Tom Skinner has revealed the huge fee he was paid for his appearance on Question Time. On Thursday (March 26), the former Apprentice star, 35, joined Fiona Bruce on the popular politics show. This week, the BBC show visited Reform MP Nigel Farage's constituency, Clacton-on-Sea in Essex.

He sat amongst Justice Minister Jake Richards, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat and Liberal Democrat Layla Moran. The former Strictly star has been open about his political views in recent years, and last night, he hit out at Labour for failing to support working-class people, especially those running small businesses.

After the show hit the airwaves, he took to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share the real reason why he agreed to take part in the show. He wrote: "I'm not there representing any party. I'm there because it pays £2,000, and I like watching Question Time...

"I've been asked probably nine or 10 times to attend over the last four or five years. So I decided to give it a go. And I really enjoyed it." It's fair to say the TV personality certainly didn't hold back as he grilled the MP on the show.

Minutes into the programme, a member of the audience kicked things off by asking: "Why should we believe that things will get better?" Thomas began: "We all know the cost of living is a joke at the minute, people are struggling.

"People, at the end of the week, should be able to enjoy a pint of beer, take their kids to the football, but they can't because their pennies aren't going as far. Labour has been smacking small businesses left, right, and centre, and it isn't fair."

He continued: "People forget that small businesses are the backbone of this economy; without small businesses, we haven't got a country. Their tax pays for the potholes that we were talking about earlier, and the NHS.

"Everything goes through small businesses, and I think we need to give them more support. Then you'll see more jobs open up, you'll see more people [shopping] because when it comes to making more money, they can employ them, they can find people better."

Fiona then pushed him with: "Do you think any of the parties have an answer for that?" to which he bluntly replied: "I don't think they do at the moment. Nigel Farage came out recently and said he'd support small businesses, and I appreciate that, but I think something needs to be done now."

It was at this point that he turned to the Labour MP and fumed: "You lot are in charge, do something about it. Stop talking about it, do it!" But his strong comments divided fans, who flocked to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their opinions online.

One user penned: "He's right - since January this year, I've really felt the pinch - I'm struggling this year to make ends meet, and I'm working as much as I can. It seems like nothing is going to help."

Another agreed: "I watched it and I thought you came across really well. Not everyone has the same education, but to be able to still get your point across is an asset. And don't forget that."

Meanwhile, others argued: "Never miss out on the chance to get paid £2,000 for making a complete clown of yourself, mate. I'm sure they paid the court jesters a similar amount in the old days. The 'and' part of your statement is lost in the grift."

A second agreed: "So it's just part of the grift then? Good to know. We all know why you were invited onto Question Time, fella, and it's nothing to do with you selling mattresses, pictures of big breakfasts, being on The Apprentice years ago, not having a strop when you were voted off Strictly." A third echoed: "You fit right in with Reform, don't you? Dishing up complete bulls***."