The shocking Aussie reality TV pay
HOW much is the price of short-term fame? The shocking figures of reality TV stars’ pay packets have been revealed as networks rake in massive advertising dollars. Here is the breakdown of each Australian show.
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APPEARING on reality television, is it really worth it?
If you’re after your five minutes of fame, an unique experience and getting your name on the door to C-List parties then yes!
However, if you think it pays well to appear on a reality TV show, think again. While the assumption is that contestants strike it rich when appearing on a dating/cooking/talent/renovation show, the reality it most contestants are paid less than $100 a day to sell their souls in front of the camera.
Despite reality TV shows raking it millions of dollars for the networks, thanks to the money they earn through advertising dollars and sponsorship deals, contestants on reality shows don’t get any cut of that.
A former Bachelor contestant said the cast members got paid below minimum wage.
“You don’t get paid a wage as such, you get given a weekly expense allowance which is under $100 a day. It is below minimum wage,” she said.
“It’s ridiculous what you get paid. A lot of the girls were excited to get that amount a week, but I was like are you serious I wouldn’t get out of bed for that.”
However, if you chose to take part in competing dating show Married at First you make slight more — around $150 a day.
Also, The Block’s Ben and Andy, who appeared on the show in 2016, told comedian Meshel Laurie that you only get paid during filming. Which is especially tough if you quit your job to appear on the show in the first place.
“Here’s a bit of showbiz reality for you, these kids had to quit their jobs to do The Block, but only got paid during the actual filming, which finished months ago. It’s a very lean couple of months between the filming and the auction! That’s the reality of reality TV,” Laurie wrote on Facebook.
The exceptions? If you’re already a celebrity before appearing on the show.
Take I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. If Bernard Tomic actually made it past two weeks in the South African jungle, we would have walked away with $1 million.
While last year’s international guest Tom Arnold tweeted that he received “$600k-$700k” for appearing on the show.
However even then it’s not an even playing field, with the lesser names on the show getting paid more like $10,000 a week.
It was reported that the stars of The Real Housewives of Sydney were paid at least $70,000 for a far less taxing shooting schedule, with more high-profile stars pulling in a bigger figure and each cast member’s pay packet augmented with clothing allowances.
However despite the high rates, it’s still cheaper for Networks to make reality TV then it is to make scripted dramas thanks to the cost of paying actors, writers, producers, directors, set designers etc.
Which is why, when you combine costs with potential earnings, reality TV will continue to dominate our TV screens.
