Women at the BBC have accused the corporation of publishing details of male presenters' pay cuts in a ploy to divert attention from the damaging details of next week's gender pay report.

The news that stars including John Humphrys, Huw Edwards and Nick Robinson have agreed to a salary reduction was made public days before a report into on-air talent pay is expected to show a significant gap between male and female earnings, and ahead of the director-general's appearance before a committee of MPs.

One woman presenter, part of a coalition of female staff at the BBC who are campaigning for equal pay, said: "The timing of this is hardly a coincidence. It is the BBC trying to grab as many positive headlines as possible before everything comes out.

"But giving men pay cuts is not the same as equal pay. It's a grand gesture which amounts to not very much at all. I hope MPs see through that."