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Nine pulls clip as Darren McMullen slams The Voice “prima donna”

Updated: Nine has pulled a clip of The Voice host lashing out at ex-contestant: "You'll never make it, because your attitude stinks."

UPDATED: Nine has pulled a video of Darren McMullen from its Mornings website after an extraordinary outburst against a former contestant. Clearly the network is unhappy that his anger is highly damaging towards its ratings success story.

EARLIER: Nine’s Darren McMullen has called an eliminated contestant from The Voice a prima donna with a bad attitude who was “screeching down the microphone.”

The extraordinary outburst on former Team Delta singer Peta Jeffress follows her criticisms aired on Today Tonight.

Jeffress told TT that she had very little vocal coaching from Delta Goodrem.

Today on Mornings, McMullen hit back -big time.

“Obviously there was that idiot who was on Seven’s current affairs show last night slagging off the whole process,” he said.

He said she had the chance to perform before the “Most people she has ever sung in front of, and let’s be honest, will probably ever sing in front of because she’s not that good.

“She was rude to staff, she was rude to crew. She didn’t listen to anything Darren (Hayes) and Delta had to say. She was a prima donna, she knew better than anybody. She wasn’t happy with the way the song was arranged, this, that and the other.

“She came out and absolutely killed one of my favourite Prince songs of all time. It was hard to listen to. Screeching down the microphone.”

“Harsh!” replied Sonia Kruger.

“This industry is about attitude right? That’s the perfect example of why you don’t deserve to be on the show and why you’ll never make it, because your attitude stinks,” he insisted.

McMullen’s slamming, which belies the show’s positive tones, also contradicts his comments on stage after Jeffress sang Purple Rain with Viktoria Bolonia.

“Love that song! Great pairing!” he said at the time. But today he claims it was screeching.

It hasn’t taken long for a feelgood reality show enjoying record ratings to hit its first sour note.

While a host has a right of reply to criticisms, it’s debatable whether his comments are in the spirit of the Nine show.

Jeffress told Today Tonight, about the various audition stages, interviews, and producers deciding the song she would perform.

She complained Goodrem only gave her 5 minutes of 1 on 1 coaching when the cameras were turned off.

“Darren Hayes taught me a lot,” she sighed.

Video: Peta Jeffress on Today Tonight
Video: Darren McMullen on Mornings.  (NOW DELETED BY NINE)

20 Responses

  1. Darren should be careful. Defammatory statements are dangerous, particularly when there’s probably nobody to back them up. Peta was naive to think that her appearance on TT wouldnt backfire, even if, as far as I can see, she didn’t say much anyway, except that Delta warmed to the other girl more. Much worse things have been said about Delta lately.

  2. How pathetic of this host to bag any of the contestants. I mean if she wasnt good enough then how did she make it onthe show. It was the host who told her what a fantastic performance she gave after her performance. This guy is so fake.. He says that to all the performers. I mean he is only the host he is talentless. He just reads a cue card for goodness sake.. Doh.

  3. I think it’s pretty pathetic that she went to Today Tonight to complain about the show! She lost – it was a fair battle. Get over it!

    I think his comments may have been a little harsh, but I think he is entitled to defend the show (and I do agree with him).

  4. I must say The Voice isn’t all it leads out to be. Sorry but most if not all the big and fugly singers have been voted off by the coaches who are now looking for the “perfect package”. I think its a load of crock. Its not The Voice anymore. This is one of the reasons i hate this show after the blind auditions because now the judges are in control and choose who makes it the furthest before a finale voted solely on the public choosing between each teams #1 singer.

  5. This girl must have some talent. After all, Delta did turn around. What talent does Darren Mc Mullen have? Whats his job? Reads an auto cue.

  6. I don’t watch The Voice, but good on him for telling the truth and speaking from the heart. If an eliminated contestant is going to go running to the opposition networks current affairs show to dish the dirt and cry “oh woe is me” then she should get everything she deserves from the people who gave her the chance to begin with. Channel 9 should be standing behind their host. “While we don’t agree with everything that Darren has said, we stand behind him and the team behind blah blah blah…”

  7. I agree with Chris – I watched the story on the website and she just came across as petulant and bitter. Her voice sounded dreadful. If they were going with “the appearance” she would have been picked because she is a more conventionally attractive woman. It was her voice, pure and simple that let her down.

  8. Today Tonight has a history of this kind of story. I think McMullen is absolutely spot on about Petra. Her attitude absolutely came across on screen. As for her ability, I was amazed that she even got picked for a team considering the way she butchered Wonderwall in her first audition.

  9. The line that takes the cake is: “This industry is about attitude right?” a correct statement. But isn’t this show about a shit-up-hill idea that the industry is about ‘The Voice’. Sounds like he has given an endorsement to the X Factor.

    But no such thing as bad publicity indeed. Although with The Voices ratings u’d think it would be years before they would resort to such measures.

  10. I wouldn’t have thought it was the hosts place to speak out about a contestant like that. Looks like his ego has grown as big as the judges.

  11. I saw that interview on Mornings, he was really fired up and passionate about the show finding and helping talent.
    David and Sonia handled it really well.

  12. I have nothing against the voice I don’t watch it but I have seen bits of it and it has been entertaining!
    Whilst I don’t give a shit about the controversy or any of the contestants, Darren McMullen is terrible he was terrible with Seven and he is terrible here I don’t get why he is working successfully in the industry.

  13. I find The Voice quite boring after the audition rounds. Hopefully the finals are more interesting now that these battle rounds are finished

  14. I don’t think he conradicted himself. “Love that song!” – he’s again said that he loves the song. “Great pairing!” – “I’m glad you two are together so that the person I don’t like will go home.”

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