Strictly’s Bruno Tonioli ‘takes £125k pay cut’ amid absence from judging panel

Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli has reportedly taken a £125,000 pay cut after being absent from the studio this year.

The show favourite, 65, has been forced to miss much of this year's series as he is currently in the US filming for Dancing With The Stars.

There had been hopes the judge would make a huge return for the finale, but Bruno will remain in the US, with travel to the UK being deemed as "too risky" amid the pandemic.

The judge has been showing his face via video call on the Sunday results show, but hasn't been able to attend the 2020 series in person.

As a result of his absence, Bruno will only get half of his £250,000 pay cheque, according to The Sun.

A source told the publication: "He's contributed less than he ­normally would with all of his Italian flamboyance and high- energy performances in the studio, so he was happy to take less than his usual wage.

"After all, it was his ­decision to focus on the American show while keeping his toe in the UK. There's no hard feelings."

It's thought Bruno "gets paid up to four times as much more" to appear on the US version.

In recent weeks, it was revealed Bruno couldn't make an appearance in person on Strictly.

A source told MailOnline how show bosses "didn't want to take the risk".

However it seems the star was worried his "no-show" could put his future on the BBC dancing competition at risk.

The usual Strictly line-up of judges was cut to three for the current season – with Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse joining head judge Shirley Ballas on the panel.

With fellow judge Motsi having to self-isolate and steer clear of the Strictly studios following an emergency trip to Germany, Anton Du Beke had to fill in the empty spot.

According to a source from The Sun On Sunday, Bruno felt "a bit out of the loop" and was "worried about viewers preferring Anton and forgetting about him".

Anton – who was the first to be voted off the 2020 series as a professional dancer alongside contestant Jacqui Smith – has previously hinted he wants to hang up his dance shoes.

However, nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

He previously said: "As as I've gotten older I don't compete anymore I don't like to compete now, funnily enough.

"I've been down that road and I'm past that. But I still want to be fabulous, so I'm really competitive with myself.

"But I have this anxiety now I never used to have, maybe it's because I've had children.

"I really hate, more than anything else and it makes me ill, if I've upset somebody."

The Mirror has contacted Bruno's representative for comment.

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