By Meghna Amin

Copyright walesonline

Reality TV personality Thomas Skinner has traded the boardroom of The Apprentice for the ballroom of Strictly Come Dancing , joining the BBC One contest. Competing alongside a diverse cast including YouTuber George Clarke , EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal, Love Island’s Dani Dyer , Neighbours’ Stefan Dennis and model Ellie Goldstein , Thomas is in the running for the coveted glitterball trophy. Paired with Amy Dowden, who is making a triumphant return to Strictly after health struggles, Thomas has already caused a stir before the series even started, following revelations that he stormed out of a press conference and later confessed to infidelity. The entrepreneur has also reportedly been candid about his earnings compared to other celebrities on the show. Known for his forthright political opinions, including backing Donald Trump and championing national pride, Tom previously posted on X, as reported by The Sun: “How do all these celebrities have loads of money? You don’t get bundles of dough for TV or adverts etc (well I don’t)….”, reports Essex Live . “But I look on Instagram and they’re always in this gaff or posting in a new motor. “I finished me Strictly stuff earlier today and I’m now out in me van delivering mattresses. “Do I need to be part of a special club now on the tele that’s gives ya unlimited monies.” The father-of-three subsequently revealed to The Times “I’m getting ten grand for Strictly but seriously, I’d do it for a tenner,” although his BBC representative later clarified to the newspaper that this “should not be taken as his full fee”. Based on various reports including Hello! Magazine, Thomas’s net worth is thought to range anywhere from £1.5million to £13million. He resides with his family in Essex, where average property values are estimated at £420,000. Despite missing out on Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 backing, Thomas serves as director of The Fluffy Pillow Company Ltd, and has featured on programmes such as Celebrity MasterChef and Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel. Following his appearance during the pre-recorded launch programme, Thomas used X to respond to detractors, declaring “I built what I got from nothing”. In an extensive post, he wrote: “Life ain’t easy. I’ve been kicked down and called every name under the sun recently and probably some of it I deserve, as yes I ain’t always right. But since I got invited to have a barbecue with JD Vance… its gone crazy. “Certain people are doing everything they can to ruin me. Mainly Faceless accounts givin it large and abusing me, hypocrites making everything political. Now I see people are fumin that I’m on Strictly…. and the funny thing is that the majority of them got ‘be kind’ wrote in their bios. You couldn’t make it up. “Let me tell you this. I won’t be cancelled. I ain’t gonna kill myself like some of you want. I’m still here. I’m still standin. Trust me when I say this; I am stronger than people think. Every insult, every lie, every attack….it don’t break me, it builds me stronger.” He continued: “I built what I got from nothing. I slept on a pull-out bed on the floor for years cus I never had a bedroom. Weirdos write rubbish on Wikipedia about my upbringing that ain’t true, but they can’t take away what I’ve built with graft and fight. They call me a grifter, but all I do is work. “Day in, day out, graft. And yes, all the political parties have come knockin wantin me to work with them from both the left and right. But I ain’t got no interest in that. I’m not for them. I’m for the people. For the man or woman on the street who just wants to do better in life. For the parent workin two jobs to keep the lights on. I get it. I live it. I know the struggles of life. “I’m in a fight I can’t win, but I don’t give up. I know what it’s like to not have the rent money at the end of the month. I’ve lived it. That’s why I’ll always stand shoulder to shoulder with the people who graft and struggle but never stop pushin forward. “I’m not a millionaire, if I was I wouldn’t be out in my van doing bed deliveries in between training for Strictly. I wouldn’t still be organising my market stall.” Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.55pm on BBC One and iPlayer.