The salaries of the “Celebrity Big Brother” contestants have reportedly been revealed and it’s significantly less those of what the stars of the British version made.
TMZ reported on Jan. 17 that an unnamed source said singers Kandi Burruss, Tamar Braxton, ex-NFL star Ricky Williams and others will make $100,000 just for setting foot into the house for the next few weeks. As such, no one star will earn more than the other. All competitors are seen as being on the same playing field. However, this season will last less than one-third the time of the reality show’s usual run, with the entire competition to be compressed from the traditional summer-long “CBB” session into 2 1/2 weeks.
Additionally, the insider claims production went to great lengths to keep the contestants a secret from one another. Up until Jan. 15, the houseguests were isolated in separate hotel rooms until it was time to enter the house Wednesday.
The checks handed out to the stars for the second season of the U.S. edition of “CBB” are significantly less than what famous contestants earned on the U.K. iteration of the show.
Ray J is said to have been the highest paid “Celebrity Big Brother U.K.” contestant in history, when he earned $1,000,000 just to compete.
In 2013, spouses and former stars of MTV’s “The Hills” Heidi Pratt and Spencer Pratt earned $700,000 when they jointly competed on the show.
But that doesn’t mean the stars are just stuck with one hundred grand. Whoever wins the competition will go home with an additional $250,000.
Burruss recently disclosed her plan for taking home the grand prize. She told “Entertainment Tonight” she spoke to former “Celebrity Big Brother” contestant Brandi Glanville, who told her to stick close to athletic types.
“’If you see somebody who’s very athletic become friends with them,’” Burruss recalled of the former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast member’s advice. “I don’t know what that means yet, but I’m gonna keep that in mind.”
The full lineup of the “CCB” season 2 cast was revealed Sunday. Braxton, Burruss and Williams will be joined by Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, ’80s TV star Joey Lawrence, former Donald Trump communications director Anthony Scaramucci, Olympic hurdler and bobsledder Lolo Jones, actor/comedian Tom Green, Lindsay Lohan’s mother, Dina Lohan, “Mean Girls” actor Jonathan Bennett, former WWE wrestler Natalie Eva Marie, and O.J. Simpson’s former houseguest Kato Kaelin.
The show will premiere with a two-night event starting on Monday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
