How Strictly’s Popular Dancers have Ended up In Debt

For audiences tuning into BBC’s megahit Strictly Come Dancing, they would be right in presuming that its stars should be earning a large fortune.

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

However, while it has actually been presumed that Strictly specialists need to make a pretty penny, and years of success, through their time on the program, for a lot of it’s an entirely various story.

Pros who have bid farewell to the Strictly dancefloor in the last few years have shared their battles with stacking debts and money problems, with some even dealing with the prospect of losing their homes.

Recently, Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff end up being the most 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 problems they had actually recently experienced are believed to have been behind their split.

MailOnline peels back the shine behind Strictly stars’ paychecks to reveal the truth about how for many, the cash stops as soon as the ballroom lights go dark …

Kristina Rihanoff

How Strictly’s popular dancers have actually wound up in financial obligation – as Kristina Rihanoff’s financial difficulties are blamed for split from Ben Cohen (visualized on the show in 2013)

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

However, last year, the couple shared worries that they could lose their home after being struck by money issues, with Ben laying bare their monetary concerns in court.

The extent of the couple’s battles were laid bare in unusual scenarios – throughout a court appearance last September when Kristina, 47, was caught driving without insurance.

Giving proof during the case, England World Cup winning rugby star Ben, 46, admitted he had mishandled the handling of their automobile insurance coverage and told how he was ‘combating to conserve his relationship and home’.

A pal of the couple told the Mail he said: ‘The past 6 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 selected to go forward as separate people.

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

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

In a tortuously frank admission Ben told the court: ‘I get up every day and I combat not to lose everything – to lose my cars and my house and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn.’

Last year the couple shared worries that they could lose their home after being struck by cash troubles, with Ben laying bare their financial issues in court (envisioned in 2021)

When questioned about the strains on his and Kristina’s relationship, he stated: ‘We’re still living together. We’re in it economically.

‘We’re in service together so the problem is that we opened the business 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 business debt because of Covid. It’s just 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 expose that a food services business called Soo Greens Ltd which is 100 per cent owned by Soo Yoga Group Ltd was successfully ₤ 6,633 in the red, taking into consideration future liabilities, in its last accounts for the period ending on July 31, 2020.

The business’s represent the year ending in July 2021 have still not been submitted and are now almost 29 months overdue.

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

A 4th company called Soo Group Ltd which was half owned by Cohen and half owned by three other individuals was likewise integrated and willingly struck off on the exact same dates.

A fifth company 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 overdue, according to Companies House records.

AJ Pritchard

AJ initially increased to popularity as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, leaving the show just months before the Covid pandemic (envisioned with Saffron Barker in 2019)

But AJ has since clarify the cash woes some Strictly stars can deal with, and shared that he was plunged into debt when his dance trip was cancelled in 2020

AJ first rose to popularity as a candidate on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, leaving the show simply months before the Covid pandemic.

While the star had previously hoped to kickstart a brand-new age of dance success by leaving the show, the pandemic forced him to cancel his organized dance tour, plunging himself and sibling Curtis into financial obligation.

Talking to MailOnline, AJ shed light on the cash concerns some Strictly stars can deal with after leaving the program.

He stated: ‘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 felt like that was the right thing to do. We wound up with a barrel costs which came out of our own pocket.

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

‘They definitely did appreciate it. I perhaps didn’t value the financial obligation that I was left in however, hello, it’s a choice that was made.’

AJ stated it is hard when a great deal of his friends think he’s a after starring on Strictly, nevertheless, he explained that after they paid their taxes and VAT, the figure he makes is no place near that.

The dancer said: ‘I think a great deal 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 business, that’s not even close.

‘I believe openness is a favorable thing in this day and age, however many people do not actually wish to discuss their finances.

‘And I believe people are fascinated by money. People like to see numbers and like to see good 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 tossed into a variety of huge money deals and AJ says some individuals have no idea how to manage that sort of amount of cash.

Former I’m A Celebrity star AJ exposed he and Curtis ‘desire to make a difference’ and have set up ‘using our own money’ a monetary investment company called FINT to assist to ‘educate’ individuals.

AJ became really open about how in some cases the TV bookings and photoshoots can all of a sudden stop and stars need to find out how to ‘adjust’ their profession.

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

He continued: ‘It’s really difficult I believe in our industry, the home entertainment industry and a lot of other industries right now because a great deal of people are being laid off. It does play on your psychological health if you don’t have that next job.

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

‘And at the end of the day, there are always jobs out there. It’s just sometimes having to alter what it is you think you are going to do and adjust a little bit. Adapting is tough but you do need to adjust in some cases.

‘It is essential that people enter into these huge shows that they’re enjoying but they have a profession behind them like myself and Curt. We’re both expert dancers, we can go all over the world and teach.’

Every day, individuals are dealing with the expense of living crisis and AJ confessed he is no various and is frequently snapped back into the ‘real world’ as he’s discovered the significant increase in everyday products.

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

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

‘Even when inflation comes down, it doesn’t suggest that it returns to what it was. Life is going to be difficult for a great deal of individuals this year and I do not believe it’s going to get any simpler.’

Robin Windsor

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

Despite pulling in an excellent ₤ 100,000 as a star of Strictly, Robin Windsor unfortunately died with simply ₤ 879 in his business’s service 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 firm had actually not traded for some time and according to Companies House Records was dealing with an ‘active proposal’ to be struck off.

The business Happy Feet Creative Limited was owed practically ₤ 5,000 the last time it submitted accounts, but owed lenders ₤ 15,000, indicating it was ₤ 8,350 in the red.

At the height of his celebrity in 2015 and 2016 he held more than ₤ 23,000 in the company and advanced himself ₤ 35,000 from the company, which was repaid.

The business had actually carried revenues from a ‘wide variety of contracts to provide carrying out arts services within the media market’, documents said.

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

Robin formerly 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 discovered dead in a London hotel in February, and in the wake of his passing it was exposed his firm had not traded for a long time (pictured on the program in 2013)

He likewise remembered one time he made ‘silly money’, telling This Is Money: ‘My dance partner and I were once paid ₤ 10,000 each to remain in a luxury resort in Mauritius for a week and dance the cha-cha-cha at an occasion. Our dance lasted two minutes.’

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

He said: ‘Suddenly, I was earning cash I had only dreamt about. I most likely made about ₤ 100,000 that year – not simply from Strictly however from work off the back of the program such as the trip and personal performances.

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

Speaking about his Strictly exit, Robin stated he became so ‘bitter’ about not being allowed to return that he couldn’t bear to view it, and he went into a ‘consistent decline’ after leaving the program.

Graziano Di Prima

Graziano was drastically sacked by managers 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 appearances on the program, with customised video messages on Cameo

Graziano was once thought about a favourite amongst Strictly fans, but last year he was considerably sacked by employers following claims of gross misbehavior towards his previous celeb partner Zara McDermott.

The dancer later validated and regretted his actions versus Zara.

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

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

‘My intense enthusiasm and decision to win might have impacted my training routine.

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

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

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

The dancer charged $100 (₤ 78) for a video message, and continued to describe himself as a ‘expert 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

Ever since, she has appeared as a judge on Dancing On Ice, and also earned a reported ₤ 200,000 charge for her stint on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015

For many fans, Oti is considered one of Strictly’s most effective exports, with the dancer crowned series champion for 2 years in a row, in 2019 and 2020.

The dancer was reported to be on a ₤ 410,000 income before she left the program in 2022, and given that her exit has collected a substantial fortune with a string of successful TV gigs.

Since then, she has actually appeared as a judge on Dancing On Ice, and was also a panellist on The Masked Dancer, and BBC’s The Greatest 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 noted as a director of Pure Mabuse Limited, which she established with her partner Marius Iepure, which was established in February 2017, and has actually listed possessions of ₤ 510,953, according to its most current accounts.

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

Between them, Oti and Marius hold ₤ 750,000 of assets in four personal business, which they co-own. consisting of the residential or commercial property company, Lionshead, which notched up ₤ 110,582 in assets as of in 2015.

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

Kevin Clifton

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

However, the dancer has actually formerly shared that it hasn’t always been easy, exposing in 2019 that he used to oversleep his cars and truck while trying to start his performing career

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

His firm Supreme Dance stated ₤ 104,993 in its latest assets with ₤ 42,234 staying after bills.

However, the dancer has actually previously shared that it hasn’t constantly been simple, exposing in 2019 that he utilized to sleep in his car while trying to kickstart his carrying out profession, while managing it with an office job.

Speaking on his podcast The Kevin Clifton Show, he stated: ‘If there’s nobody there, I’ll oversleep my vehicle and after that I can manage 2 of my dance lessons tomorrow.

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

‘There’s been times where I was simply getting fired from task after task – typical office tasks, just attempting to sustain my dancer career.

‘I was essentially looking in my wallet going, I have actually just been fired from another task. I’ve got 4 lessons tomorrow; I currently can’t pay for two of them.

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

Business: James and Ola Jordan have capitalized their joint weight reduction in the last few years, establishing a fitness website called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ 12.99 each month to subscribe

James Jordan left Strictly in 2013 with his partner Ola doing the same 2 years lateer.

James has 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 capitalized their joint weight reduction in current years, establishing a physical fitness website called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ 12.99 monthly to subscribe.

The set offered their Kent estate for ₤ 2.5 million previously this year and have considering that downsized to a home more ‘ideal’ for their child Ella.

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

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

Strictly Come DancingBen CohenBBC