Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Strict fees Come Dancing
Fans rue ‘Z-listers’ as BBC bans sign-on cash
BIG sign-on fees have been banned on Strictly Come Dancing thanks to BBC cost-cutting – leaving fans bemoaning a “Z-list” line-up.
Up-front cash once tempted global stars like Jerry Hall, Anastacia and Emma Bunton.
But now all 15 competitors get a £25,000 flat fee – attracting the likes of Capital FM’s Vick Hope, 28, comic Seann Walsh, 32, and YouTuber Joe Sugg, 26. And they’ll only waltz off with more if they survive six weeks.
They get a £15,000 bonus if they go before the quarter final.
Losing quarter and semifinalists get £35,000 and finalists £50,000. The winner earns £75,000 extra – £100,000 in total.
A source said: “The BBC’s policy has impacted on which people the show signed. Previously they’d given a bigger up-front fee to some celebrities.
“In the interest of equality and overspending there are no exceptions so we see names a lot of people never heard of.”
Other competitors are This Morning doctor Ranj Singh, 39, ex-cricketer Graeme Swann, 39, singers Faye Tozer, 42, from Steps, Blue’s Lee Ryan, 35, and ex-Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, 36, actor Danny JohnJules, 57, newsreader Kate Silverton, 48, the Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 25, and TV presenters
Katie Piper, 34, and Stacey Dooley, 31. Head judge Shirley Ballas, 57, is said to have had a £70,000 rise to stay for the new series, which starts on September 8.
A BBC spokesman said: “We do not comment on contractual matters.”
Ashley Roberts is the 4-1 favourite to win the popular competition.