Boy George, born George Alan O'Dowd, was best known as the brightly-dressed singer at the Culture Club, a club where the Karma Chameleon Chameleon) and the New Romantic singer behind such hits as "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" But he made history this week when he reportedly received the highest ever fee to enter I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here !
Although he has previously served as a judge on The Voice , this is the singer's first time on the reality show, having previously been invited to compete on the final season of Celebrity Big Brother in 2009 . The series aired shortly after the singer was released from prison, where he was jailed for assaulting and falsely imprisoning Norwegian model Orton Carlson, but the probation service refused to allow him to appear on the show as the musician was still on license release. The request was made on the show to avoid damaging public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Now, however, Boy George has traveled to the Australian jungle to compete in various Jungle Tree Challenges and has made his displeasure with fellow contestant Matt Hancock known. The West Sussex MP is best known as the former health secretary and has been criticized for many of his decisions in 2020 and beyond. In an emotional clip, George said he was uncomfortable "sitting here and having fun" with a controversial public figure like Hancock.
But outside of jungle life, what does Boy George do and how does he make money? Please read carefully to find out.
3 Ways Boy George Made Millions
Culture Club
Boy George was originally part of the New Romantic scene, the glam rock-adjacent movement of the '80s, and first became known as a Culture Club singer. Like other artists such as Eurythmics' Annie Lennox and Adam Ant, George's androgynous, expressive dress sense helped him become a cultural icon alongside classic records such as Color By Numbers. While the band's hits undoubtedly made him a lot of money, George admitted to having some regrets about the royalty deals he negotiated. When asked by the Guardian what aspects of his past he would edit, he replied: "The royal family split on 'Karma Chameleon' and I had to force... others at Culture Club to record it." Meanwhile, 2019 In 2006, George signed a new deal in an attempt to recover the lost rights, claiming he had lost millions of dollars. "I think if he was looked after perfectly - meaning he had everything - then George's empire would be $200 to $300 million (£170 million to £255 million)," said Boy George's manager Paul Kames Paul Kemsley claimed to the New York Post . "His catalog today is worth a fortune." In addition to his role in the band, George has nine solo studio albums to his credit.
television
Despite only competing on the UK version of the talent competition for one season, George's contract with The Voice UK is reportedly worth £1.6 million. The singer later moved on to the Australian version of the show, claiming he had taken a "pay cut" due to the pandemic. However, according to the Daily Mail , the deal is worth A$3 million, equivalent to £1.7 million.
As for I'm a Celebrity, an ITV source told MailOnline that George was offered a record fee in exchange for entering the jungle. They claimed: "He... received the highest salary in the show's history. Close to £900,000." He was also a judge on Irish talent show The Big Deal.
writing
In addition to his music career, Boy George has written numerous books, including his 1995 autobiography Take It Like A Man and his 2005 memoir Straight . Neither fee has been publicly disclosed. Elsewhere, he has written a longevity cookbook called the Karma Cookbook .
What is Boy George's net worth?
£43.9 million
According to Celebrity Net Worth, all of Boy George's creative outlets combined bring his net worth to $50 million (£43.9 million).
