The BBC said it is struggling to hire senior managers because it can no longer match its commercial rivals in terms of pay, Mark Thompson, the organisations Director General told MPs yesterday.

According to a report in The Telegraph, Thompson said it was difficult to fill executive roles despite the fact that Corporation was still able to offer packages of hundreds of thousand of pounds.

The BBC is currently attempting to recruit a new director of television to replace Jana Bennett. She was paid £517,000, however her replacement could receive less than £400,000.

Said Thompson: “It's extremely hard to fill senior jobs in the BBC and increasingly remuneration is a factor.” He also pointed out, to a House of Lords committee,  that is was 'not true' that there was a 'long queue of people' able or willing to fill these jobs.

The director general earned £800,000 last year but this year agreed to a £200,000 pay cut. However, MPs said his remarks illustrated how the BBC is out of touch with ordinary people. Commented John Whittingdale the chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport committee: “The salaries paid to senior management at the BBC, to most people in the country, still look enormous and excessive.

“The idea that there are people who are turning down jobs at six figures at the BBC because they are getting bigger money offers elsewhere I fine unbelievable. I'm not convinced you would get more money at Channel Four or ITV.”