Sandi really did have a tricky job following Stephen Fry. She's done a marvelous job keeping the tone of the show the same while bringing her own energy.
I hope I can find the rest of this interview. Sandi is so very clever and her interjections in the show add incredibly to the humour and the enjoyment. I have to admit I caught onto the UA-cam versions during Steven Fry’s time but after watching a couple of Sandi’s shows, I am addicted to Sandi. She has put her own stamp on the programme making it so much more entertaining. Her methods bring out the most casual and humorous comedy in her panels but the serious, informative parts are also given importance by her own interest in the topics. She should be very proud of all aspects of her career and this job reveals how well she is loved and how far she has promoted female comedians. I am appalled to hear the news about her salary and hope those in charge will start paying her appropriately. God bless you, Sandi. You have improved my life.
Wow! 40% is outrageous. You are a towering figure (figuratively) and the perfect torchbearer. When the great Steven Fry vacated his seat, you were the perfect fit (metaphorically). With great affection and admiration. An enduring fan.
40% may have been appropriate when she was first taking over and hadn't proved herself, but at this point it seems pretty clear she's every bit as good as Stephen and the show would not have continued at its incredible quality if anyone else had been selected. Give Sandi a raise.
QI is one of the best shows on TV and Sandi has been fantastic as its host; definitely worth more than 40% of Fry's wage packet. Also, is A Question of Sport not a mainstream panel show? Because Sue Barker hosted it for 24 years from 1997-2021.
I don’t think she’s paid less because she’s a woman. It’s because she didn’t have the profile Stephen did. “Fry and Laurie”, “Jeeves and Wooster”, “Blackadder”, “Wilde” etc. He was always going to be able to command more money.
I never knew she was the first female host. Also the pay thing, Stephen made more because he was and is a much bigger name, people watched the show because of him. Sandi is very good at it and she should be paid the same but sadly that's not how the commercial market works, no one would have been making the same as Stephen man or woman because whoever they got wouldn't have been as popular as Stephen
As an American who just came across Qi in 2023, I skipped to Sandi hosting because I was familiar with her from bakeoff. I went back and watched the other seasons. But to me it doesn't matter who the other guy was. I didn't know him at all. She absolutely should be paid the same now. She has proven her worth and it's the same job he did. If not better and more charming and welcoming.
Thank you for doing what you do even though you only get half of what you should. I totally agree with the reasons you do this. It most definitely is not about the money it’s about representation. Thank you for people like yourself being there at the right time.
While 40 % sounds a bit silly, Stephen Fry has immense name recognition worldwide from all sorts of projects and characters for people of all ages with lots of enormous hits. I love Sandi, and she does a fantastic job as the QI host, but I can understand the reasoning behind Stephen being quite expensive, as he has other quite lucrative options a lot of the time. When it comes to celebrity and recognition it is hard to quantify exactly. If the genders/sexes were reversed (e.g. if Stephen was a woman and Sandi a man), I wouldn't be shocked at a similar distribution either. Again, star power. Stephen Fry has massive recognition and a LOT of people will follow his projects just because he is involved.
That last remark shocked me, because Sandi is just as funny, even more funnier most of the time, then Stephen and her working connection with Alan is magic
that was a quite insightful, and Quite Interesting view into that power dynamic that was ( ?is) still in effect. Fry is not a target, except maybe on salary, but i'm really not sure how those metrics are calculated.
Well, that is sad 40% less is a huge difference. How are the ratings in comparison and do you have ads that pay for TV time for their oroducts ? The germans used to call this "Schwanzzulage" maybe its time to renegotiate when your contract is up. Knowing the answer given on the cards is not the point. It is the banter inbetween and during or after that earns the money. Surprisingly i liked Fry better but continue watching and wish you getting a raise soon.
Kind of missing the point on pay. Fry didn't start on the salary he ended on. He spent 12 years building the show so maybe it is fairer to compare salary in at the 12 year point or do we expect to fly on the coat tails of others?
Stephen was clearly being paid to much ? the money comes from us the BBC license payers . I like them both but the Beeb needs to be more accountable with where the money goes .
Equal money for equal work coming up against the fact that Sandi isn't Stephen Fry and market forces mean she can't command the same wage. Part of that disparity may be due to the sex difference, but he is also more accomplished. Not to put Sandi down, she is very successful, but Stephen Fry is another level. I suspect if another man took over after Stephen left who was of less esteem than Stephen they'd have been paid less too. I may be wrong.
I don't think sandi is paid less because she's a woman, although it is obviously not fair, often celebrities are paid on their stardom and agent negotiations etc but she knows that
It is appalling that Sandi is paid so much less than Stephen was but I think the timing of her taking over the show was a contributing factor. It came at a time when people were looking closely at, and harshly criticising, the obscene amounts of money the BBC was paying some of it's presenters. Presumably they decided they could cope better with being slated for sexism in paying Sandi less, than they could handle yet another headline to the effect of: "They're getting paid HOW MUCH?!!"
I love her wit! "It doesn't take a boy's strength" LOL! My jaw dropped at the pay discrepancy. I think she is way better at hosting the show than Stephen anyway ( I am a big fan of his so no disrespect).
I think she is a better host than Stephen, BUT he is the bigger name, I guess that´s where the difference comes from. If Emma Thompson where to host it, they could probbaly only afford to have one episode per year.
Cold hard facts are Fry had fame and notoriety for his work before starting the program, and I highly doubt his starting pay was the same he got just before he stopped. It’s ridiculous how some people feel entitled to “equal” pay in sports and entertainment just for the sake of it.
Is the reduced rate because Sandi is a woman or because she is a replacement? Are replacement presenters normally paid less than those they replace, assuming it is a currently successful show (as it was)?
How is it possible in 2022 that a woman of Sandi's stature in the industry and immense talent as a comedian can be paid less than a man? Why is this not a scandal? And how come this is the first comment on this video? Am I living in an alternative reality? OK, that's enough questions.
The question of salary is about what kind of draw are you. I would suggest, on that basis, that Sandy is paid appropriately, especially as Stephen is the reason that the show was successful in the first place.
Hmmm, maybe she’s paid less cause the show went thru budget cuts? I mean, that’s why Fry left in the 1st place, because of overworking due to a lack of budget. Sandi is just quite simply not as popular as Fry and therefore, not entitled to exactly the same salary
Love Sandi. The pay issue sounds outrageous, and it would be anywhere outside of entertainment. If Sandi and Stephen were both drain layers then they should be paid the same. But in entertainment it's not about gender it's about drawing power. People did watch QI just for Stephen Fry. I'm not saying that this is morally right. It just is.
40% pay for 1 / 10 the performance of Fry. Women have it easy these days. Jokes aside though, what is she on about? Why would anyone think that what Fry did well was handle the facts or hold the cards? He was a treat to watch, and Sandi is nowhere near him, in my estimation. Something that has nothing to do with their sexes, just to be clear. My guess would be that the show has been on a steady decline in terms of earnings and viewers, and at some point it made sense to just bring in a less popular person that they could pay less, to keep the show going.
I’m all for equality of pay. How much was she making before she was offered the show ? How many headline roles before QI ? Just come up with a reasonable formula to compare their careers and ratings numbers. But the chair should have happened as soon as she mentioned her feet not touching the floor !
Honestly, I think Sandi does a better job than Stephen ever did. I don't like change and was all set to hate the new QI, but it's just _so_ much better now. Sandi needs a raise.
Stephen Fry didn't start off with such a high wage.. He earned it over time.. Any presenter of any sex will have to do the same.. In the entertainment industry everyone is paid according to their dollar value and Stephen's dollar value is higher than Sandi's.. It's not about fairness.. Stephen is world famous and a more popular figure..
FORTY % for doing the same job. ( brilliantly). What !$#%^^%)(*&ing century are we in again? Great respect and admiration for Sandi. Not much for the bosses.
Disgraceful that Sandi has only 40% of Stephen Fry's pay for doing QI. Love Stephen, but I think Sandi is even better, and has much more warmth, as well as great humour. Disgusted with the BBC.
Sandi is a far better host of the show than Stephen was. Stephen Fry's hosting gig could have easily been retitled "Stephen Fry Tells Four Guests Interesting Facts", whereas Sandi's hosting gig is more like "Sandi Toksvig Invites Four Friends Around, They Have A Pleasant Conversation And Maybe Learn A Thing Or Two In The Process". Neither title is particularly catchy, I grant you.
How is it accepted that she only makes 40% of Stephen's salary? Isn't she doing the exact same job? They could probably give valid reasons for her making a bit less but there is nothing that can explain away such a huge gap even if they paid their employees based on size.
I can understand her initially being paid at a lower rate, but after six years the salary should now be at least at the level of Mr Fry's. Does she have to wait another six years until she gets the same level... oh. Only six years left you say? Well, good while it lasted.
If it's 40% of what Stephen made when he started QI then it's madness. If it's 40% because of tenure and Stephen getting raises over time then it's still madness but like 30-40% underpay and not 60%. Some context would normally matter but obviously 40% is a joke.
That's some bullshit. Sandi has shone in the QI host role. Brought a brand new and unique energy that I'm not sure anyone else possibly could. To be shortchanged so badly in pay is outrageous. Star power doesn't make for 60%.
That last point she makes is shameful of the BBC. Even though the pay divide is so big,they just couldn't care less. 40%. Not even half. That's embarrassing.
Sandi really did have a tricky job following Stephen Fry. She's done a marvelous job keeping the tone of the show the same while bringing her own energy.
I hope I can find the rest of this interview. Sandi is so very clever and her interjections in the show add incredibly to the humour and the enjoyment. I have to admit I caught onto the UA-cam versions during Steven Fry’s time but after watching a couple of Sandi’s shows, I am addicted to Sandi. She has put her own stamp on the programme making it so much more entertaining. Her methods bring out the most casual and humorous comedy in her panels but the serious, informative parts are also given importance by her own interest in the topics. She should be very proud of all aspects of her career and this job reveals how well she is loved and how far she has promoted female comedians. I am appalled to hear the news about her salary and hope those in charge will start paying her appropriately. God bless you, Sandi. You have improved my life.
Love Sandi on QI. Give her a raise!
Wow! 40% is outrageous. You are a towering figure (figuratively) and the perfect torchbearer. When the great Steven Fry vacated his seat, you were the perfect fit (metaphorically).
With great affection and admiration. An enduring fan.
I can't think of a better / more appropriate presenter to take over from SF for QI.
40% is shocking. She's easily his equal
40% may have been appropriate when she was first taking over and hadn't proved herself, but at this point it seems pretty clear she's every bit as good as Stephen and the show would not have continued at its incredible quality if anyone else had been selected. Give Sandi a raise.
Sandi is a national treasure. Beautiful human being.
The role is perfect for her... For me, the show never missed a beat...
QI is one of the best shows on TV and Sandi has been fantastic as its host; definitely worth more than 40% of Fry's wage packet. Also, is A Question of Sport not a mainstream panel show? Because Sue Barker hosted it for 24 years from 1997-2021.
I don’t think she’s paid less because she’s a woman. It’s because she didn’t have the profile Stephen did. “Fry and Laurie”, “Jeeves and Wooster”, “Blackadder”, “Wilde” etc. He was always going to be able to command more money.
I never knew she was the first female host. Also the pay thing, Stephen made more because he was and is a much bigger name, people watched the show because of him. Sandi is very good at it and she should be paid the same but sadly that's not how the commercial market works, no one would have been making the same as Stephen man or woman because whoever they got wouldn't have been as popular as Stephen
As an American who just came across Qi in 2023, I skipped to Sandi hosting because I was familiar with her from bakeoff. I went back and watched the other seasons. But to me it doesn't matter who the other guy was. I didn't know him at all. She absolutely should be paid the same now. She has proven her worth and it's the same job he did. If not better and more charming and welcoming.
I'm British. She is right and the BBC should pay her fairly. I would like more female presenters.
1:05 Sue Barker, presented A Question of Sport for 24 years from 1997 until 2021.
Just saying...
Disgusting that she’s being paid less than half of what Stephen got paid, for literally the same job! 😭❤️
Love this show Fran Kelly so professional yet
Love her. She is the best.
Sandi, the more I know about you the more I appreciate you! 100 percent hugs.
Thank you for doing what you do even though you only get half of what you should. I totally agree with the reasons you do this. It most definitely is not about the money it’s about representation. Thank you for people like yourself being there at the right time.
While 40 % sounds a bit silly, Stephen Fry has immense name recognition worldwide from all sorts of projects and characters for people of all ages with lots of enormous hits. I love Sandi, and she does a fantastic job as the QI host, but I can understand the reasoning behind Stephen being quite expensive, as he has other quite lucrative options a lot of the time. When it comes to celebrity and recognition it is hard to quantify exactly. If the genders/sexes were reversed (e.g. if Stephen was a woman and Sandi a man), I wouldn't be shocked at a similar distribution either. Again, star power. Stephen Fry has massive recognition and a LOT of people will follow his projects just because he is involved.
I kinda get it, Stephen brings more star power, but Sandi is really good at her job. I thought the transition was seamless.
She is simply amazing
That is bloody outrageous that she only receives 40% of what Stephen was getting. Just outrageous!
Love Fran Kelly and love love Sandi T.
That last remark shocked me, because Sandi is just as funny, even more funnier most of the time, then Stephen and her working connection with Alan is magic
When was this recorded?
I Love Sandy Glad she was thr one who Toke Stephens Place i Loved Stephen he was amazing 🥰
Stephen is a Celebrity outside of gameshows, that can definitely help sell a show.
40%? That is actually ridiculous.
I've enjoyed Sandi as a host tremendously. I knew different wages were a problem, but 40%? ... Genuinely appalling.
Superb!
Sue Barker hosted A Question of Sport on BBC 1 BEFORE QI even started didnt she?
that was a quite insightful, and Quite Interesting view into that power dynamic that was ( ?is) still in effect. Fry is not a target, except maybe on salary, but i'm really not sure how those metrics are calculated.
Sandi is just as clever & witty as Stephen, she deserves 100% of what he got paid if not more now.
Well, that is sad 40% less is a huge difference. How are the ratings in comparison and do you have ads that pay for TV time for their oroducts ? The germans used to call this "Schwanzzulage" maybe its time to renegotiate when your contract is up. Knowing the answer given on the cards is not the point. It is the banter inbetween and during or after that earns the money. Surprisingly i liked Fry better but continue watching and wish you getting a raise soon.
Kind of missing the point on pay. Fry didn't start on the salary he ended on. He spent 12 years building the show so maybe it is fairer to compare salary in at the 12 year point or do we expect to fly on the coat tails of others?
Stephen was clearly being paid to much ? the money comes from us the BBC license payers . I like them both but the Beeb needs to be more accountable with where the money goes .
Equal money for equal work coming up against the fact that Sandi isn't Stephen Fry and market forces mean she can't command the same wage.
Part of that disparity may be due to the sex difference, but he is also more accomplished. Not to put Sandi down, she is very successful, but Stephen Fry is another level.
I suspect if another man took over after Stephen left who was of less esteem than Stephen they'd have been paid less too. I may be wrong.
I don't think sandi is paid less because she's a woman, although it is obviously not fair, often celebrities are paid on their stardom and agent negotiations etc but she knows that
Sandi brings at least as much value to QI as Stephen did. Shocking she's paid so much less.
It is appalling that Sandi is paid so much less than Stephen was but I think the timing of her taking over the show was a contributing factor. It came at a time when people were looking closely at, and harshly criticising, the obscene amounts of money the BBC was paying some of it's presenters. Presumably they decided they could cope better with being slated for sexism in paying Sandi less, than they could handle yet another headline to the effect of: "They're getting paid HOW MUCH?!!"
You guys don't get it do you.
She gets 40% less because she isn't known like Stephen Fry
40% is outrageous. I genuinely prefer her to Stephen Fry (despite being a fan). She's quicker wit and simply delightful
Have I missed the point….. they paid Fry the big bucks due to who he was. Not because of his gender.
I love her wit! "It doesn't take a boy's strength" LOL! My jaw dropped at the pay discrepancy. I think she is way better at hosting the show than Stephen anyway ( I am a big fan of his so no disrespect).
I think she is a better host than Stephen, BUT he is the bigger name, I guess that´s where the difference comes from. If Emma Thompson where to host it, they could probbaly only afford to have one episode per year.
40% is shocking BUT I wonder if anyone else would have gotten anywhere near what SF got? I wouldn't think so. No matter who it was
Cold hard facts are Fry had fame and notoriety for his work before starting the program, and I highly doubt his starting pay was the same he got just before he stopped. It’s ridiculous how some people feel entitled to “equal” pay in sports and entertainment just for the sake of it.
WOW!!! Forty percent: Isn't that Quite Interesting?
Is the reduced rate because Sandi is a woman or because she is a replacement?
Are replacement presenters normally paid less than those they replace, assuming it is a currently successful show (as it was)?
If they had picked Alan Davies to front QI rather than Sandi Toksvig, would he also be paid 40% of what Stephen Fry was paid?
How is it possible in 2022 that a woman of Sandi's stature in the industry and immense talent as a comedian can be paid less than a man? Why is this not a scandal? And how come this is the first comment on this video? Am I living in an alternative reality? OK, that's enough questions.
To be fair, Stephen Fry is amazing and did a 150% better job so that sounds about right.
She isn’t as good as Stephen Fry and Fry can rightly demand a bigger fee.
Does A Question of Sport not count as a panel show?
She's probably not paid as much as Stephen, not because she's a woman but because she is nowhere near as big a celebrity and personnality.
The question of salary is about what kind of draw are you. I would suggest, on that basis, that Sandy is paid appropriately, especially as Stephen is the reason that the show was successful in the first place.
Hmmm, maybe she’s paid less cause the show went thru budget cuts? I mean, that’s why Fry left in the 1st place, because of overworking due to a lack of budget. Sandi is just quite simply not as popular as Fry and therefore, not entitled to exactly the same salary
She makes more money than most normal people
Love Sandi.
The pay issue sounds outrageous, and it would be anywhere outside of entertainment.
If Sandi and Stephen were both drain layers then they should be paid the same.
But in entertainment it's not about gender it's about drawing power.
People did watch QI just for Stephen Fry.
I'm not saying that this is morally right. It just is.
40% pay for 1 / 10 the performance of Fry. Women have it easy these days.
Jokes aside though, what is she on about? Why would anyone think that what Fry did well was handle the facts or hold the cards? He was a treat to watch, and Sandi is nowhere near him, in my estimation. Something that has nothing to do with their sexes, just to be clear.
My guess would be that the show has been on a steady decline in terms of earnings and viewers, and at some point it made sense to just bring in a less popular person that they could pay less, to keep the show going.
I’m all for equality of pay. How much was she making before she was offered the show ? How many headline roles before QI ? Just come up with a reasonable formula to compare their careers and ratings numbers. But the chair should have happened as soon as she mentioned her feet not touching the floor !
the 40% thing really threw me off... I mean... 40%?!
Its just odd that she gets just 40% of what Stephen did. To me she's just as good, if not better. Couldn't imagine anyone but her in that role now.
Honestly, I think Sandi does a better job than Stephen ever did. I don't like change and was all set to hate the new QI, but it's just _so_ much better now. Sandi needs a raise.
Shes payed less than Steven? wow I want to know if thats the company or the head of QI that decided that
40%?!
40 percent!! Bloomin ek. That's pretty bad. Good on her for revealing that. The producers need to sort themselves out.
I love Sandi, and I prefer her as host of QI. I relate better to her sense of humor than Stephen's.
Stephen Fry didn't start off with such a high wage.. He earned it over time.. Any presenter of any sex will have to do the same.. In the entertainment industry everyone is paid according to their dollar value and Stephen's dollar value is higher than Sandi's.. It's not about fairness.. Stephen is world famous and a more popular figure..
FORTY % for doing the same job. ( brilliantly). What !$#%^^%)(*&ing century are we in again? Great respect and admiration for Sandi. Not much for the bosses.
sandy was a great choice for taking over from steven fry, great woman even better whit.
bad that she gets paid so much less
40% !! That’s shocking!
How crazy is it that she still gets some much less... damn.
Money why is it a problem
Disgraceful that Sandi has only 40% of Stephen Fry's pay for doing QI. Love Stephen, but I think Sandi is even better, and has much more warmth, as well as great humour. Disgusted with the BBC.
Given it's the same job with the same prep, Sandi should get the same as Stephen.
She should get 100%
the show isn't as good without Stephen...I miss him hosting QI
What? 40%???
As much as I think Stephen is good, his replacement deserves a wage rise.
Would Mr Fry agree?
40% That's bonkers.
Star status explains the difference. QI without Stephen is like ISIHAC without Humph.
Sandi is a far better host of the show than Stephen was. Stephen Fry's hosting gig could have easily been retitled "Stephen Fry Tells Four Guests Interesting Facts", whereas Sandi's hosting gig is more like "Sandi Toksvig Invites Four Friends Around, They Have A Pleasant Conversation And Maybe Learn A Thing Or Two In The Process".
Neither title is particularly catchy, I grant you.
She's better than Stephen in qi
40% ? doing just as good job... and looking damn better doing it!
Oh here we go , I'm pretty sure we had a female prime minster in the 70s so don't start that dribble .
How is it accepted that she only makes 40% of Stephen's salary? Isn't she doing the exact same job? They could probably give valid reasons for her making a bit less but there is nothing that can explain away such a huge gap even if they paid their employees based on size.
Although I like Sandy Stephen is 40% funnier.
WOW! She gets 40% of what Stephen Fry got! That ridiculous! So UNFAIR!
40% for exactly the same job??! Holy baloney, how can they even justify that?
that's really sad. How pathetic of the producers and executives of QI to pay Sandi Toksvig 40% less than the previous male host! Shame on them!
I can understand her initially being paid at a lower rate, but after six years the salary should now be at least at the level of Mr Fry's. Does she have to wait another six years until she gets the same level... oh. Only six years left you say? Well, good while it lasted.
If it's 40% of what Stephen made when he started QI then it's madness. If it's 40% because of tenure and Stephen getting raises over time then it's still madness but like 30-40% underpay and not 60%. Some context would normally matter but obviously 40% is a joke.
That's some bullshit. Sandi has shone in the QI host role. Brought a brand new and unique energy that I'm not sure anyone else possibly could. To be shortchanged so badly in pay is outrageous.
Star power doesn't make for 60%.
hmm, wasn't "A Question of Sport" hosted by a woman later on? Hosted by Sue Barker for 24 years...on the BBC, so I'd say that was mainstream
A bit sad that even now Sandi, who has made QI her in is so under paid at 40% of Stephen's rate...
The audacity of paying SANDI 40% of what Steven got!? Are you kidding me???😳
Sandi is underpaid, and by at least 150% . . .
But he's Stephen Fry and she's not.
That last point she makes is shameful of the BBC. Even though the pay divide is so big,they just couldn't care less. 40%. Not even half. That's embarrassing.