BBC cuts top stars' salaries - but more staff earn over £100,000

THE number of BBC employees earning more than £100,000-a-year has increased, according to the Corporation's accounts published yesterday.

The BBC paid 274 people six-figure salaries in 2010-11, an increase from the 270 employees paid over 100,000 the year before.

The increase came to light just a week after BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten said licence fee payers did not "expect the BBC to pay sky-high commercial rewards to people that work for a public service".