Jamie and Jools Oliver in clover: How the pair shared £1.2million in dividends last year from business empire

By SARAH BRIDGE, FINANCIAL MAIL ON SUNDAY

Updated: 07:15 EST, 17 August 2014

They have created a business empire spanning books, TV programmes, restaurants and clothing, so Jamie and Jools Oliver probably feel they have earned every penny of their latest bumper payout.

Accounts filed for the celebrity chef’s company Jamie Oliver Holdings reveal that the pair received £1.2 million in dividends between them last year, with Jamie getting £730,000 and Jools receiving £480,000 – up from the £500,000 they shared last year.

As the highest-paid director, Jamie Oliver took home a further £546,400 in pay and pension package.

Bonanza: Jools and Jamie Oliver shared £1.2million in dividends last year - up from £500,000

Turnover for the group dipped slightly from £35.3 million to £30.3million in the year to December 31, 2013, while pre-tax profits dropped from £9.8million to £3.4million, due in part to an one-off exceptional item of £2.8million relating to the Jamie Magazine company.

Directors for the group said there had been a slowdown in income from the TV production company Fresh One and lower income from book sales compared to a highly successful 2012.

Meanwhile, Oliver’s Italian business saw sales rise by 8.5 per cent to £101.8million.