We couldn’t be more excited for Sophie Monk’s upcoming season of The Bachelorette. The 37-year-old media personality who first came into our lives as a member of a reality TV girl band is everything we could want for our leading lady. She’s funny, she says what she thinks and she has a personality made for entertainment.
And perhaps that’s why she’s reportedly taking home such a large pay cheque for her part in the show.
The Courier Mail reports that Monk will earn a whopping $300,000 to pash hot guys, dump some douches (cos there are always douches) and hand out roses – which sounds pretty sweet to us.
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Channel Ten hasn’t confirmed the figure, but the newspaper said this “estimated sum” is on par with Ten’s big name presenters and a whole lot more than any other Aussie Bachelorette – or Bachelor – has earned in the past.
It’s also about $100,000 more than Matty J was reportedly paid to return to the franchise where his heart was once crushed by Georgia Love. However, the $200,000 figure reported in March was dubbed as “completely inaccurate” by Channel Ten, so the gap could be even bigger.
And in a world where women in the entertainment industry are systematically paid less than their male counterparts, this wage gap possibility has us fist-pumping just a little bit.
Why? Because Sophie Monk deserves to earn a whole lot more than anyone who’s been on the show before. She the first and only celebrity to appear on the series – a major drawcard. She would also, no doubt, have been giving up opportunities to work on other projects while spending time in the Bach Pad – and should be compensated for that.
However, as the Courier Mail points out – Monk’s pay cheque isn’t even close to hosts of high-rating reality shows involving a skill, such as our favourite TV cooking shows or X Factor, which for some lucky few could be up to in the millions.
And maybe that’s because the biggest prize of all for Monk might have nothing to do with money at all.
Do you think Sophie Monk’s Bachelorette pay cheque spot on, too little or too much?