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| BBC 'deeply unimpressed' over Carrie Gracie pay jokes | BBC 'deeply unimpressed' over Carrie Gracie pay jokes |
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| The BBC is "deeply unimpressed" with an off-air chat in which two of its presenters joked about the gender pay gap, a corporation source has said. | The BBC is "deeply unimpressed" with an off-air chat in which two of its presenters joked about the gender pay gap, a corporation source has said. |
| BBC Radio 4 Today presenter Humphrys and North America editor Jon Sopel were discussing Carrie Gracie, who hours earlier had quit over equal pay. | |
| Before Monday's show, The Sun and Times reported, they joked of "handing over" pay to keep Ms Gracie as China editor. | Before Monday's show, The Sun and Times reported, they joked of "handing over" pay to keep Ms Gracie as China editor. |
| A BBC spokeswoman said the presenter regrets the "ill-advised" conversation. | A BBC spokeswoman said the presenter regrets the "ill-advised" conversation. |
| BBC management are understood to be "deeply unimpressed" with the unaired discussion, which took place ahead of a pre-recorded interview for Monday morning's edition of Today. | |
| In an open letter issued the night before, Ms Gracie had accused the corporation of having a "secretive and illegal pay culture". | In an open letter issued the night before, Ms Gracie had accused the corporation of having a "secretive and illegal pay culture". |
| Speaking in the Radio 4 studio, Mr Humphrys reportedly asked Mr Sopel about "how much of your salary you are prepared to hand over to Carrie Gracie to keep her". | Speaking in the Radio 4 studio, Mr Humphrys reportedly asked Mr Sopel about "how much of your salary you are prepared to hand over to Carrie Gracie to keep her". |
| He then referred to "other men who are earning too much" at the BBC. | He then referred to "other men who are earning too much" at the BBC. |
| Mr Sopel is understood to have replied that "if we are talking about the scope for the greatest redistribution I'll have to come back and say well yes Mr Humphrys". | Mr Sopel is understood to have replied that "if we are talking about the scope for the greatest redistribution I'll have to come back and say well yes Mr Humphrys". |
| The presenter is then reported to have uttered a profanity and said that he was "still left with more [pay] than anybody else". | The presenter is then reported to have uttered a profanity and said that he was "still left with more [pay] than anybody else". |
| Miriam O'Reilly, who won an ageism case against the BBC in 2011 after being dropped from Countryfile, described the exchange as "base, smug and condescending". | Miriam O'Reilly, who won an ageism case against the BBC in 2011 after being dropped from Countryfile, described the exchange as "base, smug and condescending". |
| Claiming to have heard a recording of the chat, Ms O'Reilly said it represented the attitude of "back-slapping entitled males". | Claiming to have heard a recording of the chat, Ms O'Reilly said it represented the attitude of "back-slapping entitled males". |
| A BBC spokeswoman said: "This was an ill-advised off-air conversation which the presenter regrets. | A BBC spokeswoman 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," she added. | "The BBC is committed to getting its pay structures right and, as we have said, we are conducting a comprehensive analysis of presenter pay," she added. |
| Deputy Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson asked in a tweet whether Mr Humphrys would be prohibited from presenting stories on the issue of gender impartiality. | Deputy Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson asked in a tweet whether Mr Humphrys would be prohibited from presenting stories on the issue of gender impartiality. |
| Earlier this week, presenter Winifred Robinson - who had tweeted support for Ms Gracie - was taken off air while Woman's Hour's Jane Garvey said she was unable to conduct an interview with Ms Gracie for the show. | Earlier this week, presenter Winifred Robinson - who had tweeted support for Ms Gracie - was taken off air while Woman's Hour's Jane Garvey said she was unable to conduct an interview with Ms Gracie for the show. |
| "So is John Humphrys now banned from presenting stories on the BBC gender pay issue," she said. | "So is John Humphrys now banned from presenting stories on the BBC gender pay issue," she said. |