Newsreader Clive Myrie apologises after failing to declare at least £145,000 in extra earnings to BBC
3 min read
BBC presenter Clive Myrie has issued an apology after failing to disclose at least £145,000 of earnings from external engagements, which were not properly reported to the corporation as per its guidelines. The BBC requires presenters to register their earnings from external events in a publicly accessible register, which is published quarterly.
The latest register revealed that Myrie had failed to declare 28 separate engagements dating back to 2021, ranging from hosting and speaking roles to moderating and chairing panels. These engagements were not previously listed in the BBC’s external events register, sparking concern regarding his compliance with BBC regulations.
In his statement, Myrie explained that the omissions were due to “administrative issues,” which led him to not complete the required paperwork. He expressed regret for the oversight, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “An apology – I’ve had several administrative issues, and I didn’t fill out the correct paperwork for some of my external public events, so they haven’t been published until now.” Myrie further stated that he would no longer be participating in paid external events, except for a few prior commitments, to prevent such issues from occurring again. He assured the BBC and the public that this lapse in declaring earnings would not happen again.
Myrie’s undeclared earnings were revealed as part of the BBC’s latest quarterly register. His retrospective declarations span from March 2021 and include a wide variety of roles, including as a speaker, moderator, and panel chair. Of the 28 events, five earned him over £10,000 per engagement, with 18 others earning between £5,000 and £10,000. The remaining five engagements had fees between £1,000 and £5,000.
Although Myrie had previously declared some external engagements in earlier registers, the current ones were not included at the time they occurred. This failure to declare is significant because it goes against BBC rules that require on-air staff in journalism and senior roles to disclose their earnings from external events.
Other BBC presenters have also faced similar issues with failing to properly declare earnings. Lucy Hockings, for example, reported at least £5,000 for one external job as a moderator, while Jonny Dymond declared earnings of at least £1,000 for two events where he served as a host and interviewer.
The BBC has had a policy in place since 2021, mandating that journalists and senior staff members must declare external earnings to maintain transparency and ensure impartiality. The external events register plays an important role in this effort, as it allows the public to see the outside activities of BBC staff and helps prevent conflicts of interest.
In response to Myrie’s mistake, a BBC spokesperson said: “The external events register forms part of the BBC’s commitment to ensure the highest standards of impartiality across the organisation. Individuals who have failed to follow the correct process have been reminded of their responsibilities with regards to the register.”
The BBC also emphasized that breaches of this process could result in disciplinary actions. Myrie’s apology was accepted, and it was confirmed that he would not be taking part in any paid external events for the foreseeable future. The BBC added that it would soon update its guidelines to include more specific language regarding the number of paid external events staff members can undertake, in an effort to ensure that such lapses are avoided in the future.
As the BBC continues to uphold its commitment to impartiality, the issue highlights the importance of transparency when it comes to external earnings for on-air staff, ensuring that no outside engagements interfere with the integrity of their roles within the corporation.
About The Author
