The salaries for this year’s season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! have reportedly been revealed.
KIIS FM Will & Woody co-host Woody Whitelaw said on air this week that he was paid more than $100,000 for his appearance on the 2023 season.
“[Peter] Helliar [was paid the most]. I played mine down and he played his down. And then I was like, how much did you play yours down? And [it was] a lot,” he told co-host Will.
“[When talking about our pay] someone brought up between 50 and 60K. I just jumped in on that. There was a bit of movement around, like everyone’s getting paid about that. And I was like, oh, you wouldn’t believe it, lo and behold, I’m getting that too.”
The long-running Channel 10 series returned this week, with a new group of celebrities entering the jungle to compete for the title.
Although the celebrities will all be roughing it together on screen, their pay cheques tell a very different story. So who’s pocketing the biggest sum this season?
According to Daily Mail, Mia Fevola is believed to have earned between $40,000 and $60,000 for her participation. Luke Bateman and Concetta Caristo are reportedly receiving between $70,000 and $90,000 each.
Dyson Heppell and Rebekah Elmaloglou are said to have secured fees in the range of $90,000 to $120,000, while Rachel Hunter is reported to have earned between $140,000 and $170,000.
Gary Sweet and Deni Hines are both believed to be receiving $100,000.
The highest-paid cast member this year is reportedly Barry Williams, who is said to have earned $180,000.
The investment appears to have paid off for Channel 10, with the network recording its strongest launch for the series in three years.
According to TV Blackbox, season 12 attracted its largest total audience since 2022, making it the highest-rating entertainment program of the night.
Channel 10 said the premiere episode averaged 925,000 total national viewers.
While the spotlight shines on the jungle antics, much of the off-screen attention has turned to Luke Bateman, who has recently opened up about his past.
The former NRL player and TikTok personality told news.com.au about a gambling addiction he developed while playing for the Canberra Raiders between 2015 and 2019.
Bateman said gambling was widespread within the club at the time, estimating that around half of his teammates were also affected. He said the addiction cost him approximately $500,000 during his professional career.
“It was horrible,” he told news.com.au when asked how bad things got. “I was literally at the point of suicide. I was at the end of the tracks.”
“I think when I was in that place I … caused a lot of pain, a lot of misery to my loved ones and my family,” he said. “I was like, well I can end my own pain and I can also end all the pain that I’m causing my loved ones.”
“I would not wish it upon my worst enemy,” he continued. “I was in a very, very dark place.”
“I just got to the point where I had two options left,” Bateman tragically shared. “Seek help or end it.”
He ultimately sought help.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! airs weeknights at 7.30pm on Channel 10.
Images: Channel 10
