This year saw a huge influx of reality TV shows featuring celebrities – and despite the financial uneasiness that clouded most of 2021, it appears the TV networks didn’t hesitate to reach for their cheque books to ensure their shows had the biggest names.
I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here, SAS Australia, Celebrity Apprentice, Big Brother VIP and Celebrity MasterChef all featured A-list casts, and while not all of them delivered high numbers in the ratings, their budgets certainly did.
Here, Woman’s Day unpacks some the biggest (and bottom) earners on reality TV this year!
The major players ($2m – $200k)
Hamish Blake is certainly laughing all the way to the bank with his $2 million pay cheque for appearing on Nine’s LEGO Masters, making him one of the top earners on TV right now.
Meanwhile former pop star Sophie Monk’s financial records have also seen a big rise this year, after earning a whopping $1.5 million. However she’s had to work hard – she hosted Love Island and Beauty & The Geek, and made appearances on LEGO Masters and The Hundred with Andy Lee.
Proving that you don’t have to be a local host to make some serious cash, Seven handed out $500,000 for Caitlyn Jenner, $450,000 for former Donald Trump advisor Omarosa Manignault Newman and $200,000 to the Duchess of Sussex’s estranged brother, Thomas Markle Jr., to gather under one roof on Big Brother VIP this year.
LEGO Masters Hamish Blake is certainly laughing all the way to the bank with his $2 million pay cheque!
(Nine)The big earners ($200k – $90k)
One of the most polarising figures to grace reality TV this year was former NRL star Sam Burgess, who just days after being cleared of intimidation charges, made a whopping $200,000 to push his mind and body to the absolute limits for our entertainment on SAS Australia.
Sitting just below him is celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge, who charmed his way into a $150,000 deal to slurp down slugs on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here.
Former Married At First Sight bride Jessika Power managed to negotiate a $140,000 pay packet to reveal Shane Warne had texted her on Big Brother VIP and tennis champion Mark Philippoussis was given $100,000 to divulge how he had spent all of his tournament winnings on SAS Australia.
Just scraping into this list is AFL icon Robert ‘Dipper’ DiPierdomenico, who walked away with $90,000 for being schooled by The Bachelor’s Abbie Chatfield on I’m a Celeb.
The middle ground workers ($80k- $40k)
They may not be headline grabbers, these stars’ pay cheques are certainly not anything to sneeze at.
Budding cooks Rebecca Gibney and Ian Thorpe whipped up a cool $80,000 to show off their culinary skills on Celebrity MasterChef, popstar twins The Veronicas screamed at each other for $60,000 on Celebrity Apprentice, while co-stars Shaynna Blaze and Michelle Bridges felt the brunt of Lord Sugar’s insults for $50,000.
Nineties darling Toni Pearen made a tidy $60,000 for her I’m a Celebrity… comeback while Australian Idol‘s Paulini earned $50,000 to start the campfire singalongs.
Lisa Curry’s son Jett Kenny walked away with a handsome $50,000 to plunge himself into ice baths every day on SAS Australia, and yet model Erin Holland made $10,000 more than him – and she lasted just two days!
Popstar twins The Veronicas screamed at each other for $60,000 on Celebrity Apprentice.
(Nine)The I’m-just-happy-to-be-here good sports ($35k- Zilch)
While not all celebrities can command eye-watering appearance fees for their time in the spotlight, some are just happy to collect that participation award – what they lack in dollars, they sure make up for in national exposure.
It appears Instagram fame didn’t translate into mainstream network dollars for Married At First Sight alum Martha Kalifatidis who just made $20,000 for her time on Celebrity Apprentice while funny man Ross Noble scooped up $30,000, despite finishing as runner-up. Ouch!
Australia’s Got Talent winner Jack Vidgen made $35,000 to almost get hypothermia on I’m a Celeb while Gogglebox‘s Adam Densten and Symon Lovettt interrupted the happy campers for just $15,000 each.
Surprisingly, much-loved chef Manu Fieldel reportedly earned nothing on top of his contract with Seven, despite pushing himself so much on SAS Australia that he needed knee surgery following his dramatic exit.
Manu Fieldel reportedly earned nothing on top of his contract with Seven, despite pushing himself to his limits on SAS Australia.
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