Strictly Come Dancing pros' pay revealed as row over celebrity partners roils set

BBC's Strictly Come Dancing faced renewed backstage turmoil this week as professional dancers publicly questioned the celebrity pairings for the 2025 series, which kicks off its live shows this weekend. Nancy Xu and Michelle Tsiakkas spoke out, with Xu saying she felt she was being left out of the main show and Tsiakkas admitting she was “gutted” not to have a celebrity partner. The row comes as the show typically benches some pros when the roster is large, and this year includes Luba Mushtuk and Neil Jones among those not currently matched with a celebrity. Gorka Marquez, who has danced on the show since 2016, confirmed he would not compete this year as he divides his time between judging the Spanish version of Strictly and continuing his work on the UK dance floor. The benched pros are expected to take on more prominent roles in pro routines, make regular appearances on BBC Two’s It Takes Two, and have a greater chance of appearing in the one-off Christmas special.

Behind the scenes, the pay for the professional dancers has emerged as a point of contention. It is reported that all pros, regardless of whether they have a celebrity partner, are paid between £35,000 and £50,000 for the series. They can also earn extra money if they are asked to perform on the Strictly live tour after the series, with an additional £35,000 available in that scenario. In contrast, the celebrities’ pay structure is more variable but starts with a flat fee of at least £25,000 even if they exit early. Those who reach week four can gain a further £40,000, and taking part in the Blackpool special and the quarter-final is worth £60,000. Semi-finalists are said to bank £75,000, and the winner approximately £100,000.

The celebrities are typically required to train for up to 10 hours a day, six days a week with their professional partners before performing live on BBC One each Saturday. The professionals, meanwhile, devote substantial hours to choreographing routines. The process for matching pro dancers with celebrities has remained largely unchanged through the show's 23 series: a speed-dating style exercise helps producers identify which pairing offers the best chemistry, while height differences are also factored in. ITV presenter Ross King, who is taking part in the 2025 series, offered a glimpse into the process, describing it as a warm, communal day where everyone was introduced and the “chemistry test” played out in rounds.

In the weeks leading up to the season, the formation of pairings has already begun to attract scrutiny. The video of the speed-dating style exercise surfaced just 24 hours after Nancy Xu posted a separate message in which she conveyed that she felt excluded from the show. The Sun cited an insider claiming Xu was frustrated that she had been benched again, despite achieving a strong run with her Christmas Special partner during the previous year’s edition. The insider suggested there could be deeper forces at play, though it is not uncommon for Strictly to shuffle the lineup when more professionals exist than available celeb partners. Xu’s close friend, fellow pro Nancy Xu, and colleagues have publicly supported the show even as they aired concerns about their own placements.

Nancy Xu, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Neil Jones have all spoken out in support of Strictly, with Jones quipping that he loves being part of the show “no matter with or without a partner.” Representatives for Strictly were contacted for comment, though no formal statement had been released at the time of publication.

The broader dynamic around partnerships and pay illuminates a broader question about how the show manages its ensemble of professionals while balancing star power, chemistry, and television scheduling. As the 2025 series approaches, producers will likely continue to navigate the competing pressures of audience expectations, professional load, and the evolving roles of the dance professionals on both the main show and spin-offs.