Redundancy stalemate at BBC as stars say they wont take it voluntarily

Redundancy stalemate at the BBC: Huw Edwards, Nick Robinson, Sophie Raworth and Reeta Chakrabarti all indicate that top news presenters at the Beeb will NOT be accepting offer to walk away as cash-strapped corporation tries to save millions

• Earlier Huw Edwards signalled lack of concern over voluntary redundancy note 
• Mr Edwards received the letter despite recently signing a new three-year deal 

None of the six BBC news star names will take voluntary redundancy and slash their combined £1.7million wage bill, one of the group declared this afternoon.

Huw Edwards had this morning laughed off the BBC sending redundancy letters to him, Reeta Chakrabarti, Clive Myrie and Sophie Raworth.

Their radio colleagues Nick Robinson and Justin Webb, who host the station’s flagship Today programme, have also received them.

And this afternoon Mr Robinson said it was unlikely any of them would hand in their notice.

He posted online: ‘This is a routine offer of voluntary redundancy which no-one named here is likely to take up.’ 

Cash-strapped Corporation chiefs are trying to save costs by restructuring its news division and have has written to all its senior TV and radio presenters asking them to consider voluntary redundancy.

Earlier posting a picture of him sipping a drink with his mother Aerona Protheroe, which was retweeted by Ms Raworth and Ms Chakrabati, Mr Edwards declared online: ‘Reality check. A standard HR exercise by BBC News (one of many over the years) is just that.

Huw Edwards, 61, raised a glass with his mother as he brushed off the redundancy letters

Six presenters and journalists are known to have received the voluntary redundancy notes

‘A standard invitation to consider applying for voluntary redundancy. Nothing more. As my mam says, don’t believe everything in the papers.’ 

The voluntary redundancy letter is understood to have come from Philippa Busby, the interim managing editor of news and current affairs.

Figures published previously by the BBC showed the six named presenters currently earn up to £1,722,996 between them.

Its 2022 annual list of highest paid stars – which shows amounts in bands, not exact pay – showed Mr Edwards, who presents both the six o’clock and ten o’clock bulletins on between £410,000 and £414,000.

Ms Raworth got £305,000 to £309,999, while Mr Myrie was in the £255,000 and £259,000 bracket.

Elsewhere the list said Ms Chakrabarti was on between £200,000 and £204,999.

Radio stars Nick Robinson and Justin Webb were on £270,000 to £274,999 and £255,000 to £259,999 respectively.

The BBC has sent redundancy letters to some of its presenters, including Huw Edwards (pictured)

 Reeta Chakrabarti (pictured) is also among those who have received redundancy letters

There are other journalists or news presenters who are paid big salaries who are not yet known to have received the letters.

They include Stephen Nolan, who is paid between £415,000 and £419,999, Fiona Bruce, who gets £410,000 to £414,999 and Amol Rajan who is on £325,000 to £329,999.

The redundancy letters have been linked to cost-cutting measures announced by Director-General Tim Davie last year.

As part of these plans, the Corporation has already merged the BBC News channel and its international counterpart BBC World News to create a new, more digitally focused channel.

As part of that move, broadcasters were invited to compete for a handful of chief presenting roles. Ten senior jobs were axed, with high-profile stars including Joanna Gosling choosing to quit.

Ms Busby’s letter – a copy of which has been seen by The Mail on Sunday – states: ‘As you will be aware, in 2022 we announced a number of changes across BBC News which have meant that some colleagues have been placed at risk of redundancy, including some colleagues in presenter roles.’

The letter, which was sent out at the beginning of this month, asks staff who ‘would like to consider potentially leaving the BBC under voluntary redundancy’ to arrange a meeting with senior HR executive Tim Burden.

A source in the newsroom, who asked not to be named, said: ‘The email is addressed to all senior news presenters and presenters on the band immediately below. Everyone got it on the same day.

‘Senior figures in TV news, including Huw Edwards, Sophie Raworth, Clive Myrie and Reeta Chakrabarti, have received the letter. It’s also been sent to the main presenters on Radio 4’s Today programme.’

The Mail on Sunday understands that the letter from Philippa Busby, the interim managing editor of news and current affairs has been sent to presenters such as Sophie Raworth (pictured)

The BBC, which hopes to avoid having to make compulsory redundancies, gave the presenters until last Friday to register their interest. Insiders say that it is uncertain if anyone has volunteered, not least because BBC redundancy payments are capped at £150,000.

Such a sum is unlikely to appeal to some of its highest-paid employees. Figures published by the Corporation last year show that Mr Edwards, who presents both the six o’clock and ten o’clock bulletins, earned between £410,000 and £414,000, although that represented a cut on the previous year.

The same figures showed that Ms Raworth was on between £305,000 and £309,999, and Mr Myrie on between £255,000 and £259,000.

One insider, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Busby’s email has a link to terms and conditions which includes the rule about redundancy payments being capped at £150,000.

‘For most people that is a considerable amount of money. But if you are in your early 50s and you are earning that each year – which most of these presenters are – it’s not such an attractive proposition.

‘That is particularly the case when the prospect of finding employment in the same sort of place is really difficult. Where would these people go?’

Mr Edwards, 61, received the letter despite recently signing a new three-year deal. Prior to this, there had been speculation he was planning to leave the BBC. No one within BBC News expects him to accept voluntary redundancy.

One BBC journalist, who also asked not to be named, described the redundancy letters as ‘depressing’ and said they added to the general atmosphere of ‘chaos’. Linking the letters to the reorganisation of the news channels, the source added: ‘No one knows if the new channel will last a month or a year.’

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘This isn’t about any new job cuts – it’s a standard HR exercise relating to savings we’ve announced previously – and it’s not targeting any individuals; we have to send it to everyone who’s at the same grade. We’re looking for expressions of interest in redundancy, not offering it, and it’s not the case that any or everyone who came forward would be accepted.’

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