Wossy wins '£18m' BBC contract

June 09, 2006

JONATHAN Ross has signed a new deal with the BBC said to be worth é18 million - making him one of the highest paid presenters in TV history.

The BBC and Channel 4 had been locked in a bidding war over the star.

Channel 4 offered é18 million and BBC bosses agreed to match it, according to reports.

The three-year deal covers Ross's TV and radio career.

BBC1 controller Peter Fincham said: "Jonathan is a uniquely talented broadcaster and is at the very top of his game.

'Defining face'

"He's one of the defining faces of BBC1 and his Friday night chat show is the best in the business. We're all delighted he's staying."

Ross, 45, said: "I'm delighted to be staying with the BBC, if only because it is the only studio I can drive to without getting lost.

"It is the best channel in the country, and I'm proud they want me back."

The star hosts BBC1 chat show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross and movie series Film 2006, plus a Saturday morning show on Radio 2.

Leaked figures earlier this year revealed Ross is paid é530,000 for hosting his radio programme.

IS Wossy worth é18m? Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (9) |

Showing comments 1 to 9 and replies | View All

Billy Huss, Prestwich (09/06/2006 at 16:20)

Roll on the end of the poll tax that is the licence fee.
I know I don't have to watch or listen to him, and I won't be, but I'm still paying his wages.

cpm, blackpool (10/06/2006 at 00:59)

he's good, but not worth that much money...how many staff are to be made redundant to make his wages up??

David Gorn, Leeds (10/06/2006 at 09:08)

Yes. He has presented the best talk show on tv for years now, deliuvers a great radio show every week and whenever he appears on a show he 'delivers' the goods. Don 't forget this money covers all his shows. I think he is well worth it for the bbc to hang on to their biggest star. Never used to like him on Channel 4 though !

wonkytrolley, Manchester (12/06/2006 at 04:46)

??18 million for someone with an irritating speech impediment and awful dress sense, ridiculous! I want my licence money back.

Laugh Out Loud, Manchester (13/06/2006 at 10:46)

Great chat show and superb radio host from Wossy! A genuinely funny man. If your at the top of your tree, you get paid the best wages. Ask any premiership footballer, captain of industry, actor and indeed presenter. You may disagree on a personal note but his viewing and listening figures show he is at the top of his game. Saying that, I still would like to see the abolition of the license fee and make the BBC stand on its own two feet as a private entity. Ha...

dan de lion, wythenshawe (13/06/2006 at 13:49)

ross was a great chat show host about 3 years ago - now his shows are just mainly smutty inuendo which at first was amusing but now after several months too many is irritating

Colin W, Stockholm (14/06/2006 at 08:04)

So glad i ditched my TV . Life is some much better without it

KEVIN, MOSTON (26/06/2006 at 11:54)

What a waste of the tax payers money i would rather it be the Botonist David Bellamy i would rather watch him explaining the wonders of nature than Mr Ross anyday

ken, manchester (28/06/2006 at 11:05)

Ross is not worth ??18m of licence payers money. He is not talented, his interviews are just full os sexual inuendos and he is incapable of holding a conversation for more than 5 minutes without degrading the situation. When presenting award shows he gains cheap laughs by producing cheap shots at people who are not there to defend themselves. Yet another case of the beeb wasting OUR money. If the law allowed me to withdraw the BBC from my tv and stop paying this enforsed licence fee I would willingly do it today!!

()

Report

TV & Showbiz