EXCLUSIVENewsreader Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije, 44, LEAVES Channel 5 News following gender pay-gap row because £500,000-a-year co-anchor Dan Walker was earning more than her – despite equal billing

  • Reading time:5 min(s) read
Movie channels                     Music channels                     Sport channels

She’s been mysteriously absent from her role at Channel 5 News since the end of last year.

And now the Mail can reveal that Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije has sensationally left her role as co-anchor alongside Dan Walker following a gender pay gap row.

The London-born newsreader, 44, is vowing to tell the truth about her exit from the broadcaster after viewers noticed she had not appeared on the programme for months.

A regular on 5 News since 2018, Ms Vanderpuije has now set up a YouTube channel to explain her absence from the programme, which she says has been ‘absolutely wild.’

A popular face on the programme, Ms Vanderpuije was joined by Dan Walker in 2022 when he quit his role on BBC Breakfast.

She quit her role as co-anchor alongside Dan Walker following a gender pay gap row after it emerged Mr Walker was paid £5,000 more despite having an equal billing

She quit her role as co-anchor alongside Dan Walker following a gender pay gap row after it emerged Mr Walker was paid £5,000 more despite having an equal billing 

From a council estate to national television: How Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije became the first black lead anchor on 5 News

Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije, known to many as CL, is a presenter of Dutch and Ghanaian descent.

She grew up on a council estate London’s West Kensington and attended Queen Mary College before embarking on her broadcasting career.

This saw her working stints at Time FM in Romford, ITN News and the Press Association before her first on-screen role at Vox Africa.

After that she worked for the BBC and London Live before moving to 5 News Tonight in 2018, where she made history by becoming its first black lead anchor.

She credits her mother for inspiring her interest in TV, claiming she wouldn’t let her hang around with the other children in the estate where she grew up.

‘I was brought up by a single mum and it was really tough, as she was quite ill for much of my childhood,’ she told the Mail in 2021. 

‘She had an issue with her ears that led to balance problems, so sadly she was bedridden much of the time.

‘It felt like I was raising my younger sisters myself. After taking them to school I’d then have to deal with myself and get my homework done – and then try to ace it.’

Advertisement

But, a gender pay gap row ensued as it was revealed that Walker, who had been on £295,000 at the BBC, was being paid £500,000 by Channel 5 – more than Ms Vanderpuije.

The pair were given equal billing on advertisement and acted as co-anchors while presenting, leading to questions being asked about the disparity in pay.

‘I’ve been working as a TV presenter for more than 15 years now,’ said Ms Vanderpuije on the newly-created YouTube channel.

‘I haven’t been on screen all year and actually at the end of last year I was just on and off and I have been getting so many messages from people asking where I am, am I coming back.’

She said that she decided to create the channel to address the situation directly, rather than having to reply to all her worried fans individually.

Posted on Wednesday night, Ms Vanderpuije said in the video that she had been into work that day and that ‘it was wild, absolutely wild.’

‘I will be able to tell you everything in terms of why I haven’t been on screen, what’s been going on behind the scenes,’ she said, promising to expose the truth next week.

‘I can’t say just yet, next week however not only will I be able to say but I’ll also be able to explain why I couldn’t say what I needed to say, if that makes sense at all,’ she said.

‘Please bear with me, I’ve got the tea, I’ve got the coffee, heck I’ve got the mocha – it’s going to be so, so good.’

An insider told the Mail back in 2022: ‘It has been the talk since Dan announced he was going to be reading the news along with Claudia-Liza – his salary is much more than hers.

‘It is surprising that this has happened in this current climate.

‘He might be more high-profile than her, but when they are reading the news they are doing the same job. They are equals if you look at Channel 5 News’ promotional activity. On their website, they are standing next to one another as the faces of the show.’

Posted on Wednesday night, Ms Vanderpuije said in the video that she had been into work that day and that ¿it was wild, absolutely wild.¿

Posted on Wednesday night, Ms Vanderpuije said in the video that she had been into work that day and that ‘it was wild, absolutely wild.’ 

Ms Vanderpuije was joined by Dan Walker in 2022 after he quit his role on BBC Breakfast

Ms Vanderpuije was joined by Dan Walker in 2022 after he quit his role on BBC Breakfast

Dan Walker was being paid £500,000 by Channel 5 - more than Ms Vanderpuije.

Dan Walker was being paid £500,000 by Channel 5 – more than Ms Vanderpuije.

The pair were given equal billing on advertisement and acted as co-anchors while presenting, leading to questions being asked about the disparity in pay

The pair were given equal billing on advertisement and acted as co-anchors while presenting, leading to questions being asked about the disparity in pay

At the time, sources at the organisation pointed out that Walker was employed by the channel, while Ms Vanderpuije was a member of staff at ITN, the organisation commissioned to make the news bulletins.

Ms Vanderpuije started out as an assistant to the news editor at ITN News and at the Press Association before presenting 60 Seconds on BBC Look East and on BBC Three.

She then worked for London Live in 2014 before moving across to Channel 5, presenting a number of segments on The Wright Stuff and on TalkRadio.

ITN has been contacted for comment.