I HAVE just received a £99.40 tax refund from Her Majesty’s taxman. I didn’t even realise I had paid too much.

It’s nice to know I get such individual attention. It’s like winning the Lottery – four numbers!

I just hope the same applies to Chris Evans and Gary Lineker. I would hate to think those two are being taxed too much. In fact, I wonder if it is now possible to know how much tax they actually pay. Is their tax deducted by the BBC payroll office or are they allowed to have their own expert deal with their tax affairs?

I enjoy immensely Match of the Day headed by Gary but do we need two experts as well him analysing all the mistakes made by referees? It could save a lot of money if there was only one.

When I go to watch Darlington play I do not need the game analysing.

It’s touching, however, that Gary wishes to remain loyal to the BBC. The trouble is he is costing the licence payer a great deal of money. If he was to accept lucrative offers from other channels, a new face could be brought in on a reduced salary of £50,000.

But if Gary wishes to remain with the BBC, why doesn’t he stay on £50,000 – unless, of course, he thinks he is worth £450,000 to £499,000.

This country will continue to struggle until common sense is brought back to salaries, especially in the entertainment sector.

As for Chris Evans, could we not have a referendum (in or out – no compensation) to perhaps replace him with Tony Blackburn on the weekday breakfast show? I’m sure Chris’ listening figures are exaggerated and doesn’t he love the sound of his own voice?

Mike Taylor, Darlington

APROPOS the current furore concerning the differences between the salaries of male and female employees of the BBC, would it not be a splendid idea for the pay of men to be reduced to that of women, rather than raising the remuneration of the women, a plan which would doubtless gain the universal approval of most TV licence payers.

If the BBC having achieved this wonderful equality could then cut the pay of the whole lot of them by half, the resulting applause by those who pay their wages would be thunderous. It would reverberate nation-wide.

Bobby Meynell, Stockton

I THINK that the top salaries at the BBC are disgusting and damn well unfair. What ever happened to equality ? The male presenters Chris Evans, Gary Lineker and Graham Norton are raking in the dosh from our TV licence fees while the female presenters Claudia Winkleman, Fiona Bruce and Sue Barker shamefully earn less.

The BBC was once a bastion of fairness and stood up for gender equality, but judging by these figures, it seems to show much more respect to its male employees, and that’s appalling.

If I was in charge of the corporation, the ladies would earn the same as their male colleagues and I would make sure that the tennis pundit, John McEnroe, was paid the minimum wage. “You cannot be serious?”.

Mark my words, Super Brat.

Christopher Wardell, Darlington

MANY will agree with the BBC’s women wanting the gender pay gap to be closed now.

Of course, the fairest place to start would be at the bottom of the pay scale, in the so called “engine room” of the BBC is.

That could start quickly, as most of these lower paid will be represented by trade unions and not agents.

George Dunning, Ormesby

I SUGGEST the underpaid ladies at the BBC take up tennis, where female players enjoy equal pay for work inferior in both quantity and quality to that of the men.

Timor Vellai, Eston, Middlesbrough