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“If you come on Australian Idol you are here to get judged”

Australian Idol host Scott Tweedie knows what it's like to audition -he was discovered during an ABC3 presenter search, and it changed his life.

He may be the “world’s worst singer,” by his own admission, but Scott Tweedie surely knows what it’s like to audition and wait for his big chance at success.

“I got my first job through a presenter search for ABC3. There were 7000 people who applied, then I made the top 100 and had to fly to Sydney for the top 15. So I’ve been through a process of knowing those nerves,” he tells TV Tonight.

“I get it. Like, the pressure is on. You’ve got to deliver and just breathe through it.”

Now as host of Australian Idol, along with Idol success story Ricki-Lee Coulter, he is there when hopefuls aged 15 – 28 get one shot to impress.

“If you come on Australian Idol you are here to get judged and that’s where it’s hurt a lot of people, because I don’t know if they were aware of how this show works. We are culling people every episode.”

Idol had 7 seasons from 2003 – 2009 making household names of singers including Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll, Ricki-Lee, Courtney Act, Rob Mills, Paulini, Anthony Callea, Casey Donovan, Jessica Mauboy and igniting careers of others such as Stan Walker, Matt Corby, Em Rusciano, Damien Leith, Dean Geyer, Casey Barnes.

While other talent shows have come and (in some cases) gone, Idol is considered the modern forerunner. Bucking current trends, Seven is also returning to Live shows where viewers will have the chance to vote for their favourites. When the pandemic hit the nation, the network was forced to hold off producing the series for two years, in order to return to an interstate audition tour and Live shows.

Tweedie, whose CV includes Prank Patrol and The Loop plus E! News and Pop of the Morning in the USA, recently filled in for Beau Ryan on The Amazing Race Australia, produced by Eureka. As it happens, Eureka was also behind the Idol revival, for Fremantle.

‘This is my gig. This is the one.”

“As soon as Idol was announced two years ago, I messaged my manager saying, ‘This is my gig. This is the one. Let’s build out the plan.’ I just knew from my credentials: my experience and relationship with young Australians, music TV for eight years at The Loop, US live experience. I’m ready for this show. Let’s do whatever it takes on an Australian Idol. So we just worked it from there. I had an amazing phone call when I was in New York, a zoom for two hours with (Seven execs) Angus Ross and Andrew Backwell,” he recalls.

“I did the best screen test I’ve ever done with the team at Eureka, and I walked out of that going, ‘Listen, if I don’t get it, I’m not going to be angry about it… but I know I will be the best host for this show.'”

Tweedie was even recognised by Idol singers.

“I walked into the room with all these contestants hoping to be the next Australian Idol and the majority of grew up watching Prank Patrol. So they know Ricki-Lee and they see me and they’re like, ‘Where’s the Ninjas?'” he laughs.

While Tweedie and Coulter will feature more when auditions are done, he’s excited for the new judging panel.

“It is such a beautiful dynamic. You’ve got Harry Connick Jr., a musical genius who is listening for all the technical aspects of all the contestants. I thought he’d be a bit of a softy, but he’s been quite hard because he knows exactly what he wants…. telling people ‘You’ve got to do better.’ So he set the bar really high. Amy Shark has had such an incredible career having done it the old school way. She was doing gigs, radio stations and her popularity just grew to selling out venues around Australia.

“Meghan Trainor is just a rock star / a pop star from America -and Kyle is Kyle. I think he’s becoming more of a softy. He’s just had a kid and he knows the lay of the land, but he still has high expectations of what he wants from Australia’s next Idol. And he is making us all laugh.”

“My friends who work at record labels talk about any point of difference”

Yet in the 14 years since Idol has been off air, the music industry has also evolved. Do TV talent shows still create stars?

“There’s so much noise at the moment in the music industry with TikTok and YouTube and the disruptions out there. My friends who work at record labels talk about any point of difference. Any boost you can get, is what’s needed right now in the industry. Gone are the days where you release your album, do a press junket tour – you’ve got to get cut through. You’ve got to have TikTok hits, songs that are in promos for TV or films,” he explains.

“A lot of these contestants have a following already, but Idol’s gonna boost them big time and get the whole country going, ‘Who is this person?'”

Idol‘s format in 2023 will include coast to coast auditions to discover a Top 50 which is culled to 30 then 24. The Top 12 will feature in Live shows broadcast from Rooty Hill. A Live results show will also feature weekly on Seven.

Tweedie says he thrives on Live television.

“In Live TV, people are just so genuine and authentic -but also nervous. Sometimes they’ll speak too much, or they won’t say any words, nothing will come out. But that’s the beautiful thing. And I think audiences connect with that,” he maintains.

‘”Audiences like seeing imperfections because it’s authentic”

“Live means it’s not a perfect show, and audiences like seeing imperfections because it’s authentic.

“This is an Australian show for the Australian people and they get to choose essentially who the Idol is. The judges are important but when we get to 12 it’s basically up to you.”

Australian Idol returns 7:30pm Monday January 30 and continues Tuesday & Wednesday on Seven.

25 Responses

  1. I’m still feeling “singing competition fatigue” and haven’t watched any of them in possibly 10 years now. But I will give Australian Idol a go again and keep an open mind. Hope it does well!

  2. Scott’s self assessment that hosting Australian Idol would be the perfect role for him is 100% correct. I was always baffled at the fact that he never got more prime-time hosting gigs on Australian TV. He seemed like such a great fit for pretty much any of the live entertainment shows that have aired in recent years and deserved more than just being a fill-in host. Not surprised that he went to the US for a bit.

  3. I’ll follow Australian Idol. There’s been more success by talent from Oz Idol then X Factor and The Voice. It would be great seeing Scott Tweedie hosting another music show. Weekends haven’t been the same since The Loop ended. rage being broken up with the news breakfast program messes my Saturday morning routine.

    1. I agree. They shouldn’t need to break up Rage because the news is already on ABC News 24. It’s weekend television and not weekday television after all. I doubt that there would be many Rage viewers that would say, oh yes I don’t mind the news interrupting Rage. A lot of feedback on their social media had shown that it’s very unpopular to insert the news into Rage.

  4. Australian Idol with 2 overseas judges really. . Kyle (he gives me earache) doesn’t stack up much either so that’s the inevitable controversy taken care of right there. Australia has some of the great singers listed right here. Megan Trainor is doing alright though with Seven considering she’s on Idol and using that self obsessed song of hers to promote their Bravo channel. Quite happy to wash my hair, clean my teeth and sharpen my tongue on those nights.

  5. Rooty Hill? I seem to remember Mark Holden joking during past series about some lacklustre performances sounding like they just came from Rooty Hill RSL. Oh the irony 😅

  6. I’m perpetually grateful that Seven was sage adequate to get Scott Tweedie on board for this show and not Luke Jacobz. I cannot wait for Australian Idol to start and how challenging would it be to see the contestants have a congealed career and not go into extinction.

  7. Speaking of presenters and the whole nostalgia wave, I wonder if bring back Osher and James Mathison would be a drawcard for the reboot… not that Osher would’ve come back.

  8. Scott Tweedie…never say never, he may be back on 10 one day, but he’ll always be the one that got away. It’s a shame 10 couldn’t find him something after The Loop ended, but I’m glad he’s on the new Idol. A great choice. No doubt MAFS will still be #1 but I do think this has a good chance due to the nostalgia part/live TV part. I think we’re all a little over Reality TV that’s been chopped, manipulated and produced to within an inch of its life.

  9. I’m so excited for this. Hope they do it right and really focus on developing the story of the contestants and allow viewers to be invested in their faves more than the judges.

    Also, Vera Blue (Celia Pavey) was on the Voice. Was she also on Idol? I don’t remember her being on Idol.

  10. We know some of the really bad contestants get get put through so the audience can have a laugh and a groan so its up to the judges to not be too cruel.

  11. It’s a pass for me. I think Australian Idol has had its day here, but it will probably find an audience.

    I’m not a fan of that judging lineup or Scott Tweedie either. He doesn’t come across as particularly likeable in this interview to me.

    Good luck to the contestants, though – hope someone legitimately breaks through and isn’t just another Kate DeAraugo.

  12. I Don’t like Kyle or Harry Connick Junior and I have never heard of the 2 Women so probably won’t be watching I watch Call The Midwife on BBC First anyway on Mondays at 7:30 pm

    1. I thought it looked Roller Coaster Tracks going down in a spiral, so figured they’re telling contests it’ll be roller coaster ride into the dark pit of oblivion.

  13. Would love to watch this but the bad audition promos & Kyle turn me off.
    Idol worldwide has moved on from the bad auditions & the Aussie version should too. Just celebrate the good singers

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