Dale in charity controversy

by ALISON BOSHOFF, Daily Mail

Controversy surrounded Dale Winton last night after it emerged that he will pocket up to £90,000 to front a series of programmes connected with Comic Relief.

He will be paid by the BBC to present a six-part quiz show in which players compete to win a year off work.

The show, titled 1000-1, will consist of five 30-minute episodes on the Saturdays before Red Nose Day on March 16, plus a final during the main Comic Relief show. It has become accepted practice that celebrities offer their services free for the annual charity spectacular.

The quiz is a major part of this year’s efforts to publicise Comic Relief, which has raised more than £140 million for good causes.

Though the star will not be paid for the show to be screened on Red Nose night, 1,000-1 is expected to play a major role in adance publicity for Comic Relief.

It will feature information on the charity effort while prizes will be donated by Comic Relief sponsors.

The news that Winton is being paid to present the quiz has caused a stir in show-business circles. But the BBC defended its star last night from charges that he was being greedy.

A spokesman stressed that he was being paid only for the five episodes before Red Nose Day, and would not receive a fee for the final show which goes out that night.

She said: ‘Dale did not demand a fee, he was offered one by the BBC. The five shows mean that Dale will be dedicating a lot of time to a peak-time show over five episodes, and so naturally we offered to pay him for that.

‘Comic Relief will not be out of pocket in any way because the fee will not come out of its budget. He is not being paid for show six which is during Comic Relief.’

She did concede that the situation was unusual. ‘It is true to say that most of the people on Comic Relief tend to be doing it for free, but I am not willing to tell you who else is appearing without a fee.’

A spokesman for Dale Winton’s agents, Billy Marsh Associates said: ‘If an artist is going on the main Comic Relief show, they normally waive their fees. But if they do a series, whatever that series may be, they may get a fee depending on their time and commitment. This is not just a oneoff show but a whole series which is taking peak-time slots.’

Winton’s lawyer, Mark Stephens, said: ‘Dale will be paid nothing for his work on Red Nose Day itself and it is not true to suggest that he asked for any money to do so.’

He added: ‘As far as the series goes, Dale has a talent agreement with the BBC and won’t be paid anything on top of that. They simply count as part of his agreed quota of programmes.’

Winton, 45, who made his name on the giveaway gameshow Supermarket Sweep, is now being promoted as one of the BBC’s super presenters with seasonal ‘specials’.

He has a lucrative deal with the BBC that prevents him from working for other channels, he presents a lottery programme, plus the quiz show The Other Half.

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