In at Number 5

Times' hacks have been adding up BBC expenses from published sources, and offer this analysis, placing Alan Yentob, of London W11, at position 5 in the Top Five of the past five years.

Out of 227 executives, only Ken MacQuarrie, head of BBC Scotland, Peter Johnston, director of BBC Northern Ireland, and David Holdsworth, in charge of the BBC’s local output in England, have larger claims in a  five-year period between April 2009 and 2014. 

Mr Yentob claimed £84,930.39, including three return flights between Heathrow and New York each costing more than £3,200. His taxi bills were £26,183.30, the second-highest among executives and he received another £18,505.43 for business entertaining. 

A BBC spokesman said: “Alan’s role as creative director and editing and presenting [the art series] Imagine requires significant travel, which inevitably incurs costs.”

And yet, indies would have to include editor and presenter expenses in their total costings. One would hate to thing that BBC staff expenses were distorting opportunities for our vibrant independent production companies to compete on a level playing field.