4 lowest paying non-celebrity reality shows - including the one which pays the contestants nothing at all

There are all sorts of prizes up for grabs on reality shows - from the love of your life for the TV couples who manage to stay together to huge financial reward.

And then there are some reality shows where the most the participants can hope for is their 15 minutes of fame because they certainly aren’t getting a big prize pot. In fact, they’re lucky if they get £15.

We’ve already looked at the 6 highest paying non-celebrity reality shows, and now we’re going to take a look at the lowest. Some of these may just surprise you.

The Great British Bake Off

The contestants who take part in the beloved Channel 4 baking show aren’t paid anything for their time. Well, they are paid expenses each week so that they can buy the ingredients they need for all of their bakes, but they aren’t given any more money besides. The winner is, of course, gifted the famous Bake Off cake stand - which some may say is priceless.

The shows are only recorded at weekends, for up to 16 hours per day, but the decision behind this from show bosses was to allow contestants to keep their usual jobs during the week - and therefore, presumably, help to keep the air of secrecy around the show as it’s filmed around two to three months before it actually airs.

It’s unclear what people who have the usual Monday to Friday working patterns are supposed to do, but it’s probably take annual leave or ask for shifts to be planned around the filming pattern - which may be hard to do when it’s all top secret.

2027 winner Sophie Faldo has previously confirmed that the show covers the cost of baking ingredients. “You’re essentially given expenses. You’re given an allowance for however many shows you do to source the ingredients,” she said.

Come Dine With Me

Would-be chefs and food connoisseurs have been pitting themselves against each other at Come Dine With Me Dinner parties for years. Each week, five amateur cooks compete against each other to host the best dinner party - meaning they have to cook a three course dinner for themselves and four guests.

Contestants are reportedly given £125 allowance towards the cost of their dinner party. That means, they have £25 per head for the full meal, and that’s not taking into account the cost of drinks and entertainment, which is also expected by fellow contestants. Let’s not also forget that they often have to follow a dress code set by the host, which may mean buying new outfits for the show, and also often bring the host a gift.

It’s probably fair to assume that contestants often end up out of pocket when they are creating their dinner party and attending the others. This is particualrly likely to be the case in the episodes where contestants buy extravagent ingredients in the hope of impressing their fellow diners. The winner does take home £1,000 though, so the person who takes top spot may end up making some cash - but possibly not much.

First Dates

First Dates does just what it says, and viewers watch as singles meet for the first time in the famous First Dates restaurant and enjoy a traditional first date of a dinner together - all in front of TV cameras.

The daters are all hoping to meet their one true love, of course, but they don’t get much help towards the cost of their meal. They get £25 each, but as previously discussed in relation to Come Dine With Me this probably doesn’t go too far when you factor in the cost of drinks too - and it then depends what specific dishes are ordered, and also how many.

A representative for First Dates at Channel 4 told Bustle previously: "Every dater who visits the restaurant is given a £25 allowance towards the cost of their meal. If the meal costs more than the £25 allowance then the dater or couple then decide between them how to settle the outstanding restaurant bill. Daters receive no appearance fee."

But, this adds to the entertainment value of the show as it is often telling how the bill is taken care of, and how each person reacts to this.

Naked Attraction

Naked Attraction asks singles to bear not just their souls, but also their bodies as they look for love. But, the contestants aren’t paid for being on the show.

One contestant called Gavin previously revealed you aren't paid a penny for it. He told i: "You don't get paid if you're on the show." However, he added: "If you’re on standby and you don’t appear on the show then you get paid £75 for being in the room."