DANCERS WON'T SWAY ON STRICTLY PAY
Ola Jordan and co furious over mean tour fees
PROFESSIONAL dancers on Strictly Come Dancing are in a spin after finding out their celebrity partners are getting Paso DOUBLE the dosh for next year's tour.
We can reveal the pros are demanding more money for the show's Live Tour, which kicks off in January.
The stars will be paid £11,000 a week. But the dancers - who are invited to go on the tour - will only get £5,500.
The pay difference has sparked fury in the pro camp, with one raging: "Yet again, it's one law for the celebs and another for us dancers!"
Now Beeb chiefs are having to DELAY the line-up for the six-week tour while they try to resolve the pay dispute.
The dancer, who didn't want to be named, added: "Often dancers are bigger stars than the celebs.
"Take Ola Jordan - she is a far bigger draw than, say, Lynda Bellingham. We feel like we are being treated as second-class citizens."
The Live Tour is already being heavily advertised but NO stars from the current series are featured in the ads because of the wrangle.
The main celebs from this year's series such as Hollyoaks' Ricky Whittle and The Bill's Ali Bastian are expected to be in the line-up once it is sorted, along with popular celebrities from previous series such as Kelly Brook and Mark Ramprakash.
Axed judge Arlene Phillips is making a comeback on the tour, joining Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli on the panel.
The dancer raged: "We think we should be getting more than last year and our pay should be more in line with the celebrities."
Last night a BBC insider said: "There was some disquiet from a minority of the dancers about the level of pay. But the tour will go ahead as planned and be brilliant."
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This article has 16 comments
l would love to go on strictly, l am not a celeb,but l would be once l've been seen!!!! p.s. l would do it for nothing!!!
By Janet Withers. (Mrs). Posted November 14 2009 at 2:13 PM.
Surely if Ola was such a big name then her and her husband would be doing their own sell out national tour like Anton & Erin? (They'd make more money)
The tour organisers will end up bringing in unknown professionals from overseas while these Strictly pros go back to performing in Town Halls.
By AB. Posted November 2 2009 at 3:02 AM.
Delighted that Arlene is on the tour hopefully this will be the beginning of her return she is really missed on the programme. what fools you were to axe her
By eleanor. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:25 PM.
When is the bbc going to stop putting this rubbish on week after week we saw it all the first time the judges say the same old comments and and still play the staged arguments the row this week was because the X factor ratings were getting higher
give a break and put some proper entertainment on for our licence fee
By dave. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:12 PM.
How can the tour be about which celebs are starring when you don't know who is involved when you are buying the tickets as the line up hasn't been confirmed?! We bought our tickets because we like the shows and seeing the professional dancers not because of the celebs!! I agree with the dancers that they should be on equal pay.
By J MC. Posted November 1 2009 at 4:39 PM.
The professional dancers are amazing and are now as big a draw as the celebs but I fail to see how the BBC can justify paying such huge salaries to any of them. Its obscene.
By Di. Posted November 1 2009 at 3:05 PM.
Whoopee...Ramps and Arlene are back! Maybe they can dance together??? (I would dance with him for free!)
By Lacey. Posted November 1 2009 at 11:41 AM.
What would the professional dancers be doing and what would be their salaries be if Strictly had not been born?
Helen, Edinburgh
By Helen . Posted November 1 2009 at 11:30 AM.
It's a lot of money for a lot of little known luvies from soapland, and a few over the hill sportsmen but what the hell it's only licence payers money.
By RED DAVE. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:58 AM.
Personally I tune in to watch the professionals, let's face it they don't often have real celebs on the show anyway. They rely on soap actors for the most part and if you don't watch soaps then you have no idea who the so called celebs are.
By Max. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:31 AM.
Arlene Phillips will be back on tour YIPPEEEEEEE!!!
By Jeanette. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:44 AM.
As long as Ramps is there I don't care about the rest!
By jo. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:00 AM.
the celebs are not a draw for me ,if I am going to watch dancing I want to see the professionals ,they not only dance well they are far nicer to look at ,I say they are worth more money than the celbs !!!!!
By jennifer. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:43 AM.
I'm going to see the celebs - particulary a certain Mr Ramprakash and Mr Healey. Julian Clary was a hoot this year.
Some of these pros have a false idea of how popular they are.
By dumont. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:31 AM.
"only get £5,500 a week"
No wonder they're pissed off, how can anyone expect to live on that?
By Tearful Chunt. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:40 AM.
i will take Ola amy day over the stars lucky bloke James
By vince. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:12 AM.