Who is Carrie Gracie? Former BBC China editor who resigned over the gender pay gap
CARRIE Gracie is the former BBC China editor who resigned over the gender pay gap.
She wrote an for creating a "crisis of trust" over the difference in earnings between women and men. Here's the lowdown.
Who is Carrie Gracie?
Carrie Gracie was born in Bahrain in 1962 when her Scottish family were in the country for her oil executive father's work.
She studied at the University of Edinburgh and then graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Carrie moved to China in 1985 to teach English and Economics before coming back to Britain to complete two more degrees.
She then joined the BBC World Service as trainee producer before becoming a correspondent, presenter and editor over the next 30 years.
Why did she resign as BBC China Editor?
Carrie Gracie resigned as BBC China Editor in late December 2017 and made her last broadcast in the role on 3 January 2018.
She moved back to BBC TV newsroom in London after writing an open letter criticising the corporation for the gap in pay between men and women.
She said of the four international editors in the past four years, two were men, and both earned considerably more than the two women.
She wrote: "The Equality Act 2010 states that men and women doing equal work must receive equal pay.
"But last July I learned that in the previous financial year, the two men earned at least 50 per cent more than the two women.
"Despite the BBC's public insistence that my appointment demonstrated its commitment to gender equality, and despite my own insistence that equality was a condition of taking up the post, my managers had yet again judged that women's work was worth much less than men's."
In June 2018 it was reported the BBC had agreed to pay Ms Gracie thousands in back pay which she will donate to an equality charity.
What was the reaction to Carrie Gracie's resignation?
Senior BBC journalists including Kirsty Wark, Victoria Derbyshire and Women's Hour presenter Jane Garvey hailed her as "brave".
Other BBC famous faces showed support, with Emily Maitlis sharing Gracie's blog where the letter was published.
Charlotte Smith, a BBC Radio 4 journalist, tweeted a statement from BBC Women.
The group of more than 130 broadcasters and producers wrote: "It is hugely regrettable that an outstanding and award-winning journalist like Carrie Gracie feels she has no option but to resign from her post as China Editor because the BBC has not valued her equally with her male counterparts.
"We wholeheartedly support her and call on the BBC to resolve her case and others without delay, and to urgently address pay inequality across the corporation."
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It came after a report exposed a huge gender pay within its most high-profile BBC journalists and presenters.
It was revealed that the highest-paid man at the BBC was Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans on more than £2million a year, while the best-paid woman, Strictly’s Claudia Winkleman, got between £450,000 and £499,999.
Sharing Gracie's letter, Clare Balding said: "This is a letter to everyone who loves and values the BBC from one of its finest journalists. @BBCCarrie has resigned as China editor. Please read and retweet. It’s time for #equalpay".
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