From constant scandals to its best shows ending – how 2024 turned into the BBC’s annus horribilis

With star names such as Gary Lineker, Kirsty Wark and Mishal Husain leaving, a slew of others embroiled in legal troubles and a sharp drop in income, this has been a dreadful 12 months for the broadcaster. But could it get worse?

The BBC’s three top earners this year will never be repeated. They are: Gary Lineker (who will step down from Match of the Day at the end of the 2024-25 season), Zoe Ball (resigned from Radio 2 breakfast show), Huw Edwards (convicted of accessing indecent images of children). It is a striking degree of churn for their biggest names.

But four more of their highest-paid employees will also be absent next year: Mishal Husain (resigned to go to Bloomberg TV), Kirsty Wark and Martha Kearney (semi-retired) and Steve Wright (who died in February). There is also significant doubt about whether three of the likely recipients of the biggest pay cheques from BBC Studios (which, by claiming independent commercial status, does not have to make public pay disclosures) will be issued again: Jermaine Jenas had his contracts for Match of the Day and The One Show terminated in August after allegations of workplace misconduct. Gregg Wallace left In the Factory after similar concerns were raised, while he remains under investigation for issues arising at MasterChef, from which he has stepped away (with Grace Dent to replace him on the next series). Jay Blades (The Repair Shop) is scheduled, next May, to defend charges of coercive or controlling behaviour against a former partner.

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