Strictly Come Dancing professionals 'forming a union' to get higher pay
The professional dancers on Strictly are said to be forming an ‘unofficial union’ in order to demand higher wages from the BBC.
Dancers on the show reportedly receive in the region of £50,000 per series, but the figure pales when compared to what the celebrities and judges get.
Judges make between £150,000 and £250,000 per series, while contestants can earn up to £100,000 if they reach the show’s final.
A source told The Sun: “The professionals have been talking among themselves and are going to come together to ask Strictly bosses for a pay rise.
“They put in incredible hours rehearsing both with their celebrities and also group routines. A lot of them are putting in 10 hour days which is a lot of dancing.
“It has been on the cards for a long time and they haven’t had a pay rise in years. They love the show, they just want to feel their money reflects the amount of work they put in and also the celebrity status and profile that comes with it.
“Some of them are now almost better known than the celeb contestants and they feel that should lead to more cash — especially when the judges get paid so much just for turning up once a week. Some feel it’s a bit of a joke.”
Judge Bruno Tonioli made his thoughts known on the wages that the show pays in the past.
“Those are the terms of the negotiations. If you don’t like it, stop moaning and f*** off. The BBC will never pay the kind of fees that ITV will pay,” he said.
“Strictly has not made me a millionaire. I still live in the same apartment I bought in 1991, before Strictly. But I never moan. The BBC do a wonderful job.”
Brendan Cole, meanwhile, who featured on the series as a pro-dancer for 14 years, before being axed earlier this year, has said that his Strictly pay packet ‘just about pays the bills’.
The show returns this weekend on BBC1, with this year’s contestants performing for the first time in front of the judges.
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