John McEnroe earns incredible weekly wage for BBC role during Wimbledon

12 July 2023 , 21:44

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John McEnroe is a staple of the BBC's coverage of Wimbledon (Image: PA)

Tennis legend John McEnroe is by far the BBC's highest-paid employee pro rata, the corporation's annual report reveals.

McEnroe, 64, is a staple of their Wimbledon coverage, co-commentating on the tennis tournament for British viewers since 2004. The American's voice is now synonymous with how the BBC broadcasts the competition, and the New York native receives a small fortune these two weeks' work.

The BBC publishes salaries of its staff earning over £150,000, and McEnroe qualifies for that threshold. Their report reveals he gets between £205,000 and £209,000 from the corporation - for just two weeks of work.

At a touch over £100,000 per week, that is more than the average Premier League footballer earns across any given two-week period. These details also emerge after a controversial first week working on the BBC's Wimbledon coverage for McEnroe.

During a third round match between world number one Carlos Alcaraz and Nicolas Jarry, McEnroe's work received criticism from a fellow professional. "We don’t know Jarry, but we’ll get to know him," the American said during the action, to which fellow commentator and current player John Millman was shocked by the lack of knowledge on display.

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The Australian took to social media, saying: "How a commentator can say 'we don’t know Jarry, but we’ll get to know him' is beyond ridiculous," Millman tweeted. "Eighty-seven million people play tennis worldwide, and this guy is the 28th best at it currently."

It is not the only time McEnroe has needed calling out during this year's stint either. Presenter Clare Balding also had to keep him in check live on air.

John McEnroe earns huge money for his BBC role (AP)

With Balding making light of the overcast conditions at SW19 on Monday with a cricket reference about it being weather that would see a cricket ball swing and punditry partner Tim Henman suggesting they would be ideal for seamers to bowl in, McEnroe took the conversation into the gutter.

"Are the swingers the ones who don't throw it as hard [in cricket]? Is that what swingers are? We have different definitions in the States," McEnroe chimed. His fellow pundits saw the funny side, with laughter ensuing, but Balding was there to put him in his place.

"We're talking about something completely different, John," the presenter said. "It's not a channel for that sort of talk."

Earlier this summer, McEnroe sent Emma Raducanu, who was not fit to feature during the tournament due to injury, a warning about how people may start seeing her. "Emma doesn't want to be a one-hit-wonder," he said. Whenever you have two or three surgeries, you have to be concerned."

However, in a separate interview, the American acknowledged that one win is better than none. "I'm sure if you ask her at the end of her career, would you rather have one major or none; if it turns out that way, she would rather win one," McEnroe said, before embarking on this summer's sojourn in Southwest London.

Matthew Abbott