BBC stars topping up their salaries with moonlighting gigs: Emily Maitlis and Naga Munchetty named

BBC stars have continued topping up their six-figure salaries with moonlighting gigs presenting corporate events in the three months to September this year.

At least five TV favourites earned more than £10,000 for single paid events in September, according to figures released by the BBC.

The broadcaster, which shares its stars’ earnings quarterly, said 44 percent of the events undertaken by staff involved payments of more than £1,000.

The figures show BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, who is paid £259,999, could have reached a £30,000 threshold after multiple events paid her more than £5,000 each since January this year. 

The register, which has been published by the BBC since January, notes only if the fee was ‘above £5,000’, ‘below £5,000’, ‘between £5,000 to £10,000’ and ‘above £10,000’.

Newsnight anchor Emily Maitlis was paid around £20,000 for three events, for one of which she charged between £5,000 and £10,000. Pictured, presenting an awards in 2007

Another high earner is Ms Munchetty’s fellow presenter Dan Walker, who is paid more than £295,000 by the BBC. He was handed more than £15,000 following three paid events this year.

Newsnight anchor Emily Maitlis was paid around £20,000 for three events, for one of which she charged between £5,000 and £10,000.

Dan Walker, who is paid more than £295,000 by the BBC, was handed more than £15,000 following three paid events this year

Dan Walker, who is paid more than £295,000 by the BBC, was handed more than £15,000 following three paid events this year

It comes despite the stars’ receiving high salaries which are paid for by the public via the licence fee.

Ms Munchetty was paid more than £10,000 to host the Bold Woman Award by Veuve Cliquot on September 9, and on September 30 she received another payment of more than £10,000 to host an event by Nimble Media Ltd.

Elsewhere, the broadcaster was paid less than £5,000 to work as an interviewer for Fane, and was handed another fee of less than £5,000 to host an event by England Golf. 

The BBC told MailOnline employees had to stay below a cap of £30,000 – but the figures appear to suggest Ms Munchetty could have reached this level.  

Other stars to earn more than £10,000 for a single gig include HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur, Maryam Moshiri, Clive Myrie and former The Independent Editor Amol Rajan.

Mr Walker, who is competing in Strictly Come Dancing this year, was paid more than £5,000 in January to work as a moderator for St James’ Place Management.

In March he again earned more than £5,000 in a role as a moderator for Co-op and in May a gig hosting Best Companies made him at least another £5,000.

The figures show BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, who is paid £259,999, could have reached a £30,000 payment threshold with multiple events paying more than £5,000 each since January this year. Pictured hosting the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards in 2017

The figures show BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, who is paid £259,999, could have reached a £30,000 payment threshold with multiple events paying more than £5,000 each since January this year. Pictured hosting the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards in 2017

Justin Webb (pictured), who earns more than £255,000 a year, had carried out four engagements in which he was paid more than £5,000 in the first quarter of the year

Justin Webb (pictured), who earns more than £255,000 a year, had carried out four engagements in which he was paid more than £5,000 in the first quarter of the year

A BBC spokesman said: ‘Data from this quarter show 56 per cent of external events undertaken by staff involved payments of under £1,000 and the overwhelming majority – 91 per cent – were below £5,000.’

In May it was revealed Andrew Marr was paid at least £5,000 for a Zoom call with a wealth fund. The political interviewer received the sum for hosting an event, from the BBC offices, for investment management firm Brewin Dolphin in March. 

Justin Webb, who earns more than £255,000 a year, had carried out four engagements in which he was paid more than £5,000 in the first quarter of the year.

In June he chaired a panel for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) for more than £5,000 and in July he received between £1,000 and £5,000 for chairing a panel for the Management Consultancies Association.

Meanwhile, MPs could be banned from taking up positions as consultants outside their parliamentary duties after Tory MP Owen Paterson (pictured) lobbied the government on behalf of two companies he worked for

Meanwhile, MPs could be banned from taking up positions as consultants outside their parliamentary duties after Tory MP Owen Paterson (pictured) lobbied the government on behalf of two companies he worked for

Today presenter Mishal Husain, who gets £275,000 from the BBC, was paid between £1,000 and £5,000 to chair a panel for Hawthorn Advisors / Strathclyde University in September.

Meanwhile, MPs could be banned from taking up positions as consultants outside their parliamentary duties after Tory MP Owen Paterson lobbied the government on behalf of two companies he worked for.

Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is expected to put forward a proposal to review the House of Commons’ standards procedures which may prevent MPs from offering consulting services to earn extra cash amid a parliamentary debate over the Paterson scandal on November 7.

An investigation led by the standards commissioner Kathryn Stone said Paterson had broken Commons rules by lobbying for two firms that paid him £500,000, and he resigned from his position on Thursday after a botched plan concocted by the Prime Minister to block his suspension from Parliament buckled under a torrent of criticism. 

Despite his resignation, Paterson has vehemently denied any wrong-doing, saying he was acting in the public interest and protesting that the procedural route to the findings against him were against due process by not affording sufficient means of appeal. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk