Ranked: The BBC's top earning men and women

Football front man Gary Lineker and Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans are way out in front, raking in approximately £1.75m and £1.66m respectively, with chat show host Graham Norton, DJ Steve Wright and news anchor Huw Edwards all earning well over £500,000 each for 2017-18.

The corporation has insisted that it is getting closer to ending a highly publicised pay gap, but you still have to scroll through a list of a dozen men before you get to the highest paid woman – Claudia Winkleman.

Despite the huge salaries enjoyed by the men – including the likes of Eddie Mair and Simon Mayo, who both earn in excess of £330,000, the BBC has argued that the list does not truly reflect the balance of payments.

It says earnings for some shows are paid through BBC Studios, although the creation of the spin-off company has led to accusations that the broadcaster is hiding the true salaries of some of its biggest stars.

Overall, 64 of the BBC’s on air stars earned more than £150,000, compared to 58 in the previous financial year, with eight women having been added to the list – up to 22 – and two men knocked off – down to 42.

The broadcaster said the split between the highest-earning men and women presenters had narrowed to 60:40 and has set a target of 50:50 by 2020.