Strictly Come Dancing is only a few weeks away, and Thomas Skinner is one of the celebrities who has created the most buzz on social media so far. The Apprentice 2019 candidate is due to take to the dancefloor this month alongside former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison, Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis, and retired England rugby player Chris Robshaw. In addition to the lineup, former England women’s football player Karen Carney and Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope will both be making an appearance on Strictly. However, Thomas has lifted the lid on the eye-watering salary he’s bagging as a result of appearing on the BBC dance competition.

The 34-year-old reportedly told The Times: “I’m getting ten grand for Strictly but seriously, I’d do it for a tenner.” He later in the interview insisted that money wasn’t his motivation, adding: “It’s an absolute honour.”

Thomas will be joined by 14 other celebrities who will battle it out to win the coveted Glitterball Trophy. Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – also known as Nitro from BBC’s Gladiators – was the first celebrity to be confirmed for the 2025 series.

Love Island star Dani Dyer, retired footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston are all in this year’s lineup.

YouTuber George Clarke, model Ellie Goldstein—the first model with Down Syndrome to appear on the cover of British Vogue magazine—and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star La Voix are also competing.

Thomas has recently made the headlines after walking out of a recent pre-series press conference. Earlier this week, he left the Elstree Studios event after speaking to a group of journalists who were interviewing him.

On Wednesday (September 10), Thomas took to Instagram to clear up the situation, remarking: “To set the record straight off the back of yesterday. During one of the interviews, a journalist placed their phone on the table to record the conversation. I happened to catch a glimpse of the screen and saw numerous messages – not about Strictly, but about a personal story from my past.”

He continued: “I’ve been through some difficult times in my life, which I’ve worked hard to move on from. In that moment, seeing it there caught me off guard. I felt it was best to step away and gather myself.”