All that fame isn’t all that’s cracked up to be. Nowadays, it doesn’t take to be a professional actor to be on television. Thanks to the explosion of reality shows – ranging from high-stakes competitions like Survivor to romantic dating experiments like Love Is Blind – everyday people can snag their shot at superstardom. But here’s the catch: being popular doesn’t mean you’ll get a paycheck, or at least that is the “reality” behind some of these beloved reality programs. With that in mind, here’s what you can actually earn from starring in these shows.
‘Dancing with the Stars’
$1,200 per episode
These dancing shoes don’t come cheap in Dancing with the Stars. Even in earlier episodes of the show, Variety reports that contestants earn up to $125,000 during the rehearsal period and when they begin their first two weeks of the season. As for the dancing pros, as of 2022, they could receive approximately $1,200 per episode. This amount could increase for both regular dancers and prose based on how long they’d stay on the show, making the competition even more lucrative.
‘The Traitors U.K.’
£100 a day
There’s a price to pay for watching their backs. Based on a scoop from MirrorOnline, Marie Claire reports that contestants don’t receive a fee. However, they do receive a reimbursement of approximately £100 a day ($127.57 USD). Participant Arie Luyendyk Jr. of The Traitors Season 1 fame shares that he “barely got paid”, but some cast members do receive $1,000. This also doesn’t include the fact that participants have to take leave from work and risk losing their daily wages, potentially losing more than what they earn.
‘Love Is Blind’
$1,000 per week
Love Is Blind has garnered worldwide recognition, but it’s also racked up some massive criticism – including the show’s paychecks. Matthew Duliba from Season 6 has gone on a tell-all regarding the stipends, ranging from $5,000 for the pods, to $1,00 for the wedding. In Season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell’s lawsuit, the reality series pays its contestants $1,000 per week, with the amount going up to $8,000 depending on the length of the show’s filming period. However, his lawsuit alleges that the production pays them “less than half of the applicable minimum wage rate of $15.00 per hour” in California.
‘Love Island’
£375 a week
Although Love Island has yet to disclose its fees, Hello Magazine reports that Islanders are given approximately £375 ($478.38 USD) a week. More of a fee than an actual salary, this paycheck is meant to pay rent or bills outside of the show. But the experience of finding the love of your life on a beautiful island is priceless.
‘Love Island All Stars’
£2,000 a week
Unlike Love Island, the much more star-studded Love Island All Stars is reported to be giving out bigger paychecks. According to Cosmopolitan, based on an insight from The Sun, participants earn £2,000 ($2,551.37 USD) a week. Since the show runs for a total of five weeks, each contestant can make approximately £10,000 – provided they stay throughout the entire season.
‘The Bachelor’
Unpaid
Love doesn’t come cheap in The Bachelor. Although participants aren’t required to pay an entry fee to join the show, there’s a cost to looking like the most presentable contestant for the show’s lead. With ABC only providing two dresses for each season of the show, contestants find themselves racking up bills as they splurge on their own wardrobes. As for the leads fees, Dean Unglert shares to the “Trading Secrets” podcast that he’s allegedly offered $75,000 to be in Season 22, while Jason Tartick is offered $100,000 to be on Season 23. However, the two turned eventually turned down the offers.
‘The Bachelorette‘
$40,000
Meanwhile, in The Bachelorette, show lead Emily Maynard of Season 8 acclaim negotiated her way to a massive $250,000. However, this huge amount isn’t always the case for all leads. Kaitlyn Bristowe from Season 11 alleged that she was only offered $40,000. Noticing the massive pay gap, she lawyered her way to and demanded the same payment as Chris Soules from Season 19 of The Bachelor.
‘Survivor’
$2,500
Just like Dancing with the Stars, the island competition show Survivor pays their contests on a duration basis. The first eliminated participant is given $2,500 for their time. This sliding payment model continues throughout the entire season. Other examples include Season 1 third-place winner Rudy Boesch, who earned $85,000, and fourth-place participant Sue Hawk, who received $70,000. Everyone earns their own piece of the pie depending on how long they stay on the show, making sure no one leaves the wild empty-handed.
‘The Real Housewives of New York City’
$7,250
With their lavish lifestyles, one might think that The Real Housewives of New York City are scoring it big. Surprisingly though, being on the show doesn’t automatically one easily rich. Paychecks, which are essentially residuals, can go as low as $7,250 – but this was for Season 1, which premiered in 2008. As the franchise continues to sweep the nation, the show isn’t afraid to go big. Ramona Singer is reported to have earned $500,000 per season, while Luann de Lesseps, who isn’t a main cast member, walks away with $20,000 per scene.
‘Big Brother’
$1,000 per week
Such is the nature of competition shows, Big Brother pays their contestants based on how long they’re part of the game. Typically, housemates are given $1,000 per week. This amount would rise based on the amount of weeks they’d spend in the house. However, other reports claim the opposite. Mark Byron of Season 15 fame claims that housemates are only provided a small cash sum as reimbursement, amounting to only £50 a day.
‘Celebrity Big Brother’
£300,000 – £600,000
With the spin-off being a star-studded affair, expenses are spared for Celebrity Big Brother. Cosmopolitan reports that celebrity contestants are paid a whopping six digits, including Season 17’s David Gest, who earned £600,000 ($765,411.00 USD), and Season 15’s Katie Price, who was paid £400,000. Jonathan Cheban, best known for being Kim Kardashian’s bestie, joined Season 17 following a £300,000 paycheck.
‘90 Day Fiancé’
$1,000 to $1,500
Cross-continental romance is one expensive affair. Unfortunately, despite its long-running legacy and massive fanbase, cast members of 90 Day Fiancé are reported to earn much less than other reality TV stars. Stars of the show allegedly receive no more than $1,000 to $1,500 per episode. With the costly nature of the show, from applying for visas to overcoming financial struggles, the episodic amount is a tight stretch. Deavan Clegg from Season 2 of 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way stands by this claim, sharing that stars only receive $1,000 per episode they are featured in.
‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’
$50,000 – $300,000
Following the celebrity train, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! sees Nick Cumminsearning a hefty $250,000 – $300,000 for his short stint on the show, much less than his $500,000 paycheck for The Bachelor. Meanwhile, Kerr-Anne Kennerley reportedly snagged $180,000 for just four days, while stars like Domenica Calarco and Adam Cooney much lower, taking home $50,000 each.
‘Married at First Sight’
$150 a day
Although participants don’t receive a paycheck in Married at First Sight, they do receive compensation to reimburse their loss of wages throughout their time of filming. Nasser Sultan from Season 5 shares that this financial compensation amounts to $150 for the day, which excludes other expenses such as living costs in the show.
‘The Great British Bake-Off’
Unpaid
It takes quite a bit of cash to be on one of the UK’s most wholesome baking shows. Participants of The Great British Bake-Offare reported to not receive any payment for their time on the competition series. In fact, it’s the opposite – participants spend out of their pockets to purchase their own ingredients and work on their pastries at home.
‘Too Hot To Handle’
Unpaid
Contestants of Too Hot To Handleallegedly don’t receive fees for their appearances. Instead, they’re paid with luxury perks, from five-star restaurant meals to fun activities by the beach. However, this reality TV vacation doesn’t offer anything more than sheer experience and exposure.
