Serbian reality TV show Elite 9 slashes contestants' pay with heavy fines

Production boss “Veliki šef” of the Serbian reality series Elite 9 imposed a series of severe financial penalties on participants as the season nears its end. Contestants were fined for rule breaches such as physical fights, aggressive behavior, sleeping during prohibited hours and leaking information.

Maja Marinković lost six months of salary after a physical clash with fellow contestant Uroš Stanić, and Asmin Durdžić received the same six‑month sanction for aggression toward Stanić. Bora Santana was also stripped of six months’ pay for a fight with Jovan Tomić Mator, while Ilija Pečenica was fined one million dinars for providing external information. Additional contestants, including Jovana Cvijanović, Jovana Mitić, Anastasija Brčić and Tanja Stijelja Boginja, were penalised for sleeping during the day despite clear wake‑up signals.

Other participants faced reduced earnings for repeated minor infractions such as ignoring wake‑up music, sleeping at unauthorized times, and other disciplinary breaches, highlighting the show's strict enforcement policy in its final weeks.