Christine Bleakley in wage slash?

Tanned telly face Christine Bleakley is reportedly set to face a 70% pay cut if she remains with ITV beyond summer 2013. Bleakley was lured to the broadcaster in 2010 on a three year deal to host breakfast slot Daybreak.

Her time on breakfast ITV, with former BBC One magazine show co-host Adrian Chiles, proved to be a television ratings nightmare with figures plunging to new lows. The pair failed to recreate the success of their One Show partnership and quit after 15 months.

The 34 years old has since then hosted a couple of one-off programming including the abysmal low rating special That Dog Can Dance at Christmas last year. Her only major role is as co-host of celebrity ice skating contest Dancing on Ice, which has also seen a ratings dive since she joined two series ago.

Now the exclusive three year deal with ITV is due to expire and a tabloid reports if she wants to remain on television she’ll be taking up to a 70% pay cut.

The Mirror reports that the presenter was earning ‘about £40,000 per show – a huge £400,000 for the 10-week run – as part of her £4million ITV contract.’

The paper adds that the new deal is likely to be around £12,000 per episode to host Dancing On Ice alongside Phillip Schofield should she wish to remain with the programme.

A source told the newspaper, “Christine has been paid an awful lot for not very much in recent times. Perhaps, the pendulum will swing back in our favour.”

Bleakley and Chiles were lured to ITV by ex-BBC boss Peter Fincham who wanted to recreate their evening success in breakfast time, axing 18-year-old GMTV in the process. The whole venture failed and within weeks format changes saw Daybreak slowly morph back into GMTV in all but name.

46 year old Chiles may also regret departing the beeb with The Mirror also noting his Sunday night chat show has been chopped and viewers are not keen on his presenting style on ITV Sport. The One Show however has continued to be popular with a succession of new hosts, with critics claiming it proves the programme and its format was always the winning success, not Chiles and Bleakley.