How Strictly’s Popular Dancers have Wound Up In Debt

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

Whether it be the tireless hours of training, or being an on-screen fixture for weeks on end, the show’s professional dancers have helped make the series a captivating watch throughout the fall months.

However, while it has actually been assumed that Strictly professionals must earn a pretty cent, and years of success, through their time on the program, for many it’s a completely various story.

Pros who have bid goodbye to the Strictly dancefloor in recent years have actually shared their battles with stacking financial obligations and cash troubles, with some even dealing with the prospect of losing their homes.

Recently, Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff become the current stars to be hit by the infamous ‘Strictly curse’ after their 12-year romance ended in heartbreak. MailOnline then exposed it was the severe monetary difficulties they had actually recently experienced are thought to have been behind their split.

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

Kristina Rihanoff

How Strictly’s popular dancers have ended up in debt – as Kristina Rihanoff’s monetary problems are blamed for split from Ben Cohen (imagined on the show in 2013)

Kristina previously appeared on Strictly as a professional from 2008 to 2015, making headlines when she began a love with her celeb partner Ben Cohen.

However, in 2015, the couple shared worries that they might lose their home after being hit by money troubles, with Ben laying bare their monetary issues in court.

The level of the couple’s struggles were laid bare in uncommon scenarios – during a court look last September when Kristina, 47, was caught driving without insurance.

Giving evidence throughout the case, England World Cup winning rugby star Ben, 46, confessed he had actually made a mess of the handling of their vehicle insurance policy and told how he was ‘combating to save his relationship and home’.

A pal of the couple informed the Mail he said: ‘The previous six months have actually been hell for them and it has torn the love they had apart. For the sake of their family, they have actually picked to go forward as separate individuals.

‘Those near to them who understand them as a couple had actually hoped they would have the ability to work things out however for now it’s over and it appears like there’s no going back.’

The couple were entrusted crippling financial obligations after they ploughed every penny they had into a yoga studio which plunged into crisis throughout 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 cars and trucks and my house and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn.’

In 2015 the couple shared fears that they could lose their home after being struck by cash woes, with Ben laying bare their monetary woes in court (imagined in 2021)

When questioned about the pressures on his and Kristina’s relationship, he said: ‘We’re still cohabiting. We remain in it economically.

‘We stay in business together so the problem is that we opened the company before Covid and we got the worst severities of it and in all honestly this is just another issue for me to handle.

‘I’ve got credit cards that are overdrawn. I’m overdrawn in both accounts. We have actually got a company financial obligation since of Covid. It’s just another problem.’

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

Records likewise expose that a food services company called Soo Greens Ltd which is 100 percent owned by Soo Yoga Group Ltd was efficiently ₤ ۶,۶۳۳ in the red, considering future liabilities, in its last represent the period ending on July 31, 2020.

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

Another business called Soo Purple Mountain Ltd which is likewise owned by the Soo Yoga Group, was set up in December 2021 and dissolved by a voluntary strike off in February this year without ever filing accounts.

A fourth company called Soo Group Ltd which was half owned by Cohen and half owned by 3 other individuals was likewise included and voluntarily struck off on the exact same dates.

A 5th company called Yoga Wellbeing which is one hundred percent owned by Rihanoff was ₤ ۵,۰۴۱ at a loss, taking into consideration future liabilities, at the end of July 2020. Its accounts are likewise nearly 29 months overdue, according to Companies House records.

AJ Pritchard

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

But AJ has since clarify the money problems some Strictly stars can face, and shared that he was plunged into financial obligation when his dance trip was cancelled in 2020

AJ first rose to fame as an entrant on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, leaving the show simply months before the Covid pandemic.

While the star had formerly wanted to start a brand-new period of dance success by departing the program, the pandemic forced him to cancel his scheduled dance tour, plunging himself and sibling Curtis into debt.

Speaking to MailOnline, AJ shed light on the cash problems some Strictly stars can deal with after leaving the show.

He said: ‘We had a business where we were running our own tour and the tour was cut brief. We paid all of our dancers due to the fact that, personally, I felt like that was the right thing to do. We wound up with a barrel bill which came out of our own pocket.

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

‘They definitely did appreciate it. I perhaps didn’t value the debt that I was left in but, hey, it’s a choice that was made.’

AJ said it is hard when a great deal of his pals think he’s a ‘millionaire’ after starring on Strictly, nevertheless, he described that after they paid their taxes and VAT, the figure he earns is no place near that.

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

‘I think transparency is a positive thing in this day and age, but many people don’t really wish to discuss their finances.

‘And I think individuals are intrigued by cash. People enjoy to see numbers and love to see nice things, and a lot of times you need to live within your own ways.’

After leaving programs such as Strictly and Love Island, Curtis and AJ were tossed into a number of huge money deals and AJ states some individuals have no idea how to manage that type of amount of cash.

Former I’m A Celeb star AJ exposed he and Curtis ‘wish to make a difference’ and have actually established ‘utilizing our own cash’ a financial investment company called FINT to help to ‘educate’ individuals.

AJ ended up being really open about how often the TV reservations and photoshoots can suddenly stop and stars need to learn how to ‘adjust’ their career.

AJ stated it is hard when a lot of his buddies believe he’s a ‘millionaire’ after starring on Strictly, as after they paid their taxes and VAT, the figure he earns is nowhere near that

He continued: ‘It’s actually tough I think in our market, the home entertainment industry and a lot of other markets today due to the fact that a lot of people are being laid off. It does use your mental health if you don’t have that next task.

‘Myself and Curtis have invested cash, from my really first wage on Strictly I have actually constantly had that money invested into different portfolios. Therefore, if I didn’t have a task in 6 months time, I do have cash there that I can make use of if I need it.

‘And at the end of the day, there are always tasks out there. It’s simply sometimes needing to alter what it is you think you are going to do and adjust a bit. Adapting is hard but you do need to adjust sometimes.

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

Every day, people are facing the expense of living crisis and AJ confessed he is no various and is routinely snapped back into the ‘genuine world’ as he’s observed the remarkable increase in daily items.

He discussed: ‘Each and every single day I’m brought back to reality. I brought up at the petrol pump today and the diesel was 10p more costly due to choices that have been made much greater up than my paycheck. That’s the genuine world.

‘I resembled, ‘What 10p more costly from the other day to today’, like that’s crazy. I think people forget, the expense of living and inflation’s increased.

‘Even when inflation comes down, it doesn’t imply that it goes back to what it was. Life is going to be tough for a great deal of people this year and I do not think it’s going to get any simpler.’

Robin Windsor

Despite pulling in an impressive ₤ ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ as a star of Strictly, Robin Windsor tragically passed away with just ₤ ۸۷۹ in his business’s business account

Despite pulling in an outstanding ₤ ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ as a star of Strictly, Robin Windsor unfortunately passed away with just ₤ ۸۷۹ in his business’s company account.

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

The company Happy Feet Creative Limited was owed almost ₤ ۵,۰۰۰ the last time it filed accounts, however owed financial institutions ₤ ۱۵,۰۰۰, indicating it was ₤ ۸,۳۵۰ in the red.

At the height of his celeb in 2015 and 2016 he held more than ₤ ۲۳,۰۰۰ in the business and advanced himself ₤ ۳۵,۰۰۰ from the business, which was repaid.

The business had channelled incomes from a ‘wide range of contracts to supply carrying out arts services within the media industry’, documents stated.

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

Robin previously informed how he was paid ₤ ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ a year during his time on Strictly which came to an end after the 12th series in 2014.

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

He also recalled one time he made ‘silly money’, informing This Is Money: ‘My dance partner and I were as soon as paid ₤ ۱۰,۰۰۰ 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 ‘finest’ year of his monetary life was 2010, ‘my first year on Strictly Come Dancing’.

He stated: ‘All of an abrupt, I was making money I had just dreamt about. I probably made about ₤ ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ that year – not simply from Strictly but from work off the back of the program such as the trip and personal efficiencies.

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

Discussing his Strictly exit, Robin stated he ended up being so ‘bitter’ about not being enabled to return that he could not bear to see it, and he went into a ‘stable decline’ after leaving the show.

Graziano Di Prima

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

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

Graziano was as soon as thought about a favourite among Strictly fans, but last year he was significantly sacked by employers following claims of gross misconduct towards his previous superstar partner Zara McDermott.

The dancer later on confirmed and regretted his actions versus Zara.

Addressing his exit from the program, a ‘ravaged’ Di Prima wrote on Instagram: ‘I deeply are sorry for the events that led to my departure from Strictly.

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

‘My extreme enthusiasm and determination to win may have affected my training program.

‘While respecting the BBC HR procedure, I acknowledge it’s just best for the sake of the show that I step away. I am distressed that I wasn’t allowed to provide a quote to the online newspaper article, and I take on board the level of sensitivity of the situation.

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

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

The dancer charged $100 (₤ ۷۸) for a video message, and continued to describe himself as a ‘professional dancer on Strictly’ on his profile.

And the stars who have actually cashed in on their Strictly success …

Oti Mabuse

For lots of fans, Oti is considered among Strictly’s most successful exports, with the dancer crowned series champ for 2 years in a row, in 2019 and 2020

Since then, she has actually appeared as a judge on Dancing On Ice, and likewise earned a reported ₤ ۲۰۰,۰۰۰ cost for her stint on I’m A Star Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015

For lots of 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 ₤ ۴۱۰,۰۰۰ salary before she left the show in 2022, and because her exit has generated a substantial fortune with a string of successful TV gigs.

Ever since, she has looked like a judge on Dancing On Ice, and was likewise a panellist on The Masked Dancer, and BBC’s The best Dancer, contributing to a rumoured fortune of more than ₤ ۱.۴ million.

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

Oti is noted as a director of Pure Mabuse Limited, which she established with her spouse Marius Iepure, which was set up in February 2017, and has listed possessions of ₤ ۵۱۰,۹۵۳, according to its newest accounts.

In 2022, Oti also signed a big-money deal to work together with Bravissimo on a ‘self-confidence boosting’ underwear variety, and she and hubby Marius likewise share a ₤ ۵۹۰,۰۰۰ London estate.

Between them, Oti and Marius hold ₤ ۷۵۰,۰۰۰ of possessions in four personal business, which they co-own. including the home company, Lionshead, which notched up ₤ ۱۱۰,۵۸۲ in possessions since last year.

And Oti has actually just contributed to her fortune in recent months by appearing on I’m A Star Get Me Out Of Here! where she was supposedly paid a ₤ ۲۰۰,۰۰۰ cost.

Kevin Clifton

Kevin Clifton was crowned Strictly champ in 2018 with Stacey Dooley, and after the program in 2020, has moneyed in with a string of stage roles

However, the dancer has formerly shared that it hasn’t constantly been easy, revealing in 2019 that he used to oversleep his automobile while trying to kickstart his carrying out profession

Since leaving Strictly in 2020, Kevin Clifton has actually taken to the stage, carrying out in Strictly Ballroom, Rock of Ages and War of the Worlds.

His company Supreme Dance declared ₤ ۱۰۴,۹۹۳ in its most current assets with ₤ ۴۲,۲۳۴ remaining after costs.

However, the dancer has actually previously shared that it hasn’t always been easy, exposing in 2019 that he used to sleep in his cars and truck while trying to kickstart his performing career, while handling it with a workplace job.

Speaking on his podcast The Kevin Clifton Show, he said: ‘If there’s no one there, I’ll oversleep my car and after that I can pay for 2 of my dance lessons tomorrow.

‘I invested loads of time oversleeping my automobile – generally living out of my vehicle – 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 just getting fired from job after task – normal office tasks, simply trying to sustain my dancer career.

‘I was generally searching in my wallet going, I’ve simply been fired from another job. I’ve got 4 lessons tomorrow; I already can’t pay for two of them.

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

Business: James and Ola Jordan have actually cashed in on their joint weight loss in the last few years, setting up a physical fitness site called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ ۱۲.۹۹ per month to subscribe

James Jordan left Strictly in 2013 with his better half Ola following suit two years lateer.

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

The couple have actually capitalized their joint weight reduction over the last few years, setting up a fitness website called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ ۱۲.۹۹ monthly to subscribe.

The pair offered their Kent mansion for ₤ ۲.۵ million previously this year and have actually given that scaled down to a home more ‘ideal’ for their child Ella.

Much of their income is funnelled through their firm James and Ola Dance Academy which most recently had ₤ ۷۷۴,۰۲۳ in properties and ₤ ۴۶۵,۰۰۲ after expenses.

They make additional money by offering signed pictures for ₤ ۹.۵۰ while Ola uses dance lessons to fans at ₤ ۳۰۰ a pop.

Strictly Come DancingBen CohenBBC