Kirstie & Phil agree to stay at Channel 4 after bidding war with BBC

Tags: bbc, channel 4, kirstie allsopp, phil spencer.

Channel 4 have persuaded their top property talents Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer to remain with them instead of defecting to the BBC following a bidding war over the posh duo.

Their home network are furious with the corporation over the dispute, feeling that it's driven their price up. Channel 4 have been forced to offer Phil and Kirstie increases on their last salaries, with an insider saying the move was "frustrating" and "the last thing anyone needs" with the current economic climate. The pair will now each earn £1.2 million over three years.

It will no doubt annoy other talent at Channel 4, who have been axeing programmes such as Paul O'Grady's chat show and shaving salaries due to a cost-cutting drive. Abandoning the policy just for Phil and Kirstie will create tensions that bosses feel the BBC caused for them.

Image: Channel 4