The stars paid millions just for turning up

LOS ANGELES - FEB 08:  Rihanna arrives to the Grammy Awards 2015  on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA
LOS ANGELES - FEB 08: Rihanna arrives to the Grammy Awards 2015 on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA



I'm a Celebrity kicked off at the weekend with a high-rise challenge that saw half the contestants edging out to the end of a plank suspended 300 feet in the sky.

With varying degrees of confidence, they all made it, standing for a minute at the very end.

But for some, the financial incentive to take part in the show is a lot bigger than for others.

According to leaked figures, there's a massive difference in the fees being paid to the various celebrities. While Diversity dancer Jordan Banjo and actor-comedian Joel Dommett are both earning just £25,000 for their jungle adventure, others are getting a lot more.

Gogglebox's Scarlett Moffatt, model Lisa Snowdon and Olympian Sam Quek are reportedly being paid between £40,000 and £70,000, with former Strictly Come Dancing star Ola Jordan on £90,000.

Retired footballer Wayne Bridge is said to be set to pocket £150,000 for his appearance, with actors Larry Lamb and Adam Thomas on a similar amount. And Carol Vorderman, arguably the most recognisable star on the show, is said to be getting £200,000.

They are large sums - but with bushtucker trials and other ordeals on the horizon, the celebs can be said to be earning their money.

In many cases, though, stars can pull in vast sums simply for showing up at a nightclub or at a private party - particularly in the Middle East, where fees can be up to ten times the price of a US appearance.

So why are venues prepared to spend so much?

Last year, Las Vegas club Chateau sued Nicky Minaj for breaking the terms of her appearance deal, and the lawsuit reveals exactly how it expected to benefit.

According to Chateau, Minaj arrived over an hour late for her $235,000 appearance, and stayed just 34 minutes instead of the agreed hour. And as a result, it says, it missed out on hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"There were at least five VIP tables near Ms Minaj's area that individuals were willing to pay well in excess of $25,000 for each table," the lawsuit states. "Yet, since Ms. Minaj failed to or refused to stay at the event for an hour and perform two songs at the Event, Plaintiff lost this expected revenue."

On top of this, the club claims, guests were expected to spend at least $25,000 on drinks per table.

So which stars can pull in the most revenue for a venue - and charge the most themselves? We look at some of the more eye-watering appearance fees.

Rihanna - $8 million
For most of us, $8 million - around £6.4 million - is vastly more than we'll earn in a lifetime. For Rihanna, though, it can represent less than a day's work. Back in 2012, for example, that was her fee for switching on the Christmas lights at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, East London.

Madonna - $5 million
To earn anywhere near the same amount, Madonna has to sing for her supper: back in 2008, a fan paid her $5 million - £4 million - for a private concert in Dubai.

Mariah Carey - $2 million-plus
Last New Year's Eve, Mariah Carey was reportedly paid between $2 million and $6 million for performing at a private party in Copacabana, Brazil. The year before, she netted $300,000 without even having to perform, when she showed up for an hour as the 'Queen of Christmas' at the Pier 1 Imports: Christmas Pop-Up Storybook store.

Beyonce - $1 million
Beyonce, too, is prepared to sing at private parties for the right money. She once charged $1 million to sing at a New Year's Eve do in St Barts - although she donated the money to charity.

Kim Kardashian - $750,000
Kim makes quite a few appearances, and does very well out of them, reportedly netting $500,000 for celebrating her 34th birthday at the TAO nightclub in Las Vegas. In 2014, she was allegedly paid $500,000 to accompany billionaire Richard Lugner to the Vienna Opera Ball in Austria, and this summer made $750,000 from taking selfies with Instagram stars in the Hamptons.

Lindsay Lohan - $350,000-plus
This summer, it was reported that Mean Girls actress Lindsay Lohan was demanding £650,000 to appear on a Russian talk show - as well as an audience with Vladimir Putin. While she's believed not to have got that much, she's had high fees in the past for much less work, reportedly taking home $350,000 to celebrate her own birthday at Las Vegas nightclub Pure.

Cameron Diaz — $300,000
Diaz charges a minimum of $150,000 for US appearances and $300,000 for international events, according to Celebrity Talent International. The final figure depends on the location of the event, as well as the length of the commitment.

It's hard not to envy people who can make this sort of money simply for turning up at a club. If you're lucky enough to look like a star, though, you may be able to pick up a (rather smaller) fee yourself.

Agencies such as the Alive Network supply lookalikes for parties and corporate events. And while Captain Jack Sparrow, for example, only asks £361 per appearance, Ali G and Borat get £900. Time to get dressing up, perhaps.



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