Sonia Kruger: “I actually thought I might faint on stage”

Talent quest hosts watch a lot of contestants face TV eliminations but few get as invested in the outcome as Sonia Kruger for The Voice.

This season the cameras captured a most unexpected drama.

“There was there was a moment at the end of the Blind Auditions I actually thought I might faint on stage, because there was so much suspense involved,” she tells TV Tonight.

“I actually think I stopped breathing and I almost blacked out. That’s a true story. That, and I was probably a little bit exhausted,” she quips.

“I started to feel like ‘I think I’m gonna faint’ and that’s never happened to me on stage before. But it was a really tense, suspenseful moment. I had no idea what was going to happen, but there was so much riding on it for this particular person.”

“I’m standing there with my head between my knees”

Is that a scene that could end up on the editing room floor?

“I can’t see why they would take that out. Part of me wishes that they would because I’m standing there with my head between my knees and people asking ‘Do you need a chair?’

“I think you’ll also know the moment that it happened because it’s right at the end of the Blind Auditions.”

On Sunday Kruger won the Gold Logie, having hosted three network shows, The Voice, Dancing with the Stars and Big Brother. It’s no wonder she is feeling exhausted. Kruger first began hosting in 2015, continuing until 2019. She returned as host when the series moved from Nine to Seven in 2021.

This year with coaches Guy Sebastian, Rita Ora, Jessica Mauboy and new addition, Jason Derulo, the show has again uncovered impressive (mostly) young talent.

“The reason The Voice works so well, is that you get to know these artists, and then they get to have a real relationship with their Coach. So it’s that mentoring process and that growth that you see them go through that really gets you every time in the chest,” she continues.

“A lot of people don’t necessarily go on to become huge stars but it certainly can change their lives for the better, even in just giving them confidence in their life.”

Yet while Australian Idol, and even The X Factor, has created recording success stories, The Voice is still struggling to land its defining success story. Very little focus is given to any prize for the series winner.

“We’re also making entertainment for the audience at home.”

So is the show really about making someone nationally (or internationally) famous, or about a short-run reality contest that draws upon celebrity coaches for ratings and advertising?

“I think it depends whose perspective you’re looking at it from,” Kruger suggests. “For the artist it’s definitely them wanting to make music their life and have a career in music. For us, we’re making a show that hopefully helps them achieve that. We’re also making entertainment for the audience at home.”

She continues, “When I look at the production values on The Voice, if you compare it globally to other productions, it’s up there. The staging, the direction, everything on that show is top quality.

“It’s a really brilliantly produced show on a lot of different levels.”

The Voice returns Sunday – Tuesday on Seven.