BBC gender pay gap: Why isn't Newsnight's Emily Maitlis on the highest-paid earners list?

A massive gender pay gap exists among the highest-paid BBC presenters and journalists, the corporation has revealed.

The BBC published the salaries of earners above £150,000 per annum, exposing a disparity in the pay between male and female talent.

Among those missing from the list include Emily Maitlis of Newsnight – yet her male counterparts who do similar jobs have larger salaries.

Journalist Gavin Esler, who presented Newsnight until 2014, earns between £150,000 and £199,999 a year.

Broadcaster Eddie Mair, who occasionally presents Newsnight, earns between £300,000 and £349,000 per annum.

Louise Minchin of BBC Breakfast and Women's Hour presenters Jenni Murray and Jane Garvey are also missing from the list of the BBC's top-paid staff.

Garvey sparked the backlash over the pay gap, tweeting: "Radio 2...extraordinarily male and entirely pale and big salaries."

"I'm looking forward to presenting @BBCWomansHour today. We'll be discussing #GenderPayGap. As we've done since 1946. Going well, isn't it?"

Of the 96 names on the list, only 34 are women – the majority in the lower salary bands.

The highest paid female on the list is paid just a quarter of the salary of the highest-paid male Chris Evans, who earns between £2,200,000 and £2,249,999.

The highest-paid woman, Claudia Winkleman, is paid on £450,000-£499,999.

Alex Jones, who fronts The One Show, is listed as earning more than £400,000, making her the second-highest earning woman. The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg takes home between £200,000 and £249,999.