What is Dan Walker’s Channel 5 salary? How much is TV presenter being paid and what’s he said about new income

TV presenter Dan Walker is looking forward to starting his new job at Channel 5 News, just weeks after leaving BBC Breakfast.

Ahead of his first appearance as news anchor on Channel 5’s daily news show, Walker has said talking about money makes him feel uncomfortable.

His comments come after he was named as being in the top 20 highest-paid presenters at the BBC before his exit in May 2022.

So, what will Dan Walker earn in his new job, what exactly has he said about money and why did he leave the BBC?

Here’s what you need to know.

How much does Dan Walker earn?

Walker was revealed as the 18th highest-earning star at the BBC while he worked there, and was paid £295,000.

The presenter’s three year deal with Channel 5l, which includes presenting Channel 5 News as well as other documentaries on the channel, is said to be worth £1.5 million.

When does Dan Walker start his new job at Channel 5?

Dan Walker will begin presenting 5 News on Monday 6 June.

Walker tweeted a video to his personal Twitter page on Monday 30 May to announce the news.

In the video, Walker is sitting alongside his new co-host Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije in the Channel 5 News studios.

The pair introduced themselves and then Walker said: “It’s great to be joining Channel 5, but news is never about who sits in the chair. It’s the stories that matter most, from a team you can trust.”

Channel 5 News is on each weekday between 5pm and 6pm.

The former Football Focus host will also present other new programmes on Channel 5 as part of his new role, but  no further details about what these programmes will be have been released.

What did Dan Walker say about money?

Walker revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail Weekend Magazine that he’s ‘embarrassed’ to earn such a large wage for his job.

He said: “I hate talking about money. I feel uncomfortable that I get paid a lot to do a job I love.

“I remember the first day a national newspaper published what I earned on the front page. That was awful.”

He added that he recognised people, even those in his own family, are struggling with the cost of living.

‘I am embarrassed by the amount I earn. My parents had no money growing up. All my clothes were hand-me-downs.

“At a time when people are struggling to put food on the table, it’s horrible to have your salary on the front page.

‘I’m aware even people in my family are finding it hard to budget for three meals a day right now, getting to the end of the month and it’s beans on toast again.

“I understand that’s a real heartache. I’ve been there.’

What did Dan Walker say on Good Morning Britain?

Ahead of his first time presenting 5 News, Walker appeared on ITV’s breakfast news programme Good Morning Britain (GMB) to talk to hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley about his new job.

Speaking about being able to turn off his early morning alarms, Walker told the pair “you know what it’s like when you change any job, I’m still adjusting to normal hours. I’m still getting up in the middle of the night occasionally.”

Making reference to the fact that GMB and BBC Breakfast are both on air from 6am, Susanna joked: “So, your alarm clock went off this morning at 3 (am) and you thought ‘oh I can’t go back into BBC Breakfast so I’ll just pop in to Good Morning Britain and say hello’.

Walker laughed and replied: “I knocked on the door, they let me in Susanna and here I am.”

Why did Dan Walker leave BBC Breakfast?

Writing on his personal Twitter page and personal Instagram page shortly after he announced he would leave the BBC to go to channel 5 on Monday April 4, Walker said that the truth behind the move “simple”.

On Monday 11 April, he wrote: “It is often the case that the simple truth is much duller than all the made-up ‘moles’ and so-called ‘sources’ claim.

“In a nutshell… a bloke with a really good job, which he loved, got offered a really good job somewhere else which provided an amazing new challenge and the chance to make some exciting TV.

“The bloke explained to his current employers that, even though it was a tough decision, he had decided to leave.

“They are now trying their best to allow him to make a dignified departure. Have a great Monday. I’m off for some toast.”