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NSync star for Nine show

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Former NSync singer Joey Fatone is coming to Australia to host Channel Nine’s new Singing Bee show.

Fatone hosts the NBC original which launched to an impressive 13.1m viewers in July.

The karaoke contest sees contestants trying to accurately remember lyrics to songs for a $50,000 prize.

The announcement of Fatone as host is an unusual move by Nine and it’s hard to recall another game or variety-style show where local talent has been sidelined over an international presenter (David Campbell won’t be too happy). Nine will no doubt be pitching this as a bold move, to illustrate they are serious about making the show a success. I guess Richard Wilkins’ old Key Notes showreel didn’t win him the gig?

No airdate yet.

UPDATE: Rob Mills has also been mentioned as one of the four regular vocalists on the show.

Press Release:

The man who created the buzz about the world’s newest musical game show is coming to Australia.

Joey Fatone, *NSYNC singer and host of THE SINGING BEE (USA and Canada), will bring his hit program alive in the Channel Nine studios with the same enthusiasm that created a chorus of fans throughout the world.

The rules of the game are simple: you don’t have to sing it well, you just have to sing it right.

THE SINGING BEE challenges contestants to accurately sing the lyrics to popular songs from the 1960s through to today. A live studio band and some of the top singers in the country will play a familiar tune and when the music stops the contestant must finish the next part of the song word perfect.

With songs guaranteed to have viewers singing along at home, THE SINGING BEE will feature recognisable tunes that have inspired hilarious wrong answers. Each episode sees six brave contestants step into the spotlight, but there will be no middle ground for partially correct answers – one wrong word and you’re out of the game.

Through a process of elimination of song-based games the last person standing will face the ultimate melody mind-boggler and the opportunity to win up to $50,000 in cash.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Joey Fatone is bringing his show to Australia ,” said Michael Healy, Nine Network Head of Programming. “There is no one as comfortable on THE SINGING BEE stage as Joey. His fantastic energy, wit and enthusiasm bring the show to life and this has been a major reason for the show’s massive success in the US .”

“Joey’s music credentials – having enjoyed huge musical success with *NSYNC – make him the perfect choice for this show.”

THE SINGING BEE premiered on America ’s NBC on July 10, 2007 to an audience of 13.1 million viewers. It was the biggest US summer premiere since ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

Filmed in the Channel Nine Melbourne studios that have produced so many famous Australian television favourites over five decades, THE SINGING BEE is a program with a remarkable formula designed to entertain the whole family

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11 Responses

  2. The idea though is to have the Australian version of the US Singing Bee. If you have an American host, why not just show the American program and save on time and money.

  3. HE is better known for being a one night wonder with Paris Hilton than he is for his singing.

    But former Australian Idol contestant Robert “Millsy” Mills has a chance to change all that, scoring a prime-time gig on Channel 9’s new gameshow, The Singing Bee.

    The show challenges contestants to sing the lyrics to pop songs in a bid to win $50,000 in cash.

    Millsy will be one of four regular singers on the show, soon to premiere on Nine, reports TV writer Stephen Downie.

    The show marks a real turnaround for the Melbourne lad, who last year fled the country, fed up with constant snickering about his dalliance with Hilton.

    His mum Bronwyn, told Confidential at the time he had gone to “get away from the public”.

    But earlier this year, Millsy made a return to TV. Since July he has hosted Nine’s late night gameshow, The Mint.

    Nine yesterday confirmed the worst secret in TV land by announcing former ‘N Sync singer Joey Fatone, who hosts TSB in the US, will front the Australian version.

  4. i posted the coment on mediaspy and here. it was a copy and paste but it was my own post. i have the same feelinsgs on this site as mediaspy!

    and no i dont work for nine or the show at all! i disagree with everyone here so i work for nine? LOL,

    anyway. i think everyone is over reacting. nine wants this show to be a hit. if joey was the best choice for host so be it. a scottosh guy hosts CBS’s late show, there are british leads all over american TV.

    i dn’t think one foreign host on one TV show will kill australia. the top 37 shows a few weeks ago were ALL australian made bar one. i think aussie TV is safe even with one american host.

  5. Yes its an unusual move, but it sounds more like Nine want this to be given a fresh start and for people to not dismiss the show based on a host they already know. If it was hosted by David Campbell, Jules Lund or Bert how many would not even trial the show? On the other hand they have also opted not to offer a new talent too.

    Let’s see what Joey Fatone delivers first (although some obviously already have) we will have a better idea then.

    PS. Richard Wilkins was just a gag….

  6. Interesting comment defending Nine’s choice – one I have read before – a ‘cut and paste’ from a Media Spy page on The Singing Bee – perhaps you are closer to the show, you seem to know all about it.
    While others have been imported to the U.S. I don’t think it’s the same as parochial Australia. It’s hard enough for Aussies to get a chance in media without being in a reality show but in this instance a new talent could have been groomed well. Can’t begin to fathom how much this has cost – and as someone mentioned before – at a time when so many are axed or asked to take a cutback. Yes he will be great – he should be, still think it’s gutless to take the easy way out rather than make a decision on launching someone new considering the show is a good concept on its own.

  7. I don’t think you’re thinking in terms of making the show as good as possible. Have you seen the US version? Joey is a brillinat hotsing talent. I would imagine Nine auditined dozens of Australians for the role and decided none was as good as Joey. If he’s the right man for the job he’s the right man for the job. They are introducing new staff to their talent list!

    The Americans imported the UK host of Weakest Link and Gorden Ramsey (kitchen nighmares) not to mentioned Cat Deeley off Think You Can Dance, Simon Cowell (Idol) Sharon Ozboune (Got Talent) the list goes on. If they are the best person for the job – hire them!

    People despise the recycling of Dicko, Richard Wilkins, Kochie, Catrina Rowntree, Jules, Bert Newton, etc etc. So here is a new face!

  8. “no one in Australia is good enough to host this show !!!!”

    Actually, no-one in Australia is BAD enough to host this show 🙂

    This one is a total train wreck of a concept and a complete dog of a show. If this is all Nine thinks is worth hyping up at this time of year and at this stage in their decline, they deserve what they’ll inevitably get.

  9. I know a few of the people who auditioned and they would have been fine – the show was good enough to carry a new face and enable Nine to broaden their stable of ‘stars’. This is a slap in the face to Aussie talent – and a gutless decision the Nine Network Australia – don’t they say ‘proudly Australian’ at the end of their shows? Also their management are paid millions to make decisions – no potential locally?
    Anyway most people wouldn’t know Joey Fatone and as for being a great host – if the auditionees had the same amount of rehearsals and run throughs and then all the editing they would look just as good. What about the Australian content musically – yeah sure he knows the lyrics …….

  10. I believe Nine is making a bad and expensive choice.
    They’d get the same ratings if they had Aussie talent hosting the show- although Richard Wilkins would be a tired excuse for a host.
    If they wanted Fatone, they should’ve just got him to do a promo visit.
    *sigh* Nine, just close down.

  11. okay – so what Nine is saying is there is NO ONE in Australia that can host this show. Im mean really – no one in Australia is good enough to host this show !!!! And this is coming from the same network that is axing staff or telling them to take paycuts (ie : fatty from the NRL footy show) and at the same time paying for an ex boy-band singer to come over from America.

    Don’t watch this show!!! This just shows you how out of touch Nine is with the Australian people.

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