Fans have long wondered how much Big Brother contestants get paid to go on the show, especially when old favourites returned to the franchise in 2022.
WATCH: Trevor Butler proposes on the Big Brother live finale in 2004
From the moment it was announced that a number of Big Brother royalty would be coming back for a second stint in the house, viewers speculated that they must be getting paid handsomely.
But according to new reports, iconic housemates like Tully Smyth, Anthony Drew and Tim Dormer were paid the exact same amount as the newcomers in the house in 2022.
So how much do Big Brother contestants get paid? And what about the contestants on Big Brother VIP? Keep reading to find out.
How much do Big Brother contestants get paid?
According to multiple reports, the cast of Big Brother were paid just $120 for each day they were in the house in 2022.
That’s a sweet bump from the reported $75 a day as “living away from home allowance” contestants got back in 2014, according to news.com.au.
For the housemates who managed to stay in the house for a while, that can add up to a serious chunk of cash; Jaycee was evicted after 50 days in the house and would have earned an estimated $6,000.
While it sounds like a pretty sweet deal, $120 each day is probably just enough to cover the housemates’ real-world expenses, including rent and bills.
WATCH: Tully Smyth and Anthony Drew reunite in the Big Brother house in 2013
Even the Big Brother royalty, including past winner Reggie Sorensen (formerly Bird), were only paid the $120 daily fee despite rumours they may have been offered more to return.
Some past Big Brother stars allegedly did ask for huge sums of cash to come back to the show but were knocked back by Seven – or so a source tells So Dramatic.
“Sara-Marie asked for $150,000 and they said no. Chrissie Swan, Fitzy and Blair all asked for upwards of $200,000 and they said no as well,” the source claims.
“So only contestants who were willing to do the show for nothing signed on.”
How much is the Big Brother prize money?
Whoever wins the 2022 season of Big Brother will take home a whopping $250,000 cash, which could seriously change their life.
That would be on top of however much money they were paid for their long stay in the house, which could easily add up to thousands of dollars.
How much did the Celebrity Big Brother cast get paid?
Pay works a bit differently when it comes to celebrity seasons of Big Brother, with the famous cast paid upfront to appear on the show.
Their salaries can reportedly range from the thousands all the way up to the hundreds of thousands for A-listers like Caitlyn Jenner, who appeared on the show in 2021.
WATCH: Imogen Anthony and Jess Power have a meltdown on Big Brother VIP
New Idea reported that Caitlyn was paid $500,000 for her brief stint on the show, while MAFS star Jessika Power took home just $20,000.
Disgraced UK personality Katie Hopkins was also slated to receive a huge $200,000 pay cheque but ended up with nothing after she was booted out of Australia for flouting hotel quarantine rules before filming began
WHO has reached out to Seven for comment on the above figures.
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