SAS Australia 2023: 'Cocaine Cassie's' surprising salary revealed

SAS Australia is returning for a fourth season this week with a number of well-known Olympians, footballers and reality stars set to undergo gruelling physical and psychological challenges from a team of ex-Special Forces soldiers.

The new season, which is once again hosted by Ant Middleton, is tipped to be the most extreme yet with filming relocating from Australia to the Middle East for the very first time.

Ahead of Monday night’s premiere, the rumoured salaries for this year’s cast members have leaked online.

New Idea reports that a majority of contestants are taking home up to $30,000 for their appearance on the reality show.

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However, convicted drug smuggler ‘Cocaine Cassie’ Sainsbury is reportedly one of the “highest paid of the cast this year” with a six-figure salary.

A source told the publication that Cassie, who served three years in a Colombian prison after she was caught with 5.8kgs of cocaine in her luggage in 2017, was “very excited” about filming the show.

“Cassie has been struggling,” they added. “It’s hard for her to find work… her CV isn’t for everyone”.

Alongside Cassie, the full cast includes former AFL footballer and Survivor star Abbey Holmes, boxer Anthony Mundine, retired NRL star Boyd Cordner, Thai Cave rescue hero Craig Challen, actor Craig McLachlan, AFL Hall of Famer Jason Akermanis, Balinese princess Lindy Klim, rugby star Mahalia Murphy, Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, Olympic runner Peter Bol, Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice, The Bachelor star Tim Robards and Neighbours actress Zima Anderson.

How much money have previous contestants been paid?

Cassie certainly isn’t the first controversial personality who has received an enormous salary to appear on SAS Australia.

Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby is believed to have been paid $150,000 to appear in season one - where she quit halfway through the second episode.

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Meanwhile, former Australian rules footballer Wayne Carey was reportedly paid a whopping $250,000 to star in last year’s season.

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