The BBC says it was fully aware of huge pay gaps between its star men and women, before it was forced to go public.

The public broadcaster was forced by the British government to publish the figures with names against them in its annual report, and as expected, the data showed most of the big earners are men.

The broadcaster's figures show just two women are among its top 14 earners.

And 17 men earn more than 300,000 pounds, while only seven women do.

The top male star, former Top Gear presenter now radio host Chris Evans, earned 2.2 million pounds last year, four times as much as the top woman.

Claudia Winkleman from Strictly Come Dancing's the highest earning woman on 450,000 to 500,000 pounds.

Evans placed above talk-show host Graham Norton, who earned about 900,000 pounds.

BBC news director James Harding said it's trying to change.

"We're on our way to doing it and we're determined to do it by 2020. 50/50 equality of women and men on air."

Two-thirds of the stars earning more 150,000 pounds are men, fuelling a debate on gender equity at the BBC.

The Corporation committed to equal air time and pay for women by 2020, and for 15 percent black, Asian and minority ethnic representation.

BBC boss Tony Hall said the broadcaster was doing more than any of its peers to address the gender imbalance.

The earnings are for talent paid out of the BBC's 3.8 billion pound licence fee and not for those working for independent producers making BBC shows or for BBC Worldwide.

LISTEN ABOVE AS UK CORRESPONDENT GAVIN GREY SPEAKS TO LARRY WILLIAMS ON MIKE HOSKING BREAKFAST