.
The presenter, who fronted BBC Radio 4′s Today programme as normal on Friday morning, was revealed to be paid more than £600,000 last year, making him one of the Beeb’s highest-paid stars.
It comes after bosses this week demanded those who have given support to the ‘#BBCWomen’ campaign to achieve equal pay stand down from reporting the topic.
That rule was enforced after the intervention of former China editor Carrie Gracie this weekend, and saw Gracie herself made to sit silently on Monday while Humphrys reported on her case.
Labour’s Stella Creasy told HuffPost UK that it was “unfair” some stars have been stopped from speaking while Humphrys continued to work.
“This shows the BBC needs to ensure equal pay rather than using editorial guidelines to try to prevent presenters talking about this issue,” the Walthamstow MP said.
“It’s clear everyone has an opinion, so it is unfair to stop some speaking and not others.
“That some of those opinions appear rooted in the 19th century when it comes to why this matters only further underlines the importance of getting this right.”
Woman’s Hour presenter Jane Garvey, who alongside colleague Winifred Robinson has been banned from reporting on pay disparity, described the corporation as “the Department of Mixed Messages”.
Heading into work at the Department of Mixed Messages, formerly known as the BBC #bbcwomen
— Jane Garvey (@janegarvey1) January 12, 2018
Womens’ Equality Party leader Sophie Walker asked whether Humphrys could continue to report on the gender pay gap following his reported comments.
Taking this to mean John Humphreys can no longer report on the gender pay gap under the BBC’s impartiality rules. Can you confirm, @BBC? t.co/dqJtijbDhW
— Sophie Walker (@SophieRunning) January 12, 2018
Lib Dem deputy leader Jo Swinson also raised the apparent inconsistency.
So is John Humphrys now banned from presenting stories on the BBC gender pay issue like @wrobinson101 and @janegarvey1 ? #EqualPay#GenderPayGap#EqualPowert.co/dAGBQvYpfs
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) January 11, 2018
The exchange was reportedly leaked by former Countryfile presenter Miriam O’Reilly, who successfully sued the BBC over age discrimination.
She later denied she was the source of the story, but hit out at the BBC for having an invite to appear on Today withdrawn, while Humphrys was free to present the programme.
″[I]t’s clear there is one rule for male presenters at the BBC and one for women”, O’Reilly said.
I agreed to appear on Today on Weds night. It was confirmed by the programme several times, verbally and in writing. At lunchtime yesterday I was leaked the exchange between Humphrys and Sopel. t.co/oVkqqOgF0O
— Miriam O’Reilly (@OReillyMiriam) January 12, 2018
In my final briefing with the Today producer I asked who was doing the interview with me on #EqualPay The two presenters on this a.m. were Nick Robinson and John Humphrys. I told the producer I had heard the exchange between Humphrys and Sopel and Mr Humphrys was not impartial.
— Miriam O’Reilly (@OReillyMiriam) January 12, 2018
A matter of minutes later the producer rang back sounding a little embarrassed. He said something along the lines of news moves on, full programme, not able to talk to me now etc. He suggested perhaps Saturday. Obvs Mr Humphrys would not be presenting then.
— Miriam O’Reilly (@OReillyMiriam) January 12, 2018
I was disappointed, but mostly cross because the presenter of You and Yours, Winifred Robinson, was stood down from #EqualPay discussion as she had tweeted support for @bbccarrie In the case of Today it was the guest -me -who was stood down rather than Mr Humphrys.
— Miriam O’Reilly (@OReillyMiriam) January 12, 2018
I believe the person who made the decision to stand me down this morning was concerned I would mention the leaked tape on air. If Mr Humphrys was interviewing me I quite possibly would have – but why not – he would have done the same – it’s called freedom of speech.
— Miriam O’Reilly (@OReillyMiriam) January 12, 2018
The BBC did not immediately respond to HuffPost UK’s questions over the situation on Friday.
The scandalous transcripts appeared to depict Humphrys, who also fronts TV’s ‘Mastermind’, mocking the fight to end the pay gap, saying to colleague Jon Sopel: “How much are you prepared to hand over?”
In the transcript, Humphrys addresses the difference in pay between North American editor Sopel, 58, who is paid between £200,000-£249,999, and now former China editor Gracie, 55, who was paid £135,000:
HUMPHRYS: “The first question will be how much of your salary you are prepared to hand over to Carrie Gracie to keep her and then a few comments about your other colleagues, like our Middle East Editor and the other men who are earning too much…”
SOPEL: “If we are talking about the scope for the greatest redistribution I’ll have to come back and say well, yes, Mr Humphrys, but…
HUMPHRYS: “And I could save you the trouble as I could volunteer I’ve handed over already more than you fucking earn but I’m still left with more than anybody else and that seems to me to be entirely just – something like that would do it?”
SOPEL “Don’t…”
HUMPHRYS: “Oh dear God. She’s actually suggested that you should lose money; you know that don’t you? You’ve read the thing properly have you?”
A BBC source previously told HuffPost that management were “deeply unimpressed” by the exchange.
And a corporation spokesperson said on Thursday evening: “This was an ill-advised off air conversation which the presenter regrets.
“The BBC is committed to getting its pay structures right and, as we have said, we are conducting a comprehensive analysis of presenter pay.
“PwC are working with us on this to ensure an objective external assessment of how we have set pay in the past, what we need to do differently going forward, and what further action we need to take immediately.
“We will publish that in the coming weeks.”
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/john-humphrys-bbc-pay-jon-sopel_uk_5a587953e4b02cebbfdaa008
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