John Humphrys: BBC gender pay gap comments were a joke

The BBC's star presenter John Humphrys has defended apparent jokes he made about the gender pay gap. The host of Radio 4's Today Programme made off-air comments in relation to the campaign for equal pay by the BBC's former China Editor, Carrie Gracie. Speaking outside his home tonight, Mr Humphrys said it was "mutual mickey taking" with his friend and colleague Jon Sopel and that the exchange "had absolutely nothing to do with my views on women's pay". The presenter also called the leak "mildly annoying".