Australian Idol determined not to fail
Australian Idol is toughening up, with producers and judges determined not to let the TV singing show fail like its stablemate Big Brother did.
One judge gone, a new host, different elimination and voting systems, and tougher advice to contestants will be among the changes when the Network Ten series kicks off its sixth series later this month.
It comes as the show is under increasing pressure following a slump in ratings last year and the axing of Ten's other long-running reality show, Big Brother.
The show's ability to produce talent has also been questioned, with last year's winner Natalie Gauci yet to release an album.
Among one of the biggest changes this year, veteran judge Mark Holden is gone - leaving Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines and Ian 'Dicko' Dickson holding the fort and vowing to be very tough on contestants.
Sandilands has said he will tell pudgy contestants if they need to lose weight, and even Hines, who usually takes the soft approach, will come down hard on arrogant contestants.
Australian Idol's executive producer Stephen Tate says Hines, particularly, is more "forthright" this year.
"Marcia can fire up if she sees any form of arrogance or a lack of ambition or lack of work ethic," Tate told AAP, adding that she hadn't been under any direction to do so.
"Those are the sorts of things when people are wasting an opportunity it really annoys her and there's probably been more of those than in previous years."
In one episode, Dicko has some scathing comments for a contestant who says he isn't too fazed about winning.
continue...
One judge gone, a new host, different elimination and voting systems, and tougher advice to contestants will be among the changes when the Network Ten series kicks off its sixth series later this month.
It comes as the show is under increasing pressure following a slump in ratings last year and the axing of Ten's other long-running reality show, Big Brother.
The show's ability to produce talent has also been questioned, with last year's winner Natalie Gauci yet to release an album.
Among one of the biggest changes this year, veteran judge Mark Holden is gone - leaving Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines and Ian 'Dicko' Dickson holding the fort and vowing to be very tough on contestants.
Sandilands has said he will tell pudgy contestants if they need to lose weight, and even Hines, who usually takes the soft approach, will come down hard on arrogant contestants.
Australian Idol's executive producer Stephen Tate says Hines, particularly, is more "forthright" this year.
"Marcia can fire up if she sees any form of arrogance or a lack of ambition or lack of work ethic," Tate told AAP, adding that she hadn't been under any direction to do so.
"Those are the sorts of things when people are wasting an opportunity it really annoys her and there's probably been more of those than in previous years."
In one episode, Dicko has some scathing comments for a contestant who says he isn't too fazed about winning.
continue...
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