The BBC is facing new calls to sack presenter John Humphrys after a ‘damning’ recording of his gender pay gap conversation with Jon Sopel leaked online.
Earlier this week a transcript revealed that Mr Humphrys, who presents Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, asked his colleague how much of his salary he would be prepared to ‘hand over’ as women claim greater pay.
The joke caused fury among the BBC’s female stars and several threatened to quit – but now the newly leaked audio recording has shed new light on the tone of the conversation.
It had been suggested that North America editor Mr Sopel had been backed into a corner by his veteran colleague and did ‘not want to have the conversation at all’ – something which the newly released tape appears to confirm.
The BBC’s John Humphrys is facing an angry backlash after he appeared to mock its on-going gender pay row in an off-air chat with North America editor, Jon Sopel. Fellow Radio 4 presenter Jane Garvey said the comments show women ‘exactly what we’re up against’
Furious listeners on Twitter said that the exchange ‘did not sound like a joke’ after Mr Humphrys’ claim that it was merely banter between two old colleagues.
Martin Sloan wrote: ‘Wow. This comes over even worse than the transcript. Sopel clearly not enjoying the conversation. Hopefully this will finally lead to Humphrys being moved on from Today.’
Sarah O’Connell added: ‘The way they are sniggering with each other (but they have the good fortune to be in the position to laugh at a woman who earns less for the same job). Sopel sounds uneasy.
‘Still shows what women are up against behind closed doors – these are the type of men we ask for equal pay.’
Another added: ‘This audio is damning. It is the kind of ‘joking’ your wildly out-of-touch grandparents might make about race or sexuality. You know it hides blind resentment. Humphrys should be off Today and out of the BBC.’
Carrie Gracie, who earned £135,000 a year, quit in protest at widespread ‘pay discrimination’ – turning down a £45,000 raise – and has moved to another role in the newsroom
BBC bosses were said to be ‘deeply unimpressed’ after the veteran broadcaster appeared to make light of Carrie Gracie’s pay dispute.
A BBC spokesperson 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.
‘PwC are working with us on this to ensure an objective external assessment of how we have set pay in the past, what we need to do differently going forward, and what further action we need to take immediately. We will publish that in the coming weeks.’
Mr Humphrys was chatting off-air with his colleague when he teased him about his involvement in the story, asking: ‘How much of your salary are you prepared to hand over to Carrie Gracie to keep her?’
In a conversation shortly before Humphrys jointly presented Monday’s show with Miss Gracie, he admitted he took a pay cut shortly after the BBC rich list revealed he made up to £650,000 a year.
Referring to the cuts, the 74-year-old claimed to have ‘handed over already more than you f***ing earn’.
‘But I’m still left with more than anybody else and that seems to me entirely just.’
Miss Gracie (pictured) had accused the BBC of a ‘secretive and illegal’ pay culture and said she ‘no longer trusts bosses to give me an accurate answer’
Humphrys continued: ‘Oh dear God she’s actually suggested you should lose money. You know that don’t you?’
Miss Gracie, who earned £135,000 a year, quit in protest at widespread ‘pay discrimination’ – turning down a £45,000 raise – and has moved to another role in the newsroom.
BBC Director General Tony Hall is under increasing pressure to sort out the mess the corporation has got into over pay
Another presenter, Miriam O’Reilly, spoke out about the comments today after refusing to be interviewed by Humphrys about the issue on air because he was ‘not impartial’.
Ms O’Reilly, who won a tribunal against the corporation in 2011, said she was stood down from speaking about the issue on the Today programme this morning.
She tweeted: ‘I believe the person who made the decision to stand me down this morning was concerned I would mention the leaked tape on air.
‘If Mr Humphrys was interviewing me I quite possibly would have – but why not – he would have done the same – it’s called freedom of speech.’
She added: ‘Aside from BBC pay discrimination, it’s clear there is one rule for male presenters at the BBC and one for women.’
Miss Gracie, who earned £135,000 a year, quit in protest at widespread ‘pay discrimination’ – turning down a £45,000 raise – and has moved to another role in the newsroom.
She accused the BBC of a ‘secretive and illegal’ pay culture and said she ‘no longer trusts bosses to give me an accurate answer’.
She said she had warned director-general Lord Hall last August that she would resign if the broadcaster did not pay men and women the same for the same jobs.