There’s only one thing I enjoy more than watching celebrities guzzle down animal cum and ugly cry on I’m A Celebrity …Get Me Out Of Here and that’s finding out how much the celebrities get paid to guzzle down animal gluggies and ugly cry on national television. And this year, rumour has it that one contestant is getting a hell of a lot more cashola than the others in the jungle.
According to an insider speaking to Yahoo! Lifestyle, this year’s cast is “the cheapest ever” due to cost-cutting throughout Channel 10 and it’s wider business, Paramount.
“There’s just nowhere near as much money in free-to-air television as there used to be,” the insider said.
“When it comes to casting a show like this, production split the talent into three tiers, with three different pay brackets. They start at the top, where they can spend millions, and then once they’ve signed their bigger names, they see who they can get for cheap to complete the line-up.”
The sneaky insider claimed that comedian Dave Hughes is the one bringing home the most bacon this year with a rumoured deal of $250,000. Truthfully, a stint in the jungle has been a long time coming for the iconic mainstay of Aussie comedy so I’d assume that it would’ve taken a solid deal for him to take the time away from his family in Melbourne.
Instagram dad and podcaster Matty J, NRL icon Sam Thaiday and Olympian Shayna Jack allegedly are on deals ranging from $100,000 to $175,000 for a two-week stint in the jungle. For every extra day they stay in there, they’ll get an extra $5,000.
Personally, I’ve done a lot more for a lot less.
British TikTok star Max Balagde and former Big Brother winner Reggie Bird are rumoured to be receiving $100,000 for their time on the show. Reality TV stars Tina Provis and Samantha Moitzi are alleged to have deals worth $35,000 to $60,000.
Despite allegedly being the lowest-paid season to date, I think we can agree that the money to go on the show is pretty damn good.
(Channel 10, if you’re reading this, I’m sooOoooOOOo down for next season.)
How much did the celebs get paid in 2024?
According to an exclusive insider source, a male celeb in the jungle is being paid $90k to go to the jungle for a minimum of two weeks. Every day after that, he’s locked in to bring in an extra $5,500. So, if he lasts two weeks and two days he makes more cashola than the winning celebrity’s charity would get after the show wraps.
Now, that’s a deal worth eating some cow testicles for, if you ask me.
While I promise I tried my absolute best to get the celebs to spill the tea about their pay packets, they didn’t really want to dish the dirt. That being said, here’s what they said when I gave it a crack.
Influencer Skye Wheatley said that money certainly wasn’t her motivation when she got the call to come on the show.
“To be honest, I would make more money being at home,” she said.
“I’d do it for free. It’s for charity, babes, who gives a fuck about the money. I love that it can be for charity and I love the opportunity. So I’m very grateful.”
When I tested Love Island‘s Callum Hole, he said that he was being paid “good money”.
“It’s a lot more than Love Island,” he said, which makes sense considering how much more enjoyable lounging around and chatting to other hotties is compared to boredom and terrifying challenges in the jungle.
Celebrity chef Khanh Ong said that he has been asked to do the show about four times. But this time around, he’s being offered a considerable amount more than the first time he was asked. That’s a win for our delicious king.
As for former Paralympian Ellie Cole, she also noted that the pay was pretty good, however, she’s been gunning to get on the show for yonks now so I feel like she would have accepted buttons.
The rest of the celebs? Well, they just gave me a stern reminder that they were there to win big for their charities and at the end of the day, they ain’t wrong.
Last year, it was reported that Nick “Honey Badger” Cummins was the highest earner of the season, taking home a cheeky $300,000 for his appearance in the jungle. Next, was 1989 Revlon lipstick enthusiast Kerri-Anne Kennerley who supposedly took $180,000 for her few days on the show. Peter Helliar was apparently copping $90,000 and former Australian Idol judge Ian “Dicko” Dickson was rumoured to be getting $80,000. The rest of last season’s stars — Domenica Calarco, AFL player Adam Cooney and radio host Woody Whitelaw — apparently received $50,000. And finally, Nathan Henry from Geordie Shore reportedly only got $35,000.
You can watch I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here on Channel Ten or 10Play.
