Image copyright BBC/PA
Horwood now earns lower than Shirley Ballas on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing's Craig Revel Horwood says head decide, Shirley Ballas, must be paid "something lower" as a result of a lack of TV expertise.
The panellist has reignited the present's gender pay debate, after it was revealed Ballas was paid lower than her predecessor, Len Goodman.
Horwood advised The Sun that Ballas's contribution to the present was not "comparable" to Goodman's.
Former decide Arlene Phillips agrees saying: "I do think experience counts".
Ballas, who took on the position final yr, had her pay boosted above Horwood's to the identical degree as that of earlier head decide, Len Goodman and current fellow decide Bruno Tonioli.
Ballas was initially paid £180,000 for her first collection, BBC paperwork present.
But she had this elevated to £250,000 after the BBC launched info on the pay of all top-earners receiving greater than £150,000 per yr.
The wage restructure places her in the identical bracket as Italian decide Bruno Tonioli, however above Horwood and Darcey Bussell who each earn between £150,000£199,999.
Discussing the equal pay debate, Horwood mentioned "I believe girls must be paid the identical as males. That's for certain.
"But what would you say to a woman coming in after you've been in the job for 15 years when they've done absolutely nothing to earn it? I don't think that's right."
Addressing Ballas' case instantly, he mentioned: "You'd anticipate she would begin on one thing decrease as a result of she's by no means been on TV earlier than, the present's been going for 14 years.
"Len Goodman earned a main popularity and put the present on the map like all of us did. We all created it from the start. And I do not suppose it is comparable.
"Sorry. It just isn't."
Speaking on Tuesday morning's Lorraine, former Strictly decide Phillips backed Horwood's feedback, expressing assist for equal pay "but also for experience".
The 75-year-old dance choreographer known as on Strictly to implement the identical coverage as West End reveals, the place pay is elevated "every year for the experience you've had".
"Craig has been there for a long time and I think he deserves every penny," she mentioned.
Last month Springwatch presenter Michaela Strachan revealed she "wouldn't be upset" if co-host Chris Packham earned greater than her as a result of his experience on the reside BBC nature present.