How Strictly’s Popular Dancers have Wound Up In Debt

For audiences 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 component for weeks on end, the show’s professional dancers have assisted make the series a captivating watch throughout the fall months.

However, while it has actually been assumed that Strictly experts must earn a pretty penny, and years of success, through their time on the program, for most it’s an entirely various story.

Pros who have bid farewell to the Strictly dancefloor in current years have actually shared their struggles with stacking financial obligations and cash problems, with some even dealing with the possibility of losing their homes.

Recently, Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff end up being the most recent stars to be struck by the notorious ‘Strictly curse’ after their 12-year love ended in heartbreak. MailOnline then exposed it was the serious monetary difficulties they had actually recently experienced are believed to have actually lagged their split.

MailOnline peels back the glitter behind Strictly stars’ incomes to reveal the truth about how for many, 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 financial difficulties are blamed for split from Ben Cohen (pictured on the show in 2013)

Kristina previously on Strictly as an expert from 2008 to 2015, making headlines when she started a romance with her star partner Ben Cohen.

However, in 2015, the couple shared worries that they could lose their home after being struck by money problems, with Ben laying bare their monetary problems in court.

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

Giving proof throughout the case, England World Cup winning rugby star Ben, 46, confessed he had actually mishandled the handling of their cars and truck insurance coverage policy and informed how he was ‘fighting to conserve his relationship and home’.

A good friend of the couple told the Mail he stated: ‘The past 6 months have actually been hell for them and it has torn the love they had apart. For the sake of their household, they have selected to move forward as separate people.

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

The couple were entrusted to 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 told the court: ‘I get up every day and I battle not to lose whatever – to lose my vehicles and my home and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn.’

Last year the couple shared worries that they could lose their home after being struck by money issues, with Ben laying bare their monetary issues in court (imagined in 2021)

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

‘We’re in business together so the issue is that we opened the company before Covid and we got the worst severities of it and in all honestly this is simply another problem for me to deal with.

‘I have actually 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 company was listed to be compulsorily struck off on December 27, 2022, however the action was suspended nine days later and discontinued on April 28, 2023.

Records likewise expose that a food services business called Soo Greens Ltd which is 100 per cent owned by Soo Yoga Group Ltd was efficiently ₤ 6,633 at a loss, considering future liabilities, in its last accounts for the duration ending on July 31, 2020.

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

Another company called Soo Purple Mountain Ltd which is likewise owned by the Soo Yoga Group, was established 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 also integrated and willingly struck off on the same dates.

A 5th company called Yoga Wellbeing which is 100 percent owned by Rihanoff was ₤ 5,041 at a loss, considering future liabilities, at the end of July 2020. Its accounts are also almost 29 months past due, according to Companies House records.

AJ Pritchard

AJ first rose to fame as an entrant on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, leaving the program just months before the Covid pandemic (visualized 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 tour was cancelled in 2020

AJ first rose to popularity as an entrant on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019, leaving the program just months before the Covid pandemic.

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

Speaking to MailOnline, AJ shed light on the money problems some Strictly stars can face after leaving the program.

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

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

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

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

The dancer stated: ‘I think a great deal of people anticipate you to go on to Strictly or Love Island and instantly 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 transparency is a positive thing in this day and age, but many people do not really wish to discuss their financial resources.

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

After leaving programs such as Strictly and Love Island, Curtis and AJ were thrown into a variety of big cash deals and AJ states some people have no idea how to deal with that kind of amount of money.

Former I’m A Celeb star AJ revealed he and Curtis ‘wish to make a difference’ and have set up ‘using our own money’ a monetary investment business called FINT to help to ‘educate’ people.

AJ ended up being very open about how sometimes the TV bookings and photoshoots can unexpectedly stop and stars need to discover how to ‘adapt’ their profession.

AJ stated it is hard when a great deal of his good friends believe 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 truly tough I think in our market, the entertainment market and a great deal of other industries right now because a lot of individuals are being laid off. It does use your psychological health if you do not have that next job.

‘Myself and Curtis have 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 money there that I can make use of if I need it.

‘And at the end of the day, there are always jobs out there. It’s simply sometimes having to alter what it is you believe you are going to do and adapt a little bit. Adapting is tough however you do have to adapt often.

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

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

He described: ‘Every single day I’m reminded truth. I pulled up at the fuel pump today and the diesel was 10p more costly due to decisions that have actually been made much greater up than my income. That’s the real life.

‘I resembled, ‘What 10p more pricey from yesterday to today’, like that’s crazy. I believe individuals forget, the expense 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 hard for a lot of people this year and I do not think it’s going to get any easier.’

Robin Windsor

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

Despite drawing in an impressive ₤ 100,000 as a star of Strictly, Robin Windsor tragically passed away with just ₤ 879 in his business’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 firm had not traded for some time and according to Companies House Records was facing an ‘active proposition’ to be struck off.

The business Happy Feet Creative Limited was owed almost ₤ 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 business, which was repaid.

The company had actually funnelled revenues from a ‘wide range of agreements to offer performing arts services within the media industry’, documentation stated.

In the months prior to his death, Robin had been working on a Fred Olsen Cruise – alongside fellow Strictly professional Gordana Grandosek Whiddon – and published 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 discovered dead in a London hotel in February, and in the wake of his passing it was revealed his firm had not traded for a long time (pictured on the show in 2013)

He likewise recalled one time he made ‘ridiculous money’, telling This Is Money: ‘My dance partner and I were when paid ₤ 10,000 each to remain in a high-end resort in Mauritius for a week and dance the cha-cha-cha at an event. 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 money I had just dreamt about. I most likely made about ₤ 100,000 that year – not simply from Strictly however from work off the back of the show such as the tour and private performances.

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

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

Graziano Di Prima

Graziano was significantly sacked by managers in 2015 following claims of gross misconduct towards his previous superstar partner Zara McDermott

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

Graziano was when considered a favourite amongst Strictly fans, but last year he was dramatically sacked by employers following claims of gross misconduct towards his former celebrity partner Zara McDermott.

The dancer later confirmed and regretted his actions against Zara.

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

Strictly Come Dancing abundant list: The professional dancers waltzing all the way to the bank after making MILLIONS thanks to the program

‘My intense passion and decision to win might have impacted my training regime.

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

‘There’s more to this story that I am unable to go over at this time, however I am committed to being strong for my friends and family. I wish the Strictly household nothing however success in the future.’

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

The dancer charged $100 (₤ 78) for a video message, and continued to refer to 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 thought about 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 made a reported ₤ 200,000 charge for her stint on I’m A Celeb Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015

For lots of fans, Oti is considered among 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 income before she left the show in 2022, and because her exit has amassed a substantial fortune with a string of successful TV gigs.

Since then, she has actually 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 ₤ 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 established with her spouse Marius Iepure, which was set up in February 2017, and has noted assets of ₤ 510,953, according to its latest accounts.

In 2022, Oti likewise signed a big-money deal to collaborate with Bravissimo on a ‘self-confidence increasing’ underwear variety, and she and partner Marius likewise share a ₤ 590,000 London estate.

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

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

Kevin Clifton

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

However, the dancer has actually formerly shared that it hasn’t constantly been easy, exposing in 2019 that he used to sleep in his car while trying to kickstart his carrying out profession

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

His company Supreme Dance stated ₤ 104,993 in its most current possessions with ₤ 42,234 remaining after expenses.

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

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 invested loads of time sleeping in my cars and truck – essentially living out of my vehicle – and having no work. It’s not all glamour. People believe we live these easy, showbiz, attractive lives and it’s not like that.

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

‘I was basically looking in my wallet going, I’ve just been fired from another task. I’ve got four lessons tomorrow; I already can’t spend for two of them.

‘I’m going to need to blag it with the instructor and state,” 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 cashed in on their joint weight loss in recent years, setting up a fitness site called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ 12.99 monthly to subscribe

James Jordan left Strictly in 2013 with his spouse Ola following match two years lateer.

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

The couple have capitalized their joint weight loss in the last few years, setting up a fitness website called Dance Shred where they charge ₤ 12.99 monthly to subscribe.

The pair sold their Kent estate for ₤ 2.5 million earlier this year and have actually given that scaled down to a home more ‘suitable’ for their child Ella.

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

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

Strictly Come DancingBen CohenBBC