THE BBC has walked into a new row over the high salaries it pays star presenters by lining up Jonathan Ross to front the Baftas, the British Academy film awards, in February.

Ross, who has a three-year contract with the corporation worth a reported £18m, is expected to be paid a separate fee of up to £100,000 to host the glittering ceremony for the second year running.

The BBC, which will foot the bill for Ross in return for broadcasting the Baftas, is believed not to have considered an alternative presenter – despite the level of acrimony that has surrounded Ross’s pay packet.

Only last Thursday, Sir Michael Lyons, the BBC chairman, suggested the broadcaster had been too “meek” in responding to the demands of on-screen stars.

Lyons, who has commissioned a review of so-called talent costs, said there was “real concern that the BBC might contribute to inflated fees and salaries by responding too meekly to demands which reflect US realities rather than domestic values”.

In a speech to the television industry, he added: “It is important that the BBC does not use the privilege of a guaranteed income to overbid for talent – thereby raising costs for the industry as a whole and reducing the value delivered to licence-fee payers.”

His comments appeared to contradict the view of Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director-general, who has defended Ross’s pay deal, claiming that commercial rivals had offered him more money.

Other BBC stars boasting large salaries include Graham Norton, who is said to be earning £5m over three years, and Jeremy Paxman, the presenter of BBC2’s Newsnight and University Challenge, who is paid about £1m a year.

Ross, 46, took over presenting the Baftas this year after Stephen Fry, the event’s former host, decided to step down. His red-carpet performance generated mixed reviews despite the fact that he had reportedly been paid a considerably higher fee than Fry. Ricky Gervais, the comedian, said of Ross: “He nicked Stephen Fry’s job. At least the Americans knew who he was.”

One television critic wrote: “Ross looked neutered, his jokes were pallid and he accepted the unctuous thanks of Lord Puttnam for his evening’s hosting duties like a humbled flunky.”

Ross’s £18m contract covers his Friday night chat show on BBC1, his Saturday morning breakfast show on Radio 2, his film review programme and fees to his production company Hot Sauce.

Last week John Humphrys, a veteran presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme, highlighted Ross’s pay deal at a time when the BBC is planning to make 1,800 staff redundant after receiving a lower than expected licence fee settlement from the government.

A BBC spokeswoman said: “We are talking to Jonathan [about the Baftas], we want him to do it, but at the moment nothing has been confirmed and we have not talked about payment.”

BBC hosts with the most

Grade AA fee: £25,000+ Jonathan Ross, Graham Norton

Grade A: £10,000-£25,000 Huw Edwards, Fiona Bruce

Grade B: £5,000-£10,000 John Humphrys, Emily Maitlis

Grade C: £2,500-£5,000 Evan Davis, Fi Glover

Source: Jeremy Lee Associates (Approximate cost bandings for awards ceremonies and conferences)

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