Norton to face pay cut

TV host Graham Norton was last night battling to save his £7.5million BBC deal.
Cost-cutting bosses are trying to negotiate a less expensive contract for the camp Irish star, 46.

Norton signed his three-year deal in 2006 — and it runs out at the end of this year.

As TV Biz revealed this year, BBC bosses are looking to slash up to 20 per cent off salaries above £100,000 in a bid to save cash.

This would see Norton’s deal cut back to £6million or £2million a year for his BBC2 chat show, Saturday night reality talent shows and the Eurovision song contest.

An insider said: “Graham knows that sorting out a new deal will be hard work as the BBC is nowhere near as flush as when he last signed. It will be an interesting game of poker.”

It is the first multi-million pound contract up for renewal since director general Mark Thompson ordered the contract cuts.

Fellow BBC host Jonathan Ross’s £18million deal is also up for renewal this year.

ITV is also cutting salaries for big names like Ant and Dec and Simon Cowell.


Personally I enjoy Grahams wicked sense of humour even if it is a bit risque at times but I DO think all telly stars are vastly overpaid

I like Graham Norton miss his shows on CH4, but presenters are paid far too much for the amount of hours they work. A pay cut won't dent their wallets that much it's not as if they are going to be destitute.

Who needs that many millions? No wonder our programs are getting worse.

It annoys me TV starts all go on about charities and comic relief but they rarely donate a large amount themselves and yet they get paid huge amounts.

If all TV stars took a pay cut, maybe we would see more quality programmes. No TV star deserves that amount of money - a good move.

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Originally Posted by alan45

This would see Norton’s deal cut back to £6million or £2million a year for his BBC2 chat show, Saturday night reality talent shows and the Eurovision song contest.

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Oh dear, is that all the poor lamb would be getting. Can he claim any benefits on such a low salary?

But why has it taken this long for tv companies to cut the pay cheques? This credit crunch has not come over night, revenues from ads must have been down before this year.

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Originally Posted by parkerman

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Originally Posted by alan45

This would see Norton’s deal cut back to £6million or £2million a year for his BBC2 chat show, Saturday night reality talent shows and the Eurovision song contest.

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Oh dear, is that all the poor lamb would be getting. Can he claim any benefits on such a low salary?

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I agree that most tv hosts are vastly overpaid but it is not their fault that they were offered those contracts and I doubt that people on here would refuse such an offer if it were offered.

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Originally Posted by Perdita

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Originally Posted by parkerman

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Originally Posted by alan45

This would see Norton’s deal cut back to £6million or £2million a year for his BBC2 chat show, Saturday night reality talent shows and the Eurovision song contest.

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Oh dear, is that all the poor lamb would be getting. Can he claim any benefits on such a low salary?

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I agree that most tv hosts are vastly overpaid but it is not their fault that they were offered those contracts and I doubt that people on here would refuse such an offer if it were offered.

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At's very true, Perdita. Who would turn down such amazing sums of money. However, I dont believe anyone in that profession is worth that amount of money... they are vastly overpaid for what they do. I think it's a good thing that these pay deals are being curtailed.... :)

And surely Norton will still able to get by on such a pay cut???! He can always start budgeting and shop in Primark and Netto. :lol:

i love his show, hes really funny. but i dont think he needs to earn that amount of money, even though he does seem to present an awful lot on bbc!