WHILE the glitz and glamour of Strictly Come Dancing is almost over for another year, the show's pro-dancers will be waltzing all the way to the bank long after the famous glitter ball stops spinning.
The professionals step off the screen after the final tomorrow and onto a stage near you for the official Strictly tour, which kicks off in Birmingham on January 19. But that isn't the only way they're raking in cash.
And the sky's the limit in terms of how much they can earn on the back of the hit show with one of the biggest earners of all time being Oti Mabuse - rumoured to be worth more than £1.5 million.
Many of the pro's receive 'gifts', market them on their Instagram accounts and sign up to lucrative tours to rival the official Strictly bonanza.
While the BBC has never confirmed each professional dancer's salary, it has been widely reported that each one is paid a flat fee of between £35,000 to £50,000 to step onto the dancefloor - and they can see their income soar if they cash in on the fame which the show brings.
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There is power in being a face everyone from your kid sister to your grandma knows...
Mischa Joslin
Mischa Joslin, Head of Social & Influence at FRANK, says: "Strictly is THE perfect springboard for professional dancers to build a following and fan base which they can then monetise in the long term – earning some of them millions in the process.
"It is one of the few shows left on TV that has cross-generational appeal. It unites the whole family and, as a result, the professionals who appear on it have a massive fan base that can reach a lot of different types of consumers.
“For a mass-market brand that has a wide audience, a star that can cross age barriers is quite rare. There is power in being a face everyone from your kid sister to your grandma knows – that instant recognition and widespread love is highly appealing.”
And Andy Barr, social media expert and founder of digital marketing agency 10yetis, explains: "The fee from taking part in a TV show can be dwarfed by the money stars can potentially earn from the likes of tours.
"On top of this, they will also be looking to financially capitalise on their moment in the spotlight via exclusive partnerships with brands.
“The big earning potential tends to come when the professional leaves the show – whilst it’s a scary leap to lose the security of the show, being free from the BBC allows them to work on bigger campaigns and play by their own rules.”
Here, we look at how this year's dancers are earning cash away from the dance floor, plus Mischa and Andy estimate just how much they're raking in.
NADIYA BYCHKOVA
Nadiya has been a pro dancer on the show since 2017 and has danced with Blue singer Lee Ryan, presenter Dan Walker and Bros star Matt Goss.
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Although she wasn't partnered up with a celebrity this year, she appeared on the show in the group dances.
Nadiya withdrew from the Strictly live tour to do her own Song and Dance show with partner Kai Widdrington.
She cashes in on her time in the spotlight by plugging the tour on her social media, as well as doing ads for brands and promoting gifted products.
Andy reveals: "Nadiya has 179,000 Instagram followers and could expect to earn £29k per campaign on social media.
They’re hard-working and put the hours in to make their ‘brand’ bigger – it’s very admirable.
Mischa Joslin
"Stars typically get paid per campaign, which is usually a few months long and will stipulate that they must post 4 or 5 times per month."
Mischa says: "For newer stars like Nadiya, who has model level looks, fashion designers are clambering over themselves to gift her with gowns and dresses for red carpet moments. Whilst these don’t tend to be paid partnerships, these freebies are a lovely perk for those building their media profiles.
"One thing I would say about the female Strictly stars is that they apply the same dedication and winning mentality to their careers outside of the show as they do to dancing. They’re hard-working and put the hours in to make their ‘brand’ bigger – it’s very admirable.
"Whilst the show is an incredible springboard, the Strictly ladies need to work fast to capitalise on their influence and appeal. In reality, they only have as long as they are on the show to garner fans and create that connection.
"If they’re paired with someone who gets knocked out early, then their earning potential will dwindle. On the flip side, if they make it to the final, they have a higher chance of becoming a fan favourite which translates into followers and potential paid gigs.
"That said, I don’t think winning the show necessarily has an impact on their appeal to brands – as long as they make an impression and show their personality off, they can set the scene for a lucrative career ahead."
KAREN HAUER
Karen has been a pro dancer on Strictly since 2012 with the 41-year-old and her celebrity partner Eddie Kadi becoming the fourth pairing to be sent home during the current series.
Following the blow fans were quick to speculate that this series would be Karen's last. But Karen has shut down the rumours.
During an Instagram Q&A with fans she was asked: "Are you considering retirement from Strictly?"
Karen replied: "Ummm no darlin'."
Strictly appearances aside she promotes fashion and beauty brands and bagged herself a commercial deal with Dincwear.
The star also created her own branded KH leotard and plugged it on her Instagram channel while still in position as the longest-serving dancer on the show.
Andy said with 310,000 Instagram followers she can expect to rake in a very generous £35k per social media campaign in future.
Andy adds: "Typically, their own clothing range with a brand, maybe an alcohol or non-alcohol brand, could see them receive a one-off payment up front that would be no less than 350k and then an “earn out” based on the number of products that they sell."
While Mischa says: "Strictly Veterans like Karen, who have a huge following on social media and an instantly recognisable face, could easily be getting £5k-£6k per Instagram post and around £30k-£40k for a full PR brand deal.
MICHELLE TSIAKKAS
Michelle, who has 19.7K followers on Instagram and promotes her own dance classes on social media, could expect to bring in £2,500 per social media campaign according to Andy.
He says: "On top of this, stars could do personal appearances and join the public speaking/awards presenter circuit, where fees start from around £10k per appearance and the earnings really start to stack up."
Michelle didn't have a celebrity pair up this year, but still takes part in group dances on the show. In September she endorsed Garnier micellar water and anti-ageing sun cream plus Liz Earle moisturising products on her Instagram feed.
Mischa adds: "A big money maker for the Strictly professionals actually lies in something many of them were doing before the show. A lot of them were dance teachers outside of competing.
"With their new star potential, one of the more obvious routes to financial success is to set up a dance school and use their prestige and fame to get new students signing up.
"This feels like one of the most authentic routes as they’re essentially amplifying something they already know how to do. It’s also a great long-term plan – something they can continue doing even as they get older and their public profiles soften."
NANCY XU
Nancy, who was partnered with Les Dennis this year, is another star with great earning potential and with 66.3k Instagram followers, Andy thinks she can earn £7,500 per social media campaign.
Andy says: "If the dancers were to also really grow their presence on platforms like YouTube and gain a significant following, they can expect to earn significant fees from this as well."
And Mischa explains that when it comes to the types of products the stars promote, they have widespread appeal but companies within the fitness or wellbeing space would align with their brand.
"Many of these companies may choose to work with athletes but often, a professional sportsperson can feel quite distanced or elite, which means they lack connection with their audience," she says.
"Whilst the Strictly professionals are of course athletes, the fact they’ve honed their bodies through dance – something they are then showing you how to learn and do on the show, makes them feel more accessible.
"You feel like the products they use could help you achieve their health and fitness levels, even if in reality they’ve been training to achieve that body for decades!
"Many of the professionals hit the tour circuit, putting on incredible shows for Strictly fans and beyond. In their hearts they are dancers, so making more money from doing just that makes the most sense.
"It was reported that many of these dancers take part in P&O Cruise tours, which can earn them a staggering £90,000 in a matter of three months!”
LAUREN OAKLEY
Lauren, partnered with Channel 4 presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy this year, can also expect to earn £7,500 per Instagram campaign given that she has 65.7k followers, says Andy: "You would typically expect stars to try and secure 2 or 3 campaigns like this per year, whilst they are still in the public eye. They have to strike whilst the iron is hot though.”
The 32-year-old former dance captain for globally popular show Burn The Floor has toured the world including South Africa, Australia, China, Europe, North America and Japan.
And the world is now her oyster once more as she's to become Giovanni Pernice's leading lady on his Let Me Entertain You tour.
Mischa adds: “Branching out and appearing on other shows will only add to their brand appeal and success.
"What’s great about Strictly is it allows the professionals to bring their personalities out. It’s almost like a reality show and the behind-the-scenes content and additional interview elements mean they can build a connection with the audience by showing who they are and use that to build their own fan base.
"Their earning potential lies within their ability to influence – so having those fans who love them for who they are is vital.
A stint on the likes of I’m A Celebrity or Celebrity MasterChef would ensure their audience won’t forget about them."
Whatever happens to this year's Strictly cohort, 2024 is set to be a very happy and prosperous year all round.
