Huw Edwards was paid more than £475,000 by the BBC last year but resigned and left the company in the wake of the explicit photos scandal.
He resigned in April following allegations that he had paid young people for sexually explicit photographs.
The veteran news anchor was paid between £475,000 and £479,999 in 2023/24 for 160 days of hosting, as well as BBC One news specials, election specials and other TV programmes, according to the BBC’s annual report.
This is an increase from the 2022/23 season, when he was paid between £435,000 and £439,999 for 180 days working as a presenter on BBC One and news specials.
Edwards did not appear on screen from when the news first broke in July 2023 until his departure in April 2024.
He remained on the payroll during his suspension, which is standard BBC policy, and he suffered from serious mental illness and was receiving inpatient treatment.
The BBC confirmed that he was not receiving any remuneration at the time of his departure and that he had left “on medical advice from his doctors”.
He has been a fixture in reporting on major political and royal events for many years, announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth for the BBC and covering her funeral.
He also hosted the BBC’s coverage of the King’s coronation last year.
BBC director general Tim Davie defended Mr Edwards’ £40,000 pay rise, saying: “We always seek to be prudent in spending public money and no one wants to waste a pound.”
“But what you were trying to do, and what you were trying to do from the beginning of the case, was to act proportionately and fairly and try to get through this appropriately.
“I think we did … but I don’t think we would have wasted money if we hadn’t done the right thing.”
He added: “Those on the list will get a pay increase because of increased responsibilities, but if, in fact, they are doing more, that’s quite normal and that’s what will lead to this change.”
Edwards is the third highest-paid employee on the 2023/24 list, moving up from fourth place last year, with Match of the Day anchor Gary Lineker once again topping the list last year, but Lineker’s salary remained unchanged at £1,354,999, down from £1.35 million.
It is the seventh year in a row that Lineker has topped the list and remains the only star player to be paid more than £1 million.
The salaries of many of the BBC’s best-known faces are not published in the list because the corporation does not have to reveal the salaries of people paid through its production companies, including BBC Studios, the BBC’s commercial arm.
This means familiar presenters and personalities such as Michael McIntyre, Lord Sugar, Bradley Walsh and Alex Jones will not be appearing.
It also explains the absence of “Strictly Come Dancing” presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who also present another hit BBC entertainment show, “The Traitors.”
The BBC released its annual report amid growing scrutiny over the culture of its flagship show Strictly Come Dancing and the treatment of contestants.
The lengthy document barely mentions Strictly, but is peppered with photographs from the show.
This year’s list of the highest-paid on-air talent has two new additions.
Naga Munchetty and Radio 4’s Nick Robinson completed the top ten, replacing Ken Bruce, who left the BBC, and Sophie Raworth, who dropped further down the list.
Four women make up the top 10: Zoe Ball, Fiona Bruce, Lauren Laverne and Munchetty.
Radio 1’s Greg James, Radio Ulster’s Stephen Nolan and Match of the Day’s Alan Shearer are also on the list.
release date: Radio News Hub
