BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show has been spun into chaos as its four judges go to war with channel bosses over pay, it has been reported.
Strictly Come Dancing judges Shirley Ballas, 62, Craig Revel Horwood, 58, Motsi Mabuse, 42 and Anton Du Beke, 56, have asked for a wage increase on their already huge salaries.
The current cost-of-living crisis, which has seen people up and down the country reduced to living on the breadline, is also affecting celebrities too.
Head judge Shirley, who is believed to be currently taking home almost £500,000 from a starting point of £180,000 in 2017, and the others, are all asking for an increase of 11%.
This would mean long-time Strictly Come Dancing star Craig, who has been on the panel since it began in 2004, would get a boost of £20,000 to his £200,000 salary.
Motsi, a professional dancer and sister of two-time Strictly winner Oti, is also reportedly asking for a bump of £22,000 to her earnings.
Meanwhile, new judge Anton Du Beke, who replaced OG star Bruno Tonioli, 67, in 2021, is negotiating for a bonus of around £19,000 as he is understood to be on around £180,000.
It’s believed the BBC, which is funded by the licence payer, will turn down the requests and offer a figure in the region of between three and four per cent, according to sources.
Speaking to The Sun last night an insider said: “There’s been a lot of talk around contracts but at the moment, there’s something of a stand-off.
“In the blue corner, you have the BBC who are absolutely adamant there will be no bumper deals this year.
“And in the red corner are the judges — and their agents — united in their desire for renewed deals to reflect the economic situation.
“Yes, their salaries are vast, but Strictly is on for a limited time and other opportunities in a cost-of-living crisis are not so forthcoming.”
The insider added: “At the moment the Beeb is holding firm.
“Given the licence fee freeze, and the fact the judges’ salaries are effectively paid by the public, the optics would be terrible if Craig and co were to swan off with tens of thousands of pounds more for a few months’ work.
“And, let’s face it, they’re hardly down the mines.
"At present, it’s safe to say no terms have been agreed, and there’s some way to go in negotiations.”
The BBC declined to comment when the Mirror Online approached them.
Earlier this week Simon Cowell branded new judge Bruno Tonioli's former role on Strictly Come Dancing as ' boring '.
Bruno became the newest member of the Britain's Got Talent panel alongside the music mogul, and fellow judges Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon earlier this year.
Discussing Bruno's exciting new venture Simon, 63, said Britain’s Got Talent will be a much more exciting path for the Italian choreographer in comparison to his long stint on Strictly.
Speaking about the ITV1 show and it's new panel recently, Simon said: “When you’re doing Strictly, all you’ve got is a bat or something, right? That’s boring.
“This is a punctuation mark, which is the red buzzer. He was like a kid having these things to press while he was judging."
