There’s radio silence from Today presenter Sarah Montague
There’s radio silence from Today presenter Sarah Montague as she battles to persuade BBC bosses to close the ‘unfair’ pay gap between her and her male colleagues.
I can reveal Montague, 51, has taken almost a month’s leave after discovering in the summer that she earns up to £500,000 less than fellow presenter John Humphrys.
Montague has reportedly received a 25 per cent pay rise, but is also claiming ‘back pay’ to compensate for her historic lower earnings.
The Today host was appalled to learn that Humphrys earns up to £650,000, while she earned less than £150,000, despite fronting the flagship Radio 4 show for 17 years.
Montague told the Radio Times in October: ‘I didn’t know how unfair it was. Also, I didn’t realise how professionally damaging it was. We sit in that studio and challenge people over being unfair, so the BBC, of all places, should be fair.’
As she battles to reach an agreement, Montague, who is married to Sir Christopher Brooke, has not been on air on Today since November 30. Her presenting slots have been filled by stand-in hosts. The BBC says Montague’s absence has been ‘planned for some time’. But an insider tells me Montague has gone on leave ‘under a cloud’.
The source says: ‘Normally, when someone leaves after such a long time on the show, it is noted on-air with tributes, such as John Major’s for James Naughtie. But it seems Sarah won’t have this.’
Montague is set to swap jobs with the BBC’s World At One presenter Martha Kearney because she finds the 3.30am starts on Today tiring.
I can reveal Montague, 51, has taken almost a month’s leave after discovering in the summer that she earns up to £500,000 less than fellow presenter John Humphrys
The job swap would also help resolve Montague’s salary grievances, as Kearney earns between £200,000 and £249,999.
No official start dates have been announced for their new roles. It is thought they can’t be finalised until Montague’s pay dispute has been resolved.
The BBC was forced to offer ‘top-up’ payments to some of its prominent female presenters, including Montague, after the gender pay row in the summer.
In October, I revealed the BBC is ‘too scared’ to cut its star male presenters’ pay, so it is closing the Today show’s pay gap by giving huge rises to Mishal Husain and Montague.
The BBC says Montague will return to Today on December 27, but declined to comment on her pay dispute. A spokesman says: ‘We don’t discuss such things and don’t have anything further to add.’
French footballer-turned-philosopher Eric Cantona doesn’t half spout tommyrot. ‘Sometimes I close my eyes when I write, to give the words a level of imperfection,’ he muses.
It takes all sorts: Kate’s Bertie Bassett dress
Playingf a leather catsuit-wearing vampire in the Underworld film series appears to have rubbed off on Hollywood bombshell Kate Beckinsale.
The London-born 44-year-old arrived at a magazine party in Los Angeles this week wearing a £1,062 Emanuel Ungaro black halter leather mini dress, complete with green ruffle on the sides, which had the unfortunate effect of making her look rather like a Liquorice Allsort.
Kate, the daughter of late Porridge actor Richard Beckinsale, arrived solo at the bash despite having recently rekindled her romance with 22-year-old actor and comedian Matt Rife, from whom she first split in August.
Kate’s daughter Lily, whose father is actor Michael Sheen, is not much younger than her mother’s lover, at just 18.
Rowan Atkinson has one of the most distinctive faces in entertainment.
Yet the former Mr Bean, who returns as the detective Maigret in a new ITV adventure, remains an enigma to those he encounters on public transport.
‘What I’ve had is people saying: “Oh, hello. I know you. Oh . . . what’s your name again?” And I say: “Rowan Atkinson.”
‘And they say: “No, no, no.” A most peculiar idea where you tell people your name and they don’t believe you . . . [preferring to think] that you’ve made something up.’
Royal godchild India’s sparkling riposte to thieves
Prince Charles’ goddaughter India Hicks has a unique way of handling a crisis. The glamorous daughter of celebrated designer David Hicks this week told of her shock at discovering she had been burgled.
Rather than getting down in the dumps, Princess Diana’s bridesmaid decided to embrace the bad news by dressing up in her finest garb.
But rather than getting down in the dumps, Princess Diana’s bridesmaid decided to embrace the bad news by dressing up in her finest garb.
Sharing this picture online after the incident, on which she did not elaborate, she decorates her yoga-honed figure with a saffron-coloured sequin dress.
‘When the b******s break into your car and steal all your important s*** don’t let them get you down,’ declares India, 50.
‘Put your sparkle on and go out.’