Presenter Anita Rani has called on the BBC to focus on the race pay gap as well as the gender pay gap.
When the BBC salaries were released last month, it was revealed that 10 out of the 96 celebrities earning more than £150,000 were from the BAME community.
This on top of figures showing a huge gender disparity with the BBC’s pay figures.
Speaking to The Sun, Rani admitted there “a lot of work to be done”, when it comes to BAME equality.
“I will say that for me there’s a race gap and a gender gap,” she said.
“For me the issue is we need to focus on race and gender. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
“I know that they’re working hard to address the balance but I think race needs to be addressed equally as well as gender.”
“I think it’s difficult for everybody but, for me, as much as it’s about gender I think it’s about race and it’s about class so I think there is a lot of be sorted out and I think this is the beginning of a big shift and a change, which is a good thing.”
The list of highest-paid BAME stars at the BBC includes news presenters Naga Muchetty, Moira Stuart, both earning at least £150,000.
Sports presenter Jason Mohannmed, Alan Yentob and political reporter John Pianaar were also included in the list.
BBC claims to employ just 14.7 per cent non-white staff throughout the wider corporation. It aims to employ 15 per cent Black, Asian and minority ethic staff by 2020.
A statement from the BBC following the publication of the pay report said: “On gender and diversity, the BBC is more diverse than the broadcasting industry and the civil service.”
“We have set the most stretching targets in the industry for on-air diversity and we’ve made progress, but we recognise there is more to do and we are pushing further and faster than any other broadcaster.”
