Although both fans and critics alike essentially ran Chris Evans out of his high-profile gig at the BBC, he still is the broadcaster’s highest-paid on-air talent.
The BBC published the salaries of its 10 highest-earning radio and TV personalities Wednesday, and Evans, who hosts “The Chris Evans Breakfast Show” on BBC Radio 2, topped the list by a fairly large margin. Evans reportedly takes in between £2.2 million ($2,867,920) and just under £2.25 ($2,933,098) per year, which is as much as £1,849,999 ($2,411,658) more than the five people who are tied for 10th make.
The 51-year-old Evans was chosen by the BBC to spearhead the post-Jeremy Clarkson “Top Gear” reboot, but “stepped down” from the position after one season. Fans of the show didn’t lament his exit, as many found his shouty presentation style off-putting.
The BBC published the presenters’ salaries in response to claims the public broadcaster was paying them too much, but the numbers interestingly suggest the opposite, according to Bloomberg.
Their incomes, though larger than the average BBC employee’s, are much smaller than those of their counterparts in other markets. Talk show host Graham Norton, for example, reportedly earns just one-tenth what NBC pays Jimmy Fallon.
