The BBC is not overpaying its staff, an independent report said today, as the corporation still refused to divulge the wages of its top stars.

A review by the BBC Trust was commissioned following an outcry over huge salaries paid to such star presenters as Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton.

Following publication of the report by Oliver and Ohlbaum Associates, a spokesman for the Trust said there was no evidence that the corporation was "paying more than the market price for leading TV talents" nor that there was any evidence to suggest the corporation was "systematically pushing up prices in the talent market."

It was disclosed last year that Jonathan Ross had signed a three-year contract worth £18 million, although the BBC has yet to confirm the figure, while Graham Norton is said to have agreed a £5 million contract over two years. Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles earns £630,000 annually, while Jeremy Paxman receives £1 million, according to reports.

"The BBC has to be prepared to walk away from deals that do not offer good value to the audience and to equip itself to do this by continually bringing on new talent and through good succession planning," said Sir Michael Lyons, BBC Chairman.

Mr Lyons added that the BBC needed to do more to achieve value for money. "I do understand that many people will continue to question the salaries paid to some BBC performers," he said.

The BBC revealed that its total spend for on-screen and on-air talent across all sectors had increased by 6 per cent per year the last three years, but that its total expenditure on the top 50 talent was growing at an accelerated rate.

On BBC radio, the report said the corporation had until recently been increasing talent fee rates on average, while commercial radio was slashing rates.

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