NATASHA Kaplinsky, who six weeks ago became the face of Five News on an annual salary of £1 million, making her the richest news presenter in Britain, is three months pregnant, the station confirmed yesterday.
While Ms Kaplinsky, 35, was said by friends to be "ecstatic" about her latest good news, it is not known how senior management feel at the prospect of losing their high-profile signing to maternity leave.
Yesterday, the station insisted it s
hared in its new employee's good fortune. Chris Shaw, senior controller, said, through teeth that may or may not have been gritted: "Natasha has had a tremendous impact and we're delighted to hear the fantastic news about her pregnancy."
It is understood Ms Kaplinsky, who is married to Justin Bower, an investment banker, told the channel last week after passing the 12-week stage, prior to which few women announce a pregnancy in case of miscarriage.
A friend of Ms Kaplinsky was yesterday quoted as saying: "She could not be happier but obviously the timing could have been a bit better. But she will be able to spend much of the day with her baby and go to the studio later. She had no idea she was pregnant when she joined but they seem relaxed about it."
The exact terms of the newscaster's contract with Five have not been publicly disclosed, but it has been reported that she signed a three-year contract for £1 million a year, or about £20,000 a week. Under the government's new maternity laws she is entitled to 90 per cent – or £18,000 a week – for the first six weeks of her maternity leave. After that she, along with every other new mum in Britain, may drop down to the standard rate of £112.75 a week.
Her announcement comes at a time of debate about maternity leave for high-profile women. Sir Alan Sugar, the entrepreneur, has insisted employers should be entitled to ask female staff if they plan to start a family.
Ms Kaplinsky, 35, who married her husband two-and-a-half years ago, just five months after they met on a blind date, has spoken often of her desire to have children. She said she discussed the matter with Five before joining the staff.
Last night Iain Ferguson, policy executive with the CBI Scotland, said: "Employers fully support their employees who take time off on maternity leave to start or extend families. For those women who earn extremely high salaries and take maternity leave, it must be remembered they earn these salaries because they are key members of staff who contribute significantly to the running of the business and have every right to such leave."
Ms Kaplinsky has proved immensely popular with Channel Five viewers, with programme ratings up by 72 per cent since she took over a month ago. The broadcaster said during her first month on air after the 18 February launch of Five News with Natasha Kaplinsky, the show averaged 847,000 viewers, with a 6.7 per cent growth in audience share compared with last year.
The move to Five marked the latest move in a career that has seen Ms Kaplinsky make an almost complete tour of UK news networks. Since being picked to present the early morning news at ITV Meridian in 1997, she has worked for ITV London, Sky News, BBC Breakfast and then the station's Six O'Clock News. Her popularity was boosted further when she took part in the first series of Strictly Come Dancing, a role she was almost bullied into taking.
A spokesperson for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: "Everybody is entitled to maternity leave and statutory maternity pay. A lot of employers who are keen to attract the best people offer enhanced maternity deals so you get six months off on full salary. She may not be entitled to millions. It's whatever agreement has been reached."
