Easy to see why Beeb went for a female Doctor...
- Publication: The Sun
- Date: 2017-07-21
- Author:
- Page: 17
- Language: English
SO now we know why the BBC plumped for a female Doctor Who... it was cheaper!
The gender gap has been the big talking point of the week and, like a lot of people, I'm seething.
Yep, just a month after Scotland's men drew 2-2 with England, what about the lassies getting thumped 6-0?
Come on, girls, get the finger out!
Seriously, though, if you thought female presenters on TV and radio were hacked off by the BBC salary revelations, what about their Beeb colleagues — men AND women — in Scotland?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only tartan talent on the list — Nicky Campbell, Ken Bruce, Kirsty Wark, etc — all operate a long way from Pacific Quay in Glasgow.
The gender gap? Surely an even bigger story is the great north/south divide?
The disparity is shocking and I'm sure you agree with me, dear reader, that radio presenters in Scotland should be paid exactly the same as, say, Chris Evans in England...
Whisper it, but after 22 years so-hosting Off The Ball, I can still claim income support.
And my auld mucker Cosgrove is eligible for the heating allowance...
Nah, removing tongue from cheek, I can assure you I'd never moan about what I'm paid for a job I love.
Imagine getting weighed in for sitting in a studio every Saturday and having a laugh about the fitba' with your pal?
At the risk of giving my Radio Scotland bosses any ideas, I'd do Off The Ball for nothing.
Not once have I arrived at Fir Park after the lunchtime show and sighed: "I've just come from my work..."
Work?!? My mates who'd knocked their pans in all week doing a PROPER job would quite rightly give me a kicking.
On that note — hard graft — no wonder there was an awkward moment on BBC Breakfast this week with Dan Walker (he gets £249,000) and Louise Minchin (she's on less than £150,000).
Maybe they were both thinking: "Hang on, does it really need TWO people on a combined salary of £400k to read the autocue...?
Meanwhile, Clare Balding appeared on last night's episode of Who Do You Think You Are — and that was apparently the same text message she sent to Gary Lin-eker on Wednesday.
It was revealed she earns a tenth of his BBC salary. Which might explain why she supplements her income by appearing on every other available TV channel.
Other startling revelations? You'll all have your favourite, but what about Claudia Winkleman trousering between £450,000 and £499,000?
A Dick Turpin mask would keep that fringe out of her eyes.
Fellow Strictly star Len Goodman waltzed away with £200-£249k, but I think he's worth it. Mind you, I also think he shops at Farm, foods...
Alan Yentob gets £250,000 for hosting the BBC2 arts programme Imagine. Not bad, eh? That's a grand per viewer.
And Dannii Minogue — the "go to" girl when Kylie is busy —pocketed £250,000 as a "contributor" on Let It Shine, despite the fact she contributed hee-haw. Imagine the look on her coupon if the Beeb introduced performance-related pay?
I was also stunned to learn 5 Live "shock jock" Stephen Nolan is paid £450,000. Sorry, not stunned. I mean envious.
I'm a Jock. And Off The Ball is frequently described as shocking. So where's my 450 grand?
But I'll leave the last word to another Scot — the brilliant Radio 4 presenter Eddie Mair (one of the few folk on the list who deserves every single penny).
This week, he asked a BBC boss: "Why do on-air people get paid more if they have a penis?"
Terrific question. And it certainly explains Steve Wright's £500,000 salary.
He's got three or four of them in the studio every single afternoon...
DESPITE the fact both of us could easily play a baddie in the show — with no need for costumes or elaborate make-up — neither fellow columnist Bill Leckie nor myself have watched a single episode of Dr Who.
And that's why our knickers remain well and truly untwisted by this week's tedious saga.
I was just gobsmacked the BBC didn't give the part to Mel or Sue.
Good luck to the female Time Lord/Lady. The Daleks won't stand a chance once a month.
And, for his sake, I just hope Peter Capaldi didn't leave the toilet seat up in the Tardis...
PS. A personal plea to TV bosses. Now that we've broken the mould with a female Dr Who, any chance of a celebrity on Celebrity Big Brother?
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- APA 6th ed.: (2017-07-21). Easy to see why Beeb went for a female Doctor.... The Sun p. 17.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Easy to see why Beeb went for a female Doctor...." The Sun [add city] 2017-07-21, 17. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Easy to see why Beeb went for a female Doctor...." The Sun, edition, sec., 2017-07-21
- Turabian: "Easy to see why Beeb went for a female Doctor...." The Sun, 2017-07-21, section, 17 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Easy to see why Beeb went for a female Doctor... | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Easy_to_see_why_Beeb_went_for_a_female_Doctor... | work=The Sun | pages=17 | date=2017-07-21 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=28 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Easy to see why Beeb went for a female Doctor... | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Easy_to_see_why_Beeb_went_for_a_female_Doctor... | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=28 April 2025}}</ref>
