TV actors' salaries have been revealed and Judge Judy is making bank

The Big Bang Theory and Game of Thrones casts are also doing pretty well per-episode

Wednesday 05 October 2016 08:27 BST

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With TV having arguably overtaken film in the common cultural conversation, TV talent is now able to demand some pretty eye-watering fees per-episode, and they were revealed today by Variety.

The Hollywood trade mag ‘conducted a wide survey of actors, executives, attorneys, agents, managers, and other representatives in an effort to offer a snapshot of the earnings power of talent at all levels in primetime, late-night, daytime, and news’.

They’re ultimately estimates, but, given the depth of the research, likely to be pretty accurate. They also don’t take into account money accrued from other projects and merchandising.

It will come as little surprise that The Big Bang Theory and Game of Thrones crowds are among the best paid, along with individual actors with star power like Dwayne Johnson (Ballers) and Kevin Spacey (House of Cards), but I was a little stunned that Judy Sheindlin (Judge Judy) came out on top in the ‘Reality/Host/News’ category, earning an estimated $47m a year - more that double what Ellen DeGeneres gets for Ellen.

For all you lawyers out there struggling to pass the Bar, bear in mind you stand to earn more money settling fake legal disputes about guacamole.