Stephen Nolan, the BBC Radio Ulster and 5 Live presenter, received between £425,000 and £429,999 directly from the licence fee in the 2025/26 financial year, according to the corporation's annual report published today. This places him third among the BBC's highest-paid on-air talent, behind only Greg James and Scott Mills. His earnings, an increase from the previous year's band of £405,000 to £409,999, cover his work on Radio Ulster, BBC Radio 5 Live, and the TV programme Nolan Live.

BBC Northern Ireland director Adam Smyth also saw his pay rise, to between £185,000 and £189,999, up from the prior year's range of £178,000 to £184,999. The BBC must publish the remuneration of all staff earning more than £178,000 from licence fee revenue, but the figures exclude payments made by independent production companies. Nolan's programme Peelers, produced by his own Third Street Studios, falls into this category, meaning his full income from BBC work is not fully reflected in the published figures.

The annual report comes as the BBC plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs amid a push to save £500 million. Director-General Matt Brittin warned of a moment of jeopardy for public service broadcasting, noting that fewer than 80 per cent of UK households now pay the licence fee. He has called the £180 annual fee model no longer fit for purpose.

In Northern Ireland, the BBC remained the most-used media brand, reaching 84 per cent of adults weekly. Consumption of BBC online and iPlayer services hit record levels, though the proportion of adults listening to BBC radio and watching BBC TV in the region declined. The BBC collected approximately £101 million from Northern Ireland licence fee payers and employed 635 people locally. Successful drama productions like Blue Lights and Hope Street continued to be filmed in the region, along with the launch of a new podcast and dedicated YouTube content.