How Much Do 'Celebrity Big Brother' UK Contestants Get Paid?
By Lillian Marx
Celebrity Big Brother has been notably missing from the UK airwaves ever since Channel 5 announced that it was shelving the series in 2018. Fortunately, there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. Speaking to Radio Times, the UK's first ever Big Brother winner, Craig Phillips, said he's confident there will be a new series in summer 2021. If that does come to pass, a fresh batch of famous contestants can expect a massive payday.
How Much Does the Celebrity Big Brother UK Cast Paid?
Celebrity Big Brother has a storied history in the UK, where it ran for about a decade (the US version, by contrast, debuted in 2018). You’d expect that there would be an inflated jackpot with that kind of success, and you’d be right—sort of.
Traditionally, Celebrity Big Brother hasn’t involved prize money. Instead, all the funds raised from the premium-rate voting line have been donated to charitable causes, reports The Mirror. That said, donations didn’t happen for the winter 2018 series, so if the show were to make a comeback, it’s not clear whether donations would be part of the formula or not.
It seems like the CBB stars really made sacrifices for the greater good, right? Actually, it’s not quite that simple. These high-profile contestants were paid an appearance fee just for being on the show. The amount of that fee depends on the star. Rapper (and Kim Kardashian's ex) Ray J set the record with a whopping £810,000, according to Digital Spy. He lasted just eight days in the house. Meanwhile, Roxanne Pallet walked away with £750,000, and Kirstie Alley got £200,000, reports The Sun. On the other end of the spectrum, Gabby Allen and Nick Leeson earned £40,000 each for the 2018 series. The lowest ever fee went to Andrew Brady, who earned just £10,000
That works out to an £800,000 pay differential, if you feel like doing the math. Fingers crossed that a brand-new round of Celebrity Big Brother graces the UK soon—but it might be time to ask for some equity. Better yet, the stars could donate those paychecks to a worthy cause.