IT has been revealed that Wirral-educated newsreader and presenter Fiona Bruce is the sixth highest-paid BBC star.

Yesterday (July 11) the BBC published the salaries of its highest-paid stars as part of its annual report from 2022-2023.

For the first time, women make up half of the BBC’s workforce– though the proportion of women on the list of the highest on-air salaries has fallen.

While there are four women in the top 10 list of highest earners, none of them has broken the £1 million threshold.

59-year-old Fiona, who was originally born in Singapore, but moved to Wirral with her family when she was four-years-old and educated at Gayton Primary School, has ranked in sixth place, earning between £395,000-£399,999.

This has fallen from 2021/2022 when she was paid between £410,000 and £414,999 and in 2020/2021 when she was paid between £405,000 and £409,999.

Fiona joined the BBC as a researcher for Panorama in 1989, and became the first female newsreader on the BBC News at Ten, as well as presenting many programmes for the corporation, including BBC News at Six, Crimewatch, Real Story, Antiques Roadshow, and Fake or Fortune? 

Since January 10 2019, she has been the presenter of the BBC One television programme, Question Time.

Who is the highest paid BBC star?

Gary Lineker, who presents Match of the Day and the BBC's World Cup coverage, remains top of the list, earning £1.35m.

Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball is in second place, having earned £980k last year.

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.

The other women on the list are Desert Island Discs presenter Lauren Laverne, with a bracket of £390,000 – £394,999, up £10,000, and Sophie Raworth with £365,000-£369,999, up £60,000.

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."