The salaries of the BBC's highest-paid sports commentators, presenters and pundits have been revealed for the first time, with Match of the Day host Gary Lineker earning more than $1.75 million pounds ($A2.9m).
The former England footballer earns four times as much as BBC Sport's next highest earner, his Match of the Day colleague and fellow ex-striker Alan Shearer, who is paid between $400,000-449,000 pounds.
Question of Sport and tennis presenter Sue Barker is the best-paid woman at BBC Sport, earning between $300,000-349,999 pounds.
Other big-earners include versatile TV presenters John Inverdale and Gabby Logan, who both earn between $200,000-249,999 pounds and tennis pundit John McEnroe and Test Match Special commentator Jonathan Agnew, who earn between $150,000-199,999 pounds.
The BBC has published what it pays senior managers for several years but has always resisted calls to declare the salaries of on-screen "talent", saying it would have an inflationary effect in a competitive market.
But last year, the government forced the BBC to reveal the salaries of all employees earning more than $150,000 pounds - in $50,000 pound bands - as a condition of its continuing right to receive annual licence fee.
As a result, Wednesday's publication of the annual report has attracted considerably more interest than usual, with 96 names on the list.
The 56-year-old Lineker's salary is second only to Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans' pay of $2.2-2.25 millon pounds, although this list does not include what several big stars earn from independent companies that make programmes for the BBC or what they earn from their own production companies.
This would explain why chat-show host and radio presenter Graham Norton's salary is listed at $850,000-899,999 pounds when it is widely believed that he is really the best-paid man at the corporation.
Lineker, in fact, is likely to earn more from the BBC than his personal salary as his production company Goalhanger Films also makes documentaries for the corporation, including the recent film about boxer Anthony Joshua, and co-produces The Premier League Show.
In a tweet on Wednesday morning, Lineker wrote: "Happy BBC salary day. I blame my agent and the other TV channels that pay more. Now where did I put my tin helmet?"
