Former Olympic Star Joined OnlyFans After Skating Glory Failed to Pay the Bills, Now Earning £5,000 for Every 700 Subscribers

Former British Olympic speed skater Elise Christie has revealed how financial difficulties after retirement led her to join OnlyFans, with the platform becoming an important source of income after her competitive career ended.

Despite winning three world titles and 10 European titles, Christie struggled to make ends meet after retiring in December 2021. An ankle injury had ended her bid to qualify for the Beijing Winter Olympics, leaving her to take on a series of jobs to cover her living costs.

In an interview with The Telegraph published on 14 February 2026, Christie estimated that she earned about £5,000 (approximately $6,600) for every 700 paid subscribers to her OnlyFans account. She now wants to reduce her reliance on the platform, but says she cannot yet afford to leave it.

OnlyFans Income Helps Cover Living Costs

Christie said she joined OnlyFans during a period of financial difficulty after her skating career ended. She told The Telegraph that the decision came before she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, adding that she might not have made the same choice had she known about the diagnosis.

She said she had thought carefully about joining the platform and learned to use it in a way she felt comfortable with.

The £5,000 figure was her estimate of earnings for every 700 paid subscribers. It should not be treated as a guaranteed payment rate, as OnlyFans income can depend on subscriptions and other activity on an account.

Multiple Jobs After Olympic Retirement

In a February 2026 interview with Sky Sports, Christie described taking on several jobs to meet her expenses after retiring. She worked at Nottingham markets and Pizza Hut, as well as taking jobs in Scotland, including at an airport.

She recalled finishing an airport shift at 3am before starting another job at 7am. The work helped keep her occupied as she dealt with the psychological impact of her sporting career and adjusted to life outside elite competition.

Christie later received a bipolar disorder diagnosis and was prescribed medication and referred for psychotherapy, according to Sky Sports. She also took a full-time job as an activities co-ordinator in Dundee.

She said the salary from that role did not cover her outgoings, leaving OnlyFans as a source of income she still needed. She described her account as significantly reduced and said she was trying to minimise her involvement.

World Titles Did Not Bring Olympic Medals

Christie won three titles at the 2017 World Championships in Rotterdam, taking gold in the 1,000m and 1,500m events and the overall title. She became the first British woman to win the overall world championship.

However, her three Olympic appearances, in Vancouver in 2010, Sochi in 2014 and PyeongChang in 2018, did not produce a medal. She was disqualified from all three events at Sochi and faced online abuse afterwards. At PyeongChang, crashes, disqualifications and an ankle injury disrupted her campaign.

Christie has said she would like to return to sport in some capacity, although she recognises that it will take time. For now, she continues working outside competition while relying partly on OnlyFans income, despite wanting to move away from the platform.