BBC 'deeply unimpressed' after John Humphrys' joke with Jon Sopel about Carrie Gracie's pay

Off-air comment: John Humphrys broadcasting on Radio 4's Today programme earlier this week
Robin de Peyer12 January 2018

BBC bosses are said to be “deeply unimpressed” after two of its top presenters were recorded joking about the gender pay gap.

Radio 4 Today presenter John Humphrys and North America editor Jon Sopel were taped having a conversation about Carrie Gracie hours after she quit because she was being paid less than her male colleagues.

Mr Humphrys asked his colleague how much of his salary he would be prepared to “hand over” to keep Ms Gracie at the BBC, The Times and The Sun reported.

He then added: “Oh dear God, she's actually suggested you should lose money."

The BBC reported that its management are understood to be “deeply unimpressed” by the comments, which were recorded before Monday morning’s edition of Today.

Pay row: Carrie Gracie
PA

Mr Humphrys told the Times the conversation had not been intended as a criticism of Ms Gracie.

“This was what I thought was an exchange between two old friends who have known each other for 30 years and were taking the mickey out of each other,” he said.

"It was nothing to do with Carrie's campaign."

Criticism: John Humphrys (BBC News & Current Affairs via G)
BBC News & Current Affairs via G

Ms Gracie's resignation came as she accused the corporation of a "secretive and illegal pay culture" after it was revealed two-thirds of its stars earning more than £150,000 were male.

In an open letter, she said she had left her post to "speak out publicly on a crisis of trust at the BBC", adding that she simply wanted the corporation to "abide by the law and value men and women equally".

BBC presenter Jane Garvey tweeted: "The #Humphrys - Sopel exchange reveals, very neatly, what we’re up against. And a useful reminder to be ever careful in a room with microphones. #bbcwomen".

Gender pay comments: Jon Sopel

Former BBC journalist Miriam O'Reilly, who won a tribunal against the corporation in 2011, claimed to have heard the recording of the conversation between Mr Humphrys and Mr Sopel.

She tweeted: "...it is base - and beneath what the public would expect to hear from John Humphrys. Winifred Robinson was stood down for tweeting support for @BBCCarrie I expect the same will now happen with Mr Humphrys."

She also described the exchange as "smug and condescending".

A BBC spokeswoman said: "This was an ill-advised off-air conversation which the presenter regrets.

"The BBC is committed to getting its pay structures right and, as we have said, we are conducting a comprehensive analysis of presenter pay."

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