Konnie Huq reveals she ‘kicked off’ when she found out Blue Peter co-hosts Matt Baker and Simon Thomas were being paid more than her and insisted the BBC upped her salary AND backdate it
- Konnie Huq, 44, has revealed how she ‘kicked off’ upon hearing of pay inequality
- Said she was earning in high £20,000s for first presenting gig on Blue Peter
- ‘Kicked off’ when she heard Matt Baker and Simon Thomas were being paid more
- Has revealed how she went on to ‘fight for her rights and upped her salary’
Konnie Huq has revealed how she ‘kicked off’ when she discovered Blue Peter co-hosts Matt Baker and Simon Thomas were being paid more than her on the programme.
The London-born star, 44, who is is married to Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror – a dystopian drama about the dangers of technology, is best known for presenting Blue Peter from 1997 to 2008,
Speaking to the Telegraph, she revealed she was earning ‘in the high £20,000s in 1997’ before she learnt that her co-presenters Matt Baker and Simon Thomas were being paid more.
She said: ‘So I kicked off, fought for my rights and upped my salary. Because I’d done maths as part of my degree, I made sure I got all the back payments with compound interest.’
Konnie Huq, 44, has revealed how she ‘kicked off’ upon hearing that Matt Baker and Simon Thomas were paid more than her for presenting Blue Peter
The presenter went on to reveal how she stayed at Blue Peter for more than 10 years in the ‘stable, steady job.’
She explained that it allowed her to get onto the property market and building up her savings in a career which can often be ‘tricky financially.’
Konnie, who describes herself as anti-consumerist, added that buying a flat in London was the best investment she had ever had.
She called it a ‘stable investment’, adding: ‘Working in the media is unstable, so the flat has worked very well and is a good safety net.’
Konnie worked as a presenter on the programme for over a decade (pictured, with Simon Thomas, Matt Baker and Zoe Salmon)
Meanwhile she revealed that she is ‘not worried about getting the best deal’ and explained how she charges ‘really low rent’ for her tenants.
After a public vote, Konnie was crowned the nation’s favourite Blue Peter presenter of all time in 2017.
She has enjoyed a varied career since leaving the show in 2008, presenting The Xtra Factor, presented the One Show and wrote a short film, Ahmed & Mildred.
Konnie met husband Charlie, 47, ten years ago when she appeared in an episode of his Screenwipe on BBC1 in 2008. The couple have two children together.
The star, 44, who is best known for presenting Blue Peter from 1997 to 2008, is married to Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror. They are pictured together earlier this week at the Upstart Crow press night at the Gielgud Theatre in London
Earlier this year, Konnie’s husband paid tribute to the TV star and their two sons, revealing his whirlwind romance with her as he said becoming a parent changed him for the better.
The talented writer told BBC 4’s Desert Island Discs that marrying Konnie in a Las Vegas ceremony after just nine months was ‘the best decision’ he had ever made.
The pair also share Covey, seven, and wed in 2010.
Of the loved-up pair’s marriage Charlie said: ‘That was absolutely the right time. It was weird because, for years, I’d not known if I’d wanted kids or a family, that seemed like something that other people did, I couldn’t perceive of that as a future.
‘And then Konnie came along and quite early on she said “I want kids and a family” and this sort of thing, and I heard myself going “OK”, and sort of thought, “oh, right, why have I said that?” It was the best decision I ever made.’