How Strictly’s Popular Dancers have actually Ended up In Debt

For audiences tuning into BBC’s megahit Strictly Come Dancing, they would be ideal in assuming that its stars must be earning a hefty fortune.

Whether it be the determined hours of training, or being an on-screen component for weeks on end, the program’s professional dancers have assisted make the series a fascinating watch throughout the autumn months.

However, while it has been assumed that Strictly specialists should make a quite penny, and years of success, through their time on the program, for the majority of it’s a completely different story.

Pros who have actually bid goodbye to the Strictly dancefloor recently have shared their battles with stacking debts and money issues, with some even dealing with the prospect of losing their homes.

Recently, Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff become the most recent stars to be struck by the infamous ‘Strictly curse’ after their 12-year romance ended in heartbreak. MailOnline then revealed it was the extreme financial difficulties they had recently experienced are believed to have actually been behind their split.

MailOnline peels back the glitter behind Strictly stars’ paychecks to expose the reality about how for lots of, the cash stops as soon as the ballroom lights go dark …

Kristina Rihanoff

How Strictly’s popular dancers have wound up in debt – as Kristina Rihanoff’s financial problems are blamed for split from Ben Cohen (envisioned on the program in 2013)

Kristina formerly appeared on Strictly as an expert from 2008 to 2015, making headings when she began a love with her celeb partner Ben Cohen.

However, in 2015, the couple shared fears that they could lose their home after being hit by cash woes, with Ben laying bare their monetary woes in court.

The degree of the couple’s struggles were laid bare in uncommon circumstances – during a court appearance last September when Kristina, 47, was captured driving without insurance coverage.

Giving proof during the case, England World Cup winning rugby star Ben, 46, confessed he had actually mishandled the handling of their vehicle insurance coverage and informed how he was ‘battling to save his relationship and home’.

A buddy of the couple told the Mail he said: ‘The past six months have been hell for them and it has actually torn the love they had apart. For the sake of their family, they have actually chosen to move forward as separate people.

‘Those near to them who know them as a couple had hoped they would be able to work things out however for now it’s over and it looks like there’s no going back.’

The couple were entrusted debilitating financial obligations after they ploughed every penny they had into a yoga studio which plunged into crisis during the Covid pandemic.

In a tortuously frank admission Ben informed the court: ‘I get up every day and I battle not to lose everything – to lose my vehicles and my home and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn.’

Last year the couple shared worries that they might lose their home after being hit by money problems, with Ben laying bare their monetary problems in court (envisioned in 2021)

When questioned about the strains on his and Kristina’s relationship, he stated: ‘We’re still cohabiting. We remain in it financially.

‘We’re in service together so the issue is that we opened business before Covid and we got the worst seriousness of it and in all truthfully this is just another issue for me to handle.

‘I have actually got charge card that are overdrawn. I’m overdrawn in both accounts. We have got an organization debt due to the fact that of Covid. It’s simply another problem.’

The business was noted to be compulsorily struck off on December 27, 2022, however the action was suspended 9 days later on and terminated on April 28, 2023.

Records also reveal that a food services company called Soo Greens Ltd which is 100 percent owned by Soo Yoga Group Ltd was efficiently ₤ 6,633 at a loss, considering future liabilities, in its last accounts for the period ending on July 31, 2020.

The company’s represent the year ending in July 2021 have actually still not been submitted and are now nearly 29 months past due.

Another company called Soo Purple Mountain Ltd which is also owned by the Soo Yoga Group, was established in December 2021 and dissolved by a voluntary strike off in February this year without ever submitting accounts.

A fourth company called Soo Group Ltd which was half owned by Cohen and half owned by three other individuals was likewise included and willingly struck off on the same dates.

A 5th business called Yoga Wellbeing which is one hundred percent owned by Rihanoff was ₤ 5,041 in the red, taking into account future liabilities, at the end of July 2020. Its accounts are likewise almost 29 months past due, according to Companies House records.

AJ Pritchard

AJ first rose to popularity as a candidate on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, leaving the program simply months before the Covid pandemic (envisioned with Saffron Barker in 2019)

But AJ has because clarify the cash issues some Strictly stars can face, and shared that he was plunged into debt when his dance trip was cancelled in 2020

AJ initially rose to popularity as a participant on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, leaving the program just months before the Covid pandemic.

While the star had actually previously wanted to start a brand-new age of dance success by leaving the show, the pandemic required him to cancel his organized dance trip, plunging himself and sibling Curtis into financial obligation.

Speaking to MailOnline, AJ clarified the cash woes some Strictly stars can face after leaving the program.

He said: ‘We had a company where we were running our own tour and the tour was interrupted. We paid all of our dancers because, personally, I seemed like that was the best thing to do. We ended up with a VAT expense which came out of our own pocket.

‘We didn’t make money, myself or Curtis, however we paid all of our dancers. It’s a hard choice to be made, but that’s what it is when you are running your own business.

‘They definitely did appreciate it. I maybe didn’t appreciate the debt that I was left in but, hi, it’s a decision that was made.’

AJ stated it is hard when a great deal of his good friends think he’s a ‘millionaire’ after starring on Strictly, nevertheless, he discussed that after they paid their taxes and VAT, the figure he makes is nowhere near that.

The dancer said: ‘I believe a lot of people anticipate you to go on to Strictly or Love Island and immediately be a millionaire. Once you’ve paid your tax and your VAT, and if you’re a restricted company, that’s not even close.

‘I think openness is a favorable thing in this day and age, however the majority of people do not actually want to talk about their finances.

‘And I think individuals are intrigued by money. People like to see numbers and like to see nice things, and a great deal of times you require to live within your own methods.’

After leaving shows such as Strictly and Love Island, Curtis and AJ were thrown into a number of huge money offers and AJ says some individuals have no concept how to handle that sort of sum of money.

Former I’m A Celebrity star AJ exposed he and Curtis ‘wish to make a distinction’ and have established ‘utilizing our own cash’ a monetary investment firm called FINT to assist to ‘educate’ individuals.

AJ ended up being extremely open about how in some cases the TV reservations and photoshoots can suddenly stop and stars have to learn how to ‘adapt’ their .

AJ stated it is hard when a great deal of his friends think he’s a ‘millionaire’ after starring on Strictly, as after they paid their taxes and VAT, the figure he makes is nowhere near that

He continued: ‘It’s really difficult I think in our market, the show business and a great deal of other industries right now since a lot of people are being laid off. It does play on your psychological health if you don’t have that next task.

‘Myself and Curtis have actually invested cash, from my extremely first salary on Strictly I’ve always had that money invested into different portfolios. Therefore, if I didn’t work in 6 months time, I do have cash there that I can draw on if I require it.

‘And at the end of the day, there are always jobs out there. It’s just sometimes having to change what it is you believe you are going to do and adjust a bit. Adapting is tough however you do need to adjust often.

‘It is necessary that people enter into these huge shows that they’re taking pleasure in however they have an occupation behind them like myself and Curt. We’re both expert dancers, we can go all over the world and teach.’

Every day, individuals are facing the cost of living crisis and AJ confessed he is no different and is regularly snapped back into the ‘genuine world’ as he’s seen the dramatic boost in daily items.

He discussed: ‘Each and every single day I’m brought back to truth. I brought up at the fuel pump today and the diesel was 10p more pricey due to decisions that have actually been made much greater up than my income. That’s the genuine world.

‘I resembled, ‘What 10p more costly from the other day to today’, like that’s insane. I believe individuals forget, the expense of living and inflation’s gone up.

‘Even when inflation boils down, it does not mean that it goes back to what it was. Life is going to be hard for a lot of individuals this year and I do not believe it’s going to get any much easier.’

Robin Windsor

Despite pulling in an excellent ₤ 100,000 as a star of Strictly, Robin Windsor unfortunately passed away with simply ₤ 879 in his business’s organization account

Despite drawing in an impressive ₤ 100,000 as a star of Strictly, Robin Windsor tragically passed away with simply ₤ 879 in his company’s organization account.

The dancer was found dead in a London hotel in February in 2015, and in the wake of his passing it was exposed his company had actually not traded for a long time and according to Companies House Records was facing an ‘active proposition’ to be struck off.

The company Happy Feet Creative Limited was owed practically ₤ 5,000 the last time it submitted accounts, however owed creditors ₤ 15,000, meaning it was ₤ 8,350 in the red.

At the height of his celeb in 2015 and 2016 he held more than ₤ 23,000 in the business and advanced himself ₤ 35,000 from the business, which was paid back.

The business had actually channelled incomes from a ‘wide range of contracts to supply performing arts services within the media market’, paperwork stated.

In the months prior to his death, Robin had been dealing with a Fred Olsen Cruise – along with fellow Strictly professional Gordana Grandosek Whiddon – and posted images of himself when the boat docked in South Africa.

Robin previously told how he was paid ₤ 100,000 a year throughout his time on Strictly which pertained to an end after the 12th series in 2014.

The dancer was found dead in a London hotel in February, and in the wake of his passing it was revealed his company had actually not traded for some time (visualized on the program in 2013)

He also recalled one time he made ‘ridiculous money’, telling This Is Money: ‘My dance partner and I were when paid ₤ 10,000 each to stay in a high-end resort in Mauritius for a week and dance the cha-cha-cha at an event. Our dance lasted 2 minutes.’

He remembered in September 2022 that the ‘best’ year of his financial life was 2010, ‘my first year on Strictly Come Dancing’.

He stated: ‘Suddenly, I was making money I had actually just dreamt about. I most likely made about ₤ 100,000 that year – not just from Strictly but from work off the back of the program such as the tour and private efficiencies.

‘When you’re on prime-time TV, everybody wants a little slice of you.’

Discussing his Strictly exit, Robin said he became so ‘bitter’ about not being permitted to return that he could not bear to enjoy it, and he entered into a ‘stable decline’ after leaving the show.

Graziano Di Prima

Graziano was dramatically sacked by employers in 2015 following claims of gross misbehavior towards his former superstar partner Zara McDermott

Following his departure from the program, Graziano attempted to cash on his looks on the program, with personalised video messages on Cameo

Graziano was when considered a preferred among Strictly fans, but last year he was drastically sacked by managers following claims of gross misbehavior towards his former superstar partner Zara McDermott.

The dancer later confirmed and regretted his actions versus Zara.

Addressing his exit from the show, a ‘ravaged’ Di Prima wrote on Instagram: ‘I deeply regret the occasions that led to my departure from Strictly.

Strictly Come Dancing abundant list: The expert dancers waltzing all the method to the bank after making MILLIONS thanks to the show

‘My extreme passion and determination to win might have affected my training routine.

‘While respecting the BBC HR procedure, I acknowledge it’s only best for the sake of the program that I step away. I am distressed that I wasn’t allowed to provide a quote to the online news stories, and I take on board the sensitivity of the circumstance.

‘There’s more to this story that I am not able to go over at this time, however I am dedicated to being strong for my household and friends. I want the Strictly family nothing but success in the future.’

Following his departure from the show, Graziano attempted to cash on his appearances on the program, with customised video messages on Cameo.

The dancer charged $100 (₤ 78) for a video message, and continued to refer to himself as a ‘expert dancer on Strictly’ on his profile.

And the stars who have capitalized their Strictly success …

Oti Mabuse

For numerous fans, Oti is thought about among Strictly’s most effective exports, with the dancer crowned series champion for 2 years in a row, in 2019 and 2020

Since then, she has actually looked like a judge on Dancing On Ice, and also made a reported ₤ 200,000 charge for her stint on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! last year

For many fans, Oti is considered one of Strictly’s most successful exports, with the dancer crowned series champ for two years in a row, in 2019 and 2020.

The dancer was reported to be on a ₤ 410,000 wage before she left the program in 2022, and considering that her exit has actually collected a huge fortune with a string of effective TV gigs.

Ever since, she has appeared as a judge on Dancing On Ice, and was likewise a panellist on The Masked Dancer, and BBC’s The best Dancer, adding to a rumoured fortune of more than ₤ 1.4 million.

Before signing up with the Strictly lineup, Oti also worked as a professional dancer on Strictly’s German equivalent, Let’s Dance.

Oti is listed as a director of Pure Mabuse Limited, which she set up with her husband Marius Iepure, which was set up in February 2017, and has listed assets of ₤ 510,953, according to its newest accounts.

In 2022, Oti also signed a big-money deal to team up with Bravissimo on a ‘self-confidence improving’ underwear variety, and she and other half Marius likewise share a ₤ 590,000 London estate.

Between them, Oti and Marius hold ₤ 750,000 of possessions in 4 private companies, which they co-own. consisting of the home company, Lionshead, which notched up ₤ 110,582 in properties since in 2015.

And Oti has actually only included to her fortune in current months by appearing on I’m A Star Get Me Out Of Here! where she was apparently paid a ₤ 200,000 charge.

Kevin Clifton

Kevin Clifton was crowned Strictly champion in 2018 with Stacey Dooley, and after leaving the show in 2020, has actually moneyed in with a string of stage functions

However, the dancer has actually previously shared that it hasn’t always been easy, exposing in 2019 that he used to sleep in his automobile while trying to start his performing profession

Since leaving Strictly in 2020, Kevin Clifton has required to the stage, performing in Strictly Ballroom, Rock of Ages and War of the Worlds.

His firm Supreme Dance declared ₤ 104,993 in its latest possessions with ₤ 42,234 staying after expenses.

However, the dancer has formerly shared that it hasn’t constantly been easy, exposing in 2019 that he utilized to sleep in his automobile while trying to start his carrying out career, while managing it with a workplace task.

Speaking on his podcast The Kevin Clifton Show, he said: ‘If there’s nobody there, I’ll sleep in my cars and truck and then I can pay for 2 of my dance lessons tomorrow.

‘I spent loads of time oversleeping my automobile – generally living out of my automobile – and having no work. It’s not all glamour. People think we live these simple, showbiz, glamorous lives and it’s not like that.

‘There’s been times where I was simply getting fired from job after job – normal workplace jobs, just attempting to sustain my dancer profession.

‘I was generally looking in my wallet going, I’ve simply been fired from another job. I have actually got four lessons tomorrow; I already can’t pay for two of them.

‘I’m going to have to blag it with the teacher and say,” Oh, there’s been a problem at the bank. I’m going to have to give you the cash on my next lesson.” James and Ola Jordan

Business: James and Ola Jordan have cashed in on their joint weight reduction over the last few years, setting up a physical fitness website called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ 12.99 per month to subscribe

James Jordan left Strictly in 2013 with his partner Ola following suit 2 years lateer.

James has actually appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, returned a couple of years later for the All Stars version and won Dancing On Ice in 2019.

The couple have capitalized their joint weight-loss over the last few years, establishing a fitness site called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ 12.99 monthly to subscribe.

The set sold their Kent mansion for ₤ 2.5 million earlier this year and have considering that scaled down to a home more ‘ideal’ for their daughter Ella.

Much of their income is funnelled through their firm James and Ola Dance Academy which most recently had ₤ 774,023 in possessions and ₤ 465,002 after bills.

They earn additional cash by offering signed pictures for ₤ 9.50 while Ola offers dance lessons to fans at ₤ 300 a pop.

Strictly Come DancingBen CohenBBC