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Kyle, Harry, Meghan & Amy to judge Australian Idol.

Scott Tweedie and Rickie-Lee Coulter to host rebooted talent series for Seven.

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Seven has unveiled its judges for Australian Idol 2023: Harry Connick Jr, Meghan Trainor, Amy Shark and the return of Kyle Sandilands.

Hosts are Ricki-Lee – who was discovered on Idol in 2004 – and former E! host Scott Tweedie.

Harry Connick Jnr said: “I’m looking forward to hearing all the new talent! I love the camaraderie with the judges, the excitement of the crowd and the fun of it all. I love the idea of musical competition; it forces performers to focus on a bunch of things that contribute to their development as artists.”

Meghan Trainor said: “Idol is an iconic show. I grew up watching it and I am honoured to be involved. I can’t wait to sit front row and meet new talent. I haven’t been to Australia since 2015, so I’m really excited to get to see the whole country and basically get to live there!”

Amy Shark said: “I’m excited about the auditions. It’s going to be pretty special to find that diamond in the rough and then see how they progress through the show. Idol has changed the lives of so many artists in the past, so I’m excited to be part of that.”

Kyle Sandilands said: “I’ve done all the shows over the years, pretty much all of them, but Australian Idol is the big one. We all know the stars that came out of Idol. We actually found someone to idolise in the music industry in Australia every year with Idol.”

Ricki-Lee said: “This show changed my life, so it has always held a very special place in my heart. I love that I can be part of it 18 years later. I’m excited to see the amazing talent that walks through the doors at auditions, and I can’t wait to see Australia fall in love with a new generation of Aussie talent.”

Scott Tweedie said: “I can’t wait to unearth great local talent. Part of our job is to throw a spotlight on the best of Aussie music every way we can. We’ve got the dream team ready to deliver the showtime energy and bangers Idol is famous for.”

The series originally ran from 2003 – 2009 discovering such names as Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Matt Corby, Ricki-Lee, Anthony Callea, Stan Walker, Casey Donovan, Rob Mills and Courtney Act. Seven announced its return for 2021, but it was delayed by the pandemic.

The network held off its return in the hope of returning to full crowds and ambitions for Live to air shows (yet to be confirmed).

Audition rounds will shoot in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and the Gold Coast from Tuesday with singers aged 15- 28.

Seven’s Chief Content Officer: Entertainment Programming, Angus Ross, said: “Harry, Meghan, Kyle and Amy are superstars and understand better than anyone what it takes to get to the top in the music industry. Our search for the next idol to capture the nation’s attention couldn’t be in better hands.

“Idol is the biggest show in the world and Seven is the home of epic television franchises. We can’t wait to bring the Idol magic to our audience in 2023.”

Paul Franklin, Co-CEO of Eureka Productions said: “At Eureka we are proud to be bringing a new production of Australian Idol to the audience on Seven. This global blockbuster from Fremantle is among the most iconic talent shows in the world, and with such an impressive line-up of international talent on the judging panel, this is shaping up to be a sensational new season.”

Australian Idol is produced for the Seven Network by Eureka Productions.

50 Responses

  1. I know they wanted a somewhat new panel to Idol but what they really should have done is get Jess or Guy or both from The Voice over to this as the Australian music judge and get a new Australian Radio star.

    Harry did a competent job on American Idol but I just don’t think he has the star power here for any demographic.

    Meghan seems fine.

  2. Let’s remember that Harry Connick Jr single-handedly changed Australian culture with his criticism of the blackface act on Hey Hey It’s Saturday’s Red Faces. The festive character Zwarte Piet is still acceptable in Netherlands but there has been growing opposition to that in recent years, so what Harry caused, it probably would’ve happened anyway eventually. And Kyle is probably there for the outrage and shock factor. I think it’s a good cast and I hope they find some really amazing performers that people will resonate with. Shows like this rely on the success of their contestants.

  3. This needs to be live. Don’t f it up seven like you have AGT & BB.

    I struggle to understand why networks persist with Kyle. They think he gets the headline. Yes, but for all the wrong reasons – he’s passed his use by date.

    I would of liked to see Tim Blackwell instead of Sandilands. Sometime in radio who knows and fully understands and appreciates music and artists (he has his own music podcast and is a big advocate for rising talent and Australian music).

    Amy could be a nice addition, someone fresh.

    Harry is a good get.. let’s hope he is some what interested.

    Megan was good on voice UK. I feel exces tried to do here what the voice did with Rita Ora. But is Megan known well enough? Would of maybe been nice to have 3/4 Aus judges.

    I don’t mind Rikki as a host. Especially if live. She became quite quick witted and fun when filling in for Kate for six weeks on live radio.
    Scott is a great edition and well suited.

    Just shame about all the lack of diversity…

  4. Not Ricki Lee! Its bad enough she’s hosting AGT, she doesn’t have that national or international star quality, give her a behind the scenes part chatting to contestants at most, and what’s with 7 using the same hosts on their shows it gets boring, it’s a cheap and dumb idea and 7 are missing out on having new fresh faces, building a bigger brand and getting more PR for the station – who is making these decisions?! Do they have TV experience?!
    Scott Tweedie is a good choice for Idol he does have star quality and he would’ve grown up a bit OS so he’ll be even better now. Harry is a great pick but they should have bought in Kate Miller-Heidke and Deni Hines and Theo Poulos to make the panel shine and have some fun at the same time.

  5. I bet they screw this up like they have with Got Talent. The got talent franchise is an audience voted show just like idol is. It’s done pretty much the same way everywhere in the world. Just like idol.was/ is.

    This year AGT has been entirely filmed from audition to grand final back in June and July. Yes that’s right, the traditional live grand final is already filmed and decided…months ago. I dont have any reason to believe ch7 won’t do the same. Yes ,different production company but ch7 still are the boss
    7 screwed AGT and 7 will screw Idol

    1. When they did AGT in 2019? It was also pre-recoded with 4 different endings with the most voted by the public winning, similar to how they have done the Voice in 2021 & 2022

  6. I wish on the judging panel they had included a relative unknown to TV audiences, music executive, which was what Dicko was back when Idol first started. Tbh almost anyone would be a better choice than Kyle, who I find completely repugnant.

  7. I had to Google both Meghan Trainor and Amy Shark to find out who they were (probably my fault as an old fart rather than their’s.) I am not sure if they are ‘big’ enough names for this type of program and Kyle is just annoying and always looks disinterested when he sits on judging panels. Hopefully there will be a blackface act or two to keep Harry Connick happy.

  8. Typical Channel 7, a cast of straight white people. The target audience does not know the music of Harry Connick Jr, and isn’t Meghan Trainor just a one hit wonder with that Bass song? Kyle has no place here, he’s there for rude shock value only, at least Ian Dickson generally had constructive criticism (albeit that Paulini dress comment).

    1. Yet to have a full opinion on this but sorry Kyle is the biggest mistake on here. Meghan Trainor was actually really good on The Voice UK as a judge. She has released five full album and multiple singles that have charted through out the world. She has actually sold over 5 million records world wide.

  9. Really wished that they have Lizzy Lovette as host. She did host hte Eclipse Music TV back in the days with JT. We need to have a variety of hosts.
    I’m not a big fan of Amy Shark but Kyle is unwatchable. This was reflected back in 2011 during Night Before the Stars segment when he attacked a journalist on TV. Even when he was a judge on AI and AGT, he made some unnecesary comments on singers & mouths off with his own tangents & this really made me want to change channels.

  10. They lost me at Kyle Sandilands. Why do they keep persisting with him. He is one person that shouldn’t be anywhere near this. He wasn’t just the mean judge he was downright cruel. It’s disappointing to be honest. Scott is a good choice for host though and i think Meghan is going to surprise a lot of people. She was awesome on The Voice UK so hopefully that translates well here. The lack of diversity though, something you would think they would at least try but they haven’t. I mean why not move Jessica Mauboy or Guy Sebastian from The Voice to this? The second thing too, if this isn’t Live then they’ve shot themselves in the foot. Live shows is what makes Idol, Idol.

    1. I’d rather have Kyle than Guy or Jessica yet again, but wish one of the other big contestants (Shannon, Paulini, Anthony) got a shot at something like this for a change.

  11. I’m happy with the hosts and three of the judges except for Kyle sandilands of course and let’s just hope 7 doesn’t ruin the live format because if they are ruin it i’ll not watch it.

  12. Here’s my judgment on Channel Seven’s reboot of Australian Idol. First, I’m in orthodoxy with those who stated the production values used in the 2000’s must come back, namely the Opera House grand finale. I love Ricki-Lee and was ravaged when she was voted off in 2004 in which Dicko referred to as ‘this is a scandal’. That said, she is already hosting Australia’s Got Talent. I wish Channel Seven had done their research and zoomed in some more on their own stars. I would have barracked for James Tobin and Lizzy Lovette. Please Channel Seven, you claim to be Roast Chook. Look at the ideas floated by the TVTonight stalwarts and give us a program that won’t be imputed the notion of washed up.

      1. ROFL! I was wondering. I know the Roast Chook is a thing of the past but opted to use that term to relay my beliefs and feelings because I think of all the talent shows since the 2000’s, Australian Idol is cream of the crop. Not only has it unearthed talent, but we are also still seeing its success in present day. Please Seven, get Greg Beness and/or Jonathon Summerhayes as the show runner Both were impeccable working on Australian Idol and The X Factor Australia respectively.

  14. Why does it need 4 judges $ 2 hosts? Get rid of Kyle who ruined Idol the last time he was on, as well as Megan Trainor & make Ricki-Lee a judge. Scott Tweedie is the only good thing about this line up.

    1. I’ll give it a go. Scott Tweedie’s best hosting gig was The Loop that is missed in my family. 😥 Kyle and Ricki-Lee too overexposed. Doesn’t Kyle have a bad track record of his shows getting axed? Harry and Meghan are also names of two Royals.

  15. Hosts great, judges what a let down. Harry and Meghan are old news what demographic are they going for here? I was so excited for this the line up is a flop for me. Eeek.

    Also if they trim the live shows and have multiple eliminations where you cant get to know the singers im not watching this.

      1. Fully aware David, and Meghan was on the Voice UK and i actually watched that season she was alright. However shes not exactly pumping out any hits for the last few years. Harry is definitely for an older audience as well just dont understand it….. I want to know the details of how the finals will be before i actually tune in and watch! I have no faith based on what 7 did to BB.

  16. Why, oh, why, oh, why are they repeating history by inviting Kyle back to the panel?! His presence single-handedly cheapened the show during its original run as he never had anything constructive to say, defaulting to generic comments such as “I liked it” or “that wasn’t working for me.” If they’re going to cast a token larrikin, at least find one who lives and breathes music (and not merely as a listener). I’ve said this before, and I don’t harbour a blanket dislike for the guy, but he’s just not a good fit for the genre.

    Trainor is a good get and might get younger eyes tuning in, and Amy also seems like a good choice considering that she’s actively releasing music. Coulter’s inclusion also serves as a nice little nod to the show’s history.

    And auditions are capped at 28 years? Way to kill the dreams of late bloomers, producers. They could have just said “Susan Boyles of the world need not apply”.

    2. 28 seems too restrictive though. I realise Boyle is on the extreme end of what would constitute a “late bloomer”, but it seems a little cruel to rule out people in their 30s.

      1. From memory the oldest Idol ever went to was 30 and that worked out well for Damien Leith as he was 30 when he won the show.

        I don’t have a problem with Idol sticking to a youthful talent crowd as singers still have The Voice and AGT if they are older than 28.

  18. White Idol…. very on brand.

    Harry is good for a 7 audience but Kyle who will surely be a turn off for them? And the boomers will have never heard of Amy or Meghan.

  19. This will only work if they bring back the Live elements of the show – spread over a number of weeks. So we get to know the talent. Not mass culling! Churning thru shows, so international judges only have to be here for a week or 2 doesn’t work – especially for careers for the talent. Aus Idol and X Factor produced stars because we got invested in them. Fingers crossed

  20. Love the diversity, love the age limit on talent, love that one judge they originally fired who continues to say and do horrible things on radio and made fun of Australian talent performing at the AFL GF love it all

  21. Obviously showing my age here…….never heard of Meghan Trainor and only know Amy Shark from her being on Celebrity Apprentice. Ricki Lee and Scott seem to be good choices, love Harry and can’t stand Kyle…why he is referred to as a superstar I do not understand. I will give it a go and just hit the mute button every time Kyle opens his mouth.

    1. Here, here appears all Australian talent for judging is not much of a draw card, Kyle (who?) that’s the comedy bit taken care of. Diggin deep on the revivals. “Original concept” obviously has a different meaning nowadays. It’s a nope, no way for me. Sticking pins in my eyes would be more enjoyable.🤣

  24. As great as Ricki-Lee is, we don’t want her becoming the next Sonia. She’s already hosting AGT starting soon on Seven and I’m assuming this will be on early next year so we don’t need another overexposed host. Should have gone with someone else as the female co-host (and not Sonia either!!!)

  25. Yay Scotty!! Channel 10 slept too long on him, giving everything to shouty Osher, silly Beau Ryan and Roger Corser (who looks completely miscast) for the upcoming Traitors… and 7 pounced. They will be delighted with the signing… along with the incredibly likeable Ricki-Lee. Interestingly, I thought Kyle and Ricki has a long-standing feud? If I’m not mistaken, he refused to play her music over the years. Oh well must be water under the bridge, they both needed to grow up and get over it anyway (if it is the feud I’m thinking of of course haha).
    Meghan Trainor is an odd choice imo. Happy with the other two tho.

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