Voice presenter paid £400k but has spoken just 18 words

The BBC has defended the £400,000 (€485,000) salary it is paying Holly Willoughby to front The Voice — despite the host only appearing no more than 60 seconds in any of the episodes.

Willoughby has been largely invisible throughout episodes of the British TV talent show and in last weekend’s 80-minute show she was on screen for only 54 seconds.

In that time she spoke just 18 words to camera. Her agent fought back criticism of her earnings, saying they were justified as it takes her two days of rehearsals to memorise the script.