BBC sacks several people over ‘abusive behaviour’

Getty ImagesThe BBC has confirmed that a number of members of employees have been sacked following a current evaluation into the company’s tradition.However Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, acknowledged that some highly effective people nonetheless make life “insufferable” for his or her colleagues.His feedback got here as MasterChef was plunged into disaster, with a report on Monday upholding 45 allegations about Gregg Wallace’s behaviour on the BBC present, and one other towards co-host John Torode of utilizing racist language.On Tuesday, the company launched its annual report which revealed that former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker was the BBC’s prime paid presenter for the eighth yr working.Lineker earned between £1,350,000 – £1,354,99 within the final monetary yr, adopted by former Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball on £515,000 – £519,999.Talking because the report was launched, Shah acknowledged that over the previous yr, there had been a “string of revelations” about abuses of energy on the BBC.”Our employees are devoted, hardworking and deal with one another with respect,” he stated.”Nevertheless, there are pockets within the organisation the place this isn’t the case. There are nonetheless locations the place highly effective people – on and off-screen – can abuse that energy lo make life for his or her colleagues insufferable.”Addressing the MasterChef controversy, BBC director common Tim Davie insisted the cooking present “completely” has a future, including that it was “a lot greater than people”.However he refused to say what would occur to the unseen sequence – which was filmed final yr with each Wallace and Torode in it. Wallace has been sacked from the present.Davie additionally didn’t touch upon whether or not Torode would now even be sacked, saying that the manufacturing firm Banijay was main the method.”The BBC, in some methods, we’re fairly easy on this, which is that if somebody is discovered to not reside as much as the values, we anticipate the impartial firm, Banijay on this case, to take motion and report again to us on what they’ve completed.”These aren’t BBC workers, however we completely anticipate motion to be taken.”Wallace apologised after the inquiry reported again on Monday, whereas Torode stated he had “no recollection” of the alleged incident, including: “I don’t consider that it occurred.”Watch: Timeline of the allegations towards Gregg WallaceStar salariesAs normal, the BBC’s annual report doesn’t paint the total image of what star presenters on the BBC earn.An enormous quantity aren’t listed as a result of the company doesn’t must make public the salaries of stars who’re paid via its industrial arm BBC Studios or by way of impartial manufacturing firms.Strictly talking, the figures disclosed as a part of the annual report aren’t “salaries” – however fairly, relate to pay that people obtain inside the monetary yr.BBC / PA(left to proper) Zoe Ball, Gary Lineker and Greg JamesLineker signed off from his ultimate version of Match of the Day in Could after 26 years within the scorching seat. He had been as a consequence of stay with the BBC to entrance protection of the lads’s FA Cup and the World Cup, however in the long run, left the company utterly after apologising for reposting a social media publish about Zionism that included an illustration thought-about antisemitic.His wage remained the identical as final yr’s, whereas Zoe Ball’s has dropped from the earlier yr’s £950,000-£954,999, reflecting her departure from the Radio 2 breakfast present to take up a brand new function fronting Saturday afternoons on the station.Lineker’s wage continues to be included within the BBC’s newest annual report as he is solely simply left, however subsequent yr he’ll now not be listed.Zoe Ball hosted her ultimate Radio 2 breakfast present in December after six years within the slot, and took up her new Saturday afternoon function in Could.Elsewhere, director common Tim Davie’s wage has gone up by £20k from final yr (£527k) to £547k, representing a 3.8% pay rise. Zoe Ball signed off from her ultimate Radio 2 Breakfast present in DecemberThe BBC’s licence payment is ready by the tradition secretary.This yr earnings generated by the licence payment elevated from £3.7 to £3.8bn after inflation. The report acknowledged there was a drop within the variety of households paying for the licence payment, from 23,131,000 in 2024 to 22,772,000 in 2025 – a drop of 359,000.This represents a decline of 1.56%, in contrast with final yr’s drop of 1.26%.That quantity is holding up pretty effectively, declining much less shortly than could be anticipated given the competitors from streaming providers.The report additionally revealed 50% of UK adults assume the BBC is efficient at offering neutral information and present affairs, an uptick of 5% on final yr’s 45% of these surveyed. An extra 63% of UK adults assume the BBC is efficient at offering correct information and present affairs, in comparison with final yr’s 59%. The variety of adults utilizing BBC providers weekly final yr declined barely from 75% to 74%, although 70% of beneath 16s use BBC providers together with TV, iPlayer, radio and on-line content material on a weekly foundation.Of these platforms, iPlayer is the quickest rising platform for long-form content material.The report additionally confirmed that 10 out of 10 of Christmas Day prime exhibits have been from the BBC – however that features King’s speech which can also be broadcast on different channels.The BBC’s annual report comes within the wake of a sequence of controversies confronted by the company. In addition to Masterchef, they embrace Glastonbury and the choice to broadcast Bob Vylan’s set.Earlier this yr, a documentary, Gaza: The best way to Survive a Warzone, was pulled from iPlayer after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.On Monday, a report concluded the documentary breached editorial tips on accuracy.It acknowledged the BBC bears “some accountability” for “not being sufficiently proactive” within the early levels of the undertaking, and for a “lack of important oversight of unanswered or partially answered questions” – though the report stated the impartial movie firm behind it, Hoyo Movies, bore probably the most accountability for this failure.