Mark Simpson and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long attending the three-day international conference at Queen's University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. They are among 12 working for BBC NI who earned extra money in the year to the end of March 2026. But they leverage… the fact that they present on the BBC [to get] gigs outside," Mr Shah told the Sunday Times. Mr Simpson attended 21 and Mr Best 15 over the year, according to the register. None of the BBC staff listed on the register earned more than £178,000, the cut-off point after which salaries are published.