Strictly dancers to go on strike?
The ballroom experts have reportedly ‘formed an unofficial union’ to push for a salary increase
Strictly Come Dancing may be about to come grinding to a halt as the show’s professional dancers threaten strike action over pay, according to reports.
The ballroom experts, who coach the celebrity contestants, are “said to have formed an unofficial union and banded together to demand more money from the BBC”, according to the Daily Mail.
Under their current deals, each professional is paid £50,000 per series, regardless of how many seasons they have appeared on the show.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Strictly judges, by contract, are believed to get between £150,000 and £250,000 for each series of the BBC1 hit.
An anonymous 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 ten-hour days, which is a lot of dancing.
“It has been on the cards for a long time and they haven’t had a payrise 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.”
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole, who was dropped from the current series, complained about the pay during a 2008 interview. He told Now magazine: “My money from Strictly just about pays the bills. I don’t have a car. I would like to get one, but until then I’m on the Tube.
“I don’t even own my house. I can’t afford it. I rent where I live.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Pentagon faces an uncertain future with Trump
Talking Point The president-elect has nominated conservative commentator Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
This is what you should know about State Department travel advisories and warnings
In Depth Stay safe on your international adventures
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
'All Tyson-Paul promised was spectacle and, in the end, that's all we got'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light – still a 'crown jewel'
The Week Recommends This 'superlative' Tudor drama returns to BBC One and remains 'appointment weekly viewing'
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Threads: how apocalyptic pseudo-documentary shocked a nation
In the Spotlight The rarely shown nuclear annihilation film will reappear on TV screens this week
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
'Ludwig': David Mitchell's new quaint and quirky British detective drama
The Week Recommends The BBC's new cosy crime drama is the 'role of a lifetime' for Mitchell
By The Week UK Published
-
Mishal Husain: BBC journalist shares her six favourite books
The Week Recommends Newsreader and Radio 4 presenter picks works by Louisa May Alcott, Jamil Ahmad and more
By The Week UK Published
-
The Jetty: Jenna Coleman is 'magnetic' in 'claustrophobic' crime thriller
The Week Recommends BBC's new four-part show keeps viewers 'hooked' until the end
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Michael Mosley 'collapsed' during holiday hike
Speed Read Tributes paid to 'national treasure' who did so much to popularise science
By Hollie Clemence, The Week UK Published
-
Aitch or haitch: the linguisitic debate that 'matters a lot'
Talking Point 'University Challenge' host Amol Rajan has promised to change the way he pronounces the letter 'H'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Secret Army: the IRA propaganda film forgotten for almost 50 years
Why Everyone's Talking About 'Chilling' BBC documentary reveals how US TV crew documented the inner workings of paramilitary group in 1970s
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published