What is Alesha Dixon's Net Worth and Salary?
Alesha Dixon is an English singer, rapper, dancer, model, and host, who has a net worth of $8 million. Alesha Dixon intended to focus on a career in sports studies while in school. However, after being approached by two different talent scouts, she decided to shift her focus. She formed the band, Mis-Teeq in 1989, and by 2001, the trio (which began as a quartet, but lost one member along the way), had released their debut album, had enjoyed two singles in the Top 10, and had received their first BRIT nomination. They went on to release a second album, and toured worldwide, before breaking up in 2005. She has since released several studio albums as a solo artist, and is a judge on "Strictly Come Dancing" and "Britain's Got Talent".
Britain's Got Talent Salary
For a number of years, Alesha Dixon's Britain's Got Talent salary was 400,000 pounds per season. In 2020, Alesha and her female co-host Amanda were stunned to learn that their male co-host David Walliams was earning 1.5 million pounds per season. That's more than double Amanda's salary and nearly 4x Alesha's salary. Upon learning of the pay discrepancy Amanda and Alesha demanded equal pay. Their other co-host, Simon Cowell, (who is also executive producer/creator of the show) subsequently agreed to increase their salaries to match Walliams' 1.5 million pounds per season. That's the same as $1.8 million per season.
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Early Life
Alesha Dixon was born on October 7, 1978 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England to English mother Beverly and Jamaican father Marvin. When she was four, her parents separated; she subsequently lived with her mother, who was abused by her new partner. Dixon was educated as a youth at Monk's Walk School.
Career Beginnings
Dixon had her first job working for the gambling company Ladbrokes Coral. After finishing a diploma course in sports studies, she planned to attend Loughborough University. However, her plans were changed when she got into the music business.
Mis-Teeq
While taking dance classes in London, Dixon met and befriended fellow student Sabrina Washington. The pair soon decided to form a girl group with another student, Su-Elise Nash; they later added Zena McNally. Together, the four girls signed to Telstar Records and became the girl group Mis-Teeq. The group released its first single, "Why," in early 2001. Not long after that, McNally departed the group. Continuing on as a trio, Mis-Teeq released the successful single "All I Want," followed by the group's debut album, "Lickin' on Both Sides." A major commercial hit, the album spawned the singles "One Night Stand" and "B with Me." Mis-Teeq released its second album, "Eye Candy," in 2003; it included the hit single "Scandalous."
In 2005, Dixon recorded her last song with Mis-Teeq, "Shoo Shoo Baby." A cover of the popular 1940s song written by Phil Moore, Mis-Teeq's version was featured in the animated film "Valiant." After recording the song, the group separated so the three members could pursue solo careers.
Solo Career
Following the disbanding of Mis-Teeq, Dixon signed a contract with Polydor Records. She went on to release her first solo single, "Lipstick," in the summer of 2006. A second single, "Knockdown," followed in October. Although her debut solo album, "Fired Up," was scheduled for a release in November, it was shelved indefinitely when Dixon was dropped by Polydor. After winning the fifth season of the reality television competition show "Strictly Come Dancing" in 2007, Dixon made her music comeback in 2008 with her album "The Alesha Show." The album's first single, "The Boy Does Nothing," became her first solo top-ten hit song. Dixon had another top-ten single from the album with "Breathe Slow." Also in 2008, she finally released "Fired Up."
In 2010, Dixon released her third solo album, "The Entertainer," which was supported by the single "Drummer Boy." The album was unable to match the commercial success of her prior release. After putting her recording career on hold to focus on motherhood, Dixon returned in 2015 with her new single "The Way We Are." Later in the year, she released her fourth solo album, "Do It for Love."
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Television Career
Dixon has been a prolific television personality since winning "Strictly Come Dancing" in 2007. She returned to the show in 2009 as a judge, replacing Arlene Phillips. Dixon left "Strictly Come Dancing" in early 2012; she went on to become a judge on another reality competition show, "Britain's Got Talent," replacing Michael McIntyre. Later, in 2017, Dixon served as a substitute judge on "The X Factor." She has been a judge on many other reality competition shows since then, including "America's Got Talent: The Champions," "Australia's Got Talent," and "RuPaul's Drag Race UK."
Dixon has also presented a number of British shows and programs, such as the MOBO Awards, Mister World 2010, the charity telethons "Children in Need" and "Text Santa," and the reality series "Dance Dance Dance." In 2008, she presented her own BBC mini-documentary "Alesha: Look But Don't Touch," and in 2011 presented her own competition show "Alesha's Street Dance Stars." Among her other credits, Dixon co-hosted the BBC Saturday night program "The Greatest Dancer" alongside Jordan Banjo in 2019.
Business and Charity
On the business side of things, Dixon has her own jewelry and fragrance lines. She has also promoted many major brands over the years, including Toblerone, Avon, and Ford. In 2009, Dixon became the creative director of the gym chain LA Fitness.
Dixon has been heavily involved in charitable endeavors. She has helped raise money for Comic Relief, served as an ambassador for Help a London Child, and been a patron of the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. Dixon supports a wide range of other charitable organizations, including animal rights groups, women's rights groups, and LGBTQ+ charities such as Switchboard and RUComingOut.
Personal Life
In 2005, Dixon married rapper Harvey. The pair divorced the next year in the wake of Harvey's affair with singer-songwriter Javine Hylton. Dixon later began a relationship with dancer Azuka Ononye, with whom she had a daughter named Azura in 2013. The couple eventually got married in 2017.
