Privately-educated staff at ‘elitist’ BBC occupy a third of best-paid positions

PRIVATELY-educated BBC staff occupy a third of its best-paid jobs — sparking accusations of elitism. 

The number on £150,000 or more almost doubled from 37 to 68 in the past two years, the corporation’s figures show.

Yet former fee-paying school pupils make up just ten per cent of staff earning less than £30,000.

One in four £80,000-plus journalism jobs are taken by the privately educated, who make up only 15 per cent of  newsroom staff.

BBC boss Tim Davie, on £525,000, went to £43,000-a-year Whitgift School,  South London. 

Chief content officer Charlotte Moore — on £442,000 — was at Wycombe Abbey girls’ school, Bucks, with its £51,000 -a-year boarders.

Political editor Laura Kuenssberg was also privately educated.

Lee Elliot Major, Professor of Social Mobility at the Exeter University, said: “It’s scandalous the BBC, set up to serve all parts of British society, excludes socio-economic background from much of its diversity work.”

An Ofcom review previously said lower-income audiences felt presenters’ high  salaries made the BBC out of touch with ordinary people.

The BBC said: “Figures show  21 per cent of staff are from working class backgrounds.”