Strictly Come Dancing has been thrown into chaos as the show’s professional dancers have now slammed the judges for demanding a huge pay rise.

Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke are reportedly seeking an 11 per cent pay rise ahead of the new season of the BBC dance competition.

Chief Justice Shirley would already win £500,000, Motsi and Craig £200,000, while Anton would get £180,000.

But despite training for long hours, the dancers – including Giovanni Pernice, Dianne Buswell and Johannes Radebe – receive a flat fee of around £35,000 for their work on the programme.

The dancers have now apparently taken to their group WhatsApp chat following the news to criticize the judges and are also considering asking for a pay rise.

An insider told The Sun: “The pros are bubbling. They work their ass off for three months of the year, while the judges show up on a Saturday, watch some great dancing, and air their thoughts.

“A few of the dancers have mentioned the idea of ​​organizing their own event.

“But they are well aware that there is a cost of living crisis and they all love and appreciate their jobs.”

BBC bosses are also ‘incandescent with anger’ over the pay rise request.

According to a report from The Sun on Wednesday, the BBC is “holding its own” against the judges and the pay line means the two groups are said to be at an impasse.

A BBC source told the Daily Mail: ‘While there are always ongoing negotiations when new contracts are signed each year, that’s another matter.

“Their jobs are some of the best on television and they are already very well paid for their work, so when these negotiations started this time around, there was shock and anger.

“It’s also not like they spend time working behind the scenes like professional dancers. They arrive, put on make-up and pass in front of the camera.

“Pro dancers work tirelessly for weeks on end and they work to the bone for what little the judges are already earning, let alone what they want to earn.”

“You would think they would be aware that they work for the BBC and are essentially paid by the British public through the license fee.”

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and BBC spokespersons for further comment.

It comes after Shirley was reportedly given a ‘take it or leave it’ deal by bosses at Strictly to stay on the show, after revealing she could stop trolling online.

The chief justice and Latin pundit has faced widespread criticism over the past year in which trolls slammed her rulings and accused her of ageism and sexism.

But despite previously threatening to quit, Shirley has been in talks with bosses over a potential return to Strictly, revealing on the Jonathan Ross show on Sunday that “their people talk to my people”.

Shirley joined the jury as chief judge in 2017, after Len Goodman left.

The ‘Queen of Latin’ has reportedly been offered a raise in line with fellow judges Craig, Motsi and Anton.

A TV insider told The Sun: “The show team cares very deeply for Shirley’s well-being and will continue to do all they can to lessen the effects of what is being said on the networks. social.”

“But they are also very aware that we are in the midst of a cost of living crisis and license fee freeze and it is against this backdrop that the deal was offered to Shirley.”

“No one wants her to walk, but Strictly has proven throughout its history that no one is bigger than the show.”

Shirley recently hinted that she may not return to Strictly Come Dancing this year following the torrent of despicable online abuse she received during the last series.

In a candid interview, she indicated that the previous series may have been her last as it hit an “all-time low” after the abuse “spinned out of control”.

The ballroom dancer shared how she was constantly in tears after each show and struggled in silence, telling how it was “the most negativity” she had ever faced.

She told the Mirror: “Last year I was struggling. It wasn’t just a little, it was a lot – the majority was in silence. I felt the abuse spiral out of control and I to have affected in such a negative way. I’m quite a stoic person and tend to hold everything back.

She explained that when the abuse started it seemed ‘bigger than anything else’, with the star recounting how it left her ‘crying and emotional’, despite being ’embarrassed’ about how she felt and not confided in no one.