Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon have reportedly become embroiled in a gender pay gap dispute after it emerged that Simon Cowell and David Walliams earn more than double their salaries. According to a source who spoke to MailOnline, the disparity is 'shocking' given that all four judges perform the same role on Britain's Got Talent.
The source said: 'In 2020 all judges should be on equal pay. After 14 years of service by Amanda and 8 years of service by Alesha it’s shocking that both girls are paid less than David. Why, because he’s a man?'
Reports from The Sun on Tuesday claimed that Holden, 49, earns around £700,000, while Dixon, 42, makes £450,000. In contrast, Walliams is said to have renegotiated his contract and now earns more than £1.5 million, and Cowell reportedly receives £2.5 million. Cowell was absent from the most recent series due to a back injury, with Ashley Banjo stepping in.
A source claimed that Cowell was unaware his wage was so much higher than his fellow judges, but that everyone feels he 'deserves' the fee. However, they added: 'There seems no obvious explanation as to why David should be paid more than the women. It’s madness a bloke should be paid considerably more than a woman for doing identical jobs.'
Holden recently addressed the pay gap in an interview with The Telegraph, stating: 'Yes, I do feel Alesha and I should be paid the same as Simon Cowell and David Walliams. Because why is their value higher than ours? I don’t understand it.'
MailOnline has contacted representatives for all four judges and Britain's Got Talent for comment.
