News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Dozens of top female celebrities and presenters have urged BBC chief Tony Hall to tackle the huge gap in wages between the broadcaster’s sexes.

More than 40 women, many of them household names, have written an open letter to the Director-General calling on him to “correct this disparity” which they say has been suspected internally for years.

It follows the Beeb row which broke out last week after official figures revealed a huge pay gulf.

Clare Balding, Victoria Derbyshire, Angela Rippon, Sue Barker and Radio 4’s Today host Mishal Husain are among those who have backed the letter, which calls on Lord Hall to “act now” to resolve the issue.

They jointly offer to meet him, saying they want to use their “strong and loud voices” to ensure “that future generations of women do not face this kind of discrimination.”

(Image: Channel 4) (Image: BBC)

(Image: PA)

It reads: “The pay details released in the Annual report showed what many of us have suspected for many years ... that women at the BBC are being paid less than men for the same work.

“Compared to many women and men, we are very well compensated and fortunate. However, this is an age of equality and the BBC is an organisation that prides itself on its values.

“You have said that you will ‘sort’ the gender pay gap by 2020, but the BBC has known about the pay disparity for years.

(Image: PA)

“We all want to go on the record to call upon you to act now.”

Wimbledon presenter Sue Barker, Today programme journalists Mishal Husain and Sarah Montague and BBC Breakfast regular Sally Nugent are among those to have added their names to the list.

Correspondents including Katya Adler and Lyse Doucet have also backed the move to end discrimination against women.

(Image: BBC)

The letter adds: “Beyond the list, there are so many other areas including production, engineering and support services and global, regional and local media where a pay gap has languished for too long.

“This is an opportunity for those of us with strong and loud voices to use them on behalf of all, and for an organisation that had to be pushed into transparency to do the right thing.

“We would be willing to meet you to discuss ways in which you can correct this disparity so that future generations of women do not face this kind of discrimination.”

Full list of female presenters who have signed the letter