There is speculation today that Jay Dee Springbett may not be returning to judge Australian Idol.
The Daily Telegraph suggests the Sony executive’s contract may not be renewed.
“He was a good fill-in but now they are looking bigger and better,” says one unnamed source. Another even suggests it desperately wants Kyle Sandilands back.
There have also been suggestions that research indicates viewers did not connect with his performance.
Officially, TEN has no comment.
“What you’ve heard is no more than a rumour,” a spokeswoman said.
Fair enough.
TEN and FremantleMedia Australia wouldn’t have begun discussions on Idol 2010 until December when the 09 finale was well and truly behind them.
Auditions for the show will need to get underway by March or earlier given the Commonwealth Games interrupts the scheduling this year.
Springbett was catapulted into the vacant chair after Kyle Sandilands was unceremoniously dumped by TEN. With little television experience it was a big ask. But his performance never seemed to find a groove, and contestants frequently commented on his nerves.
With a ‘positive judge’ and a ‘nasty judge’ essentially already in place, the third position has always been a tricky position. On the weekend, former Idol judge Mark Holden backed Springbett, saying “I think Jay Dee will evolve. The first time you do something like that it’s an absolute shock. No matter who you are, it’s hard to deal with that the first year.”
TEN knows it has a much bigger problem with Idol than replacing one judge. Last year was it’s softest season ever. The show is now at the point that Big Brother was before it switched hosts.
The network needs to communicate to the audience that everything we have ever known about Idol is now up for grabs. And like it or not, that means replacing more than one face from the show. It gets back to reassessing format, hosting, judges, talent, venue, auditions, scheduling, rules, voting -the lot.
But when the format is so strictly administered by rights owner 19 in the UK, TEN will only have so much room to move.
Source: Daily Telegraph
Hmm.. I’ve got another idea – put it on Thursday nights at 8PM and finish at 9:30PM. Some may think of it as suicide, but it might just take a day change (along with a complete rework of the format and cast) to get the show going again. People say Thursdays don’t provide good enough ratings – what about when MasterChef got 2.3mil on a Thursday? If a good enough program which is well-known in the country is on, people will watch.
As for the verdict, they could have it in a 30 min episode on Friday, and tie it into a music program with the guest judge for the week. So they get performers as guest judges, the guest performs on the verdict show on Friday (so it’d be 8:30PM-9:00PM) and then afterwards there could be an hour-long show with interviews and performances from that artist. So Fridays can kinda become a light entertainment night for TEN with their Biggest Loser MasterClass, Idol and a music-oriented show and possibly fix their failing lineup.
It’d be better than movies!
They need to stop having so many evangelical christians and virgins. They may be able to sing but are totally uninteresting.
I dont think Idol is a waste of space. Its produced some great artists wether people think that or not, the aussie charts over the past 10 years have been dominated by Idol contestants.
I can say though that the show lost its mojo last season. Judges arent critical enough and the show was far too long. 1 hour performance shows, half hour results show and 2 hour finale. If that doesnt work then nothing will.
Something tells me this year it will come back exactly the same, with a few minor tweaks, and will be axed come 2011.
x-factor was a bust last time they tried it on 10. i wisk people would stop comparing australian idol too american idol. the 2 aren’t close to being the same. they have talent over there and it’s done better. australian idol is a sham
Wasn’t TEN’s hand forced a little when it ran X-Factor the first time round? Idol was at it’s peak and if TEN didn’t buy the rights to X Factor then Seven or Nine would have and run it as a sacrificial lamb to kill of Idol in the last quarter of the year.
At least with TEN owning the rights they could play it when they wanted to (despite not wanting to run it at all) and play it at the opposite end of the ratings year.
Where is the option to ditch Shrieky-Lee in your current survey? She’s be the first rat I’d kick off this sinking ship?
I think the problem is in the lack of successful performers who have won in the past. Seldom do they get past the first album, and that is full of cover songs, and then they squander their new found fame, leaving the voting public high and dry.
I think the way to get beyond this is to get more self-motivated performers…Songwriters, musicians who play, performing their own songs.
More of a focus on the type of artists who would prefer a career in music to fame and prize money.
Yep bring back Mark Holden..chemistry is back and problem solved.
As for X-factor..no thanks..and Susan Boyle was on britains got talent iirc not X-factor.
Someone said Peter Andre. Not a bad choice really. I still think they need Mark Holden back though. It was popular when he was on.
Francis wikapedia is full of s**t. Anyone can write in that – if its not sourced don’t believe it! 10 just announced that Jay Dee leaving was a rumour so Nothing has been confirmed.
I agree judges need to be replaced to begin with – Even dicko. The thing with these judges is that every year we hear the same thing it has become repetitive and boring its time to bring in some fresh faces.
Secondly the special affects need to be improved. Contestants need to wear fansy clothes, designer shoes ect. It needs to be a concert not a kareoke competition. Smoke, dancers and a massive live band need to be implemented. If they can’t negotiate with the producers to do this then maybe ten just need to part ways with the Idol franchise and say we will go look at the X Factor.
Please do not be mistaken. Bringing back Kyle is not the answer. The problems with the show go much deeper than the personalities. The show is intrinsically commercial and superficial. It doesn’t even pretend to be about singing as it works on the concept of who’s most marketable, rather than who’s most talented. Everything from the talentless contestants right down to the lack of time dedicated to the performances cheapens the Idol franchise and disgruntles the viewers. Also, whose idea was it to have the elimination at the front of the show?
I totally agree with Brett & Craig H! 10 need to dump Idol all together & replace it with X Factor – & for those who have bought it up about it not being successful years ago – quite simply the whole dynamic was wrong, from the judges, host, production values – just dire, no wonder it failed. If 10 bring back X Factor they need to make it a classy affair – not some cheap pub contest that Idol has become. As Brett has said – the contestants are dressed to the nines, as if they were doing their own concert performance, along with special effects (smoke machines, dancers, props, great lighting etc). The judges are also dressed well – with Australia’s own superstar Dannii Minogue winning the style war against fellow judge Cheryl Cole from Girls Aloud (even with 2 stylists Cheryl couldn’t match Dannii – who didnt have a stylist at all). The whole show works really well, each judge mentors there contestants each week & over singers & groups can also audition for this show as its open to anyone. Just look at the success of Susan Boyle – you don’t need to be a pretty young thing to be successful.
As far as judges go – a all new line up is required. My suggestions –
Dannii Minogue – she’s proven what a excellent judge she is on AGT & X Factor UK, will add some star quality to the show & she is more than qualified – being in the business she was 8 years old.
Peter Andre – some may say a bizzare choice, however he is a very successful performer, especially in the UK. He also has a lot of tv experience which will help.
Darren Hayes – very successful as part of Savage Garden & a solo artist – he was excellent on Idol.
They need a talent manager or industry person on the show – someone that has some personality & pressence. Each week they should also have a guest mentor as this always works very well – Cyndi Lauper & Michael Buble would be at the top of my list.
I think it should be put out of its misery. But if Ten Must bring it back (and for whatever reason that seems the way they are going) I would keep Dicko and Ricki-Lee and ditch everyone else.
Wasn’t X-factor on here on year and didn’t it totally fail?
Hopefully 10 and Idol wake up to themselves and can this crud ASAP. Rove as host!? No way jose.
Don’t know if this is true yet because it’s on wikipedia and we all know how reliable that is…but i found this bit of information that i thought might interest people
The eighth season of the Australian Idol series will begin airing during August 2010. The series will see new judges and new hosts. The season was confirmed during Network Ten’s 2010 programming launch in October 2009. It has been confirmed that there will be four judges returning to the Australian Panel. It has been confirmed that Jay Dee Springbett and british girl-group singer who recently has had a solo Heather Vesey will join the panel. It was confirmed on the 3 January 2010 that Brian McFadden would join the judging panel of Australian Idol. Tina Arena was confirmed as the fourth judge on Idol.
Marcia and Dicko are gone??
David can you see what you can find out about this for us.
Thanks
The X-Factor completely bombed on TEN didn’t it? So I doubt launching that would work. What I think they should do is get the basic idea of what Idol is meant to be, and then just rework it completely, give the show a new name, change up some of the cast, and then bang – new show, no bickering with the rights owners.
Just burn down the entire program, almost a decade and they haven’t produced an “idol” who has any real success, that’s because it’s a popularity contest talent hasn’t entered the building.
Idol needs to change drastically. Clearly the audience is not responding to what has been on offer. That means replacing everyone. No, it didn’t work for BB, but TEN’s choice for BB’s hosts was an awful one. If TEN makes inspired choices (like they did for MasterChef), it may save the series.
If they can sing we will watch. Last year they could not sing … not many watched.
I have a suggestion replace Everyone one the judging pannel. We have heard everything they have to say:
- Delta Goodrem
- Hamish Blake
- and someone a little nasty
could be the new judges.
I totally agree with Brett, done well, X-Factor could be huge here, its a phenomenon in the UK (far bigger than pop idol ever was over there) and Simon Cowell is in talks to take it to FOX in the US. its very hard to see them getting approval to do much with the idol format though, 19 and Simon Fuller are (rightly) very protective of it. The whole elimination at the front of the show didnt work at all and needs to be reworked.
Give us a year for the over 30′s every 2nd year. The show can survive but it has to grow up. Look at the popularity of DWTS and MC, they are watched by a predominantly older audience than Idol currently has.
@Dave, I did know that, damn typos – I think I was still thinking about Ricki Lee and wondering if she was supposed to be a host or set dressing, and then the ‘host’ thought continued. Yes, the fabulous Ellen will be hosting, which I hope will be good. I enjoyed her on SYTYCD, although some people weren’t fans – but dancing is so much more technical than singing and it is easier to say ‘you were out of tune’ if you aren’t trained – you can just tell. So i have high hopes for her.
Brian McFadden – decent suggestion there!
@ Beckala, Ellen Degeneres is one of the new judges to American Idol, not the host. The host is still the great Ryan Seacreast.
Either get rid of Marcia or wipe out the whole judging panel and start fresh.
tomothy: to build a stage as big as American Idol will require a huge space. I don’t think Fox Studios (where Australian Idol is made) has the space for that. Maybe Carriageworks at Redfern where So You Think You Can Dance is filmed?
I liked Brian McFadden when he was a guest judged. He was honest and has a good sense of humour.
I think they need someone funny. Mark Holden had his funny quirks. I know he is a lawyer now but couldnt they give him an offer he cant refuse? The cringeworthy but lovely touchdowns are missing. They need a personality not some slick DB.
One more thing. How about a decent set, look at the massive Americal Idol stage. The Aus Idol 2009 set was cheap, and the size of a shoe box.
If we have to keep Idol they need to choose people that can sing.
Dont choose them because they have a sob story,
Dont choose them becuase they are emo, rock, pop, country, soul, etc.
Choose them because they have talent.
They are not looking for a voice or individual, they are looking for a cast, which is why people are not watching.
Marcia has to go too, her “You go girl”, “That was a somethin’ somethin’ “, etc is not advice.
Bring back Mark Holden – really miss his touchdowns and “zaniness” !!!
Its time to go………. Aust Idol, its been fun, but 10 have just screwed it up way too badly, the franchise is as good as dead in Australia which is a shame.
It never recovered from Dicko being poached in 2004 as well as Casey Who winning it.
The US Idol still seems fresh after all these years.
That World First took an awful lot of negotiation with 19.
I think the key to a revival of the show would be to add some drama and some bang…
Perhaps they could periodically have contests where each of the idols releases a song for digital download… the person whose song charts the lowest is then evicted…
Of course, there’s more money in people voting to keep someone in…
I wonder if there’ll be a “vote to evict” and “vote to save” next year… because that made sense to everyone on Big Brother…
But as you have mentioned David, it’s a tightly held franchise, and I doubt they’ll be allowed to do too much… Remember when it was a “World first” that they allowed musicians to play their own instruments. Shock horror!
“shudders” @ the suggestion to make Rove a judge. Please keep that hack off tv as much as possible!
On oz idol – bring back Mark Holden..problem solved and we’ll have the original team back.
so we will see next a tired format still going and probably a novelty judge like sandilands. so we will see peter helliar as a judge next year i bet. just so they plug his moronic and unfunny character
I think Chanel 10 need to revitalise The X Factor franchise, and not have X Factor and Idol in the same year which they tried back in 2005.
Last season The X Factor UK was amazing. The staging, the contestants. It was like watching a concert every week. They had back up singers and dancers interacting with the contestants as apposed to Oz Idol where they stand at the end of the stage and sign. Its just not captivating.
I would say try and lure Brian Friendman over to be the creative director to jazz it up and bring it some credible judges and host. (As soon as they announced in 2005 that Mark Holden was crossing over to also judge The X Factor Oz i new it would fail.)
I would suggest as judges
- Kyle Sandilands
- Danni Minogue (As AGT may not be returing and she has experience with it)
- Delta Goodrem or Vanessa Amorosi
- Maybe an unknown that has managed a successful pop group
The X Factor is also a lot classier as the judges came out looking amazing every week, suits and designer dresses as apposed to t-shirts and jeans on Oz Idol, it was like going down the pub for a beer and seeing who they had on stage.
Well thats my 2c worth.
It does need to be given a rest. I reckon that they would benefit from resting the show this year and focusing on the commonwealth games + their other shows. To fill in any gaps, the could simple put one of the many axed shows on in it’s place.
Every show must come to an end, and now it’s Idol’s turn. It’s as simple as that.
Get rid of idol and try something new as was done with Big Brother.
Oh no, time to commit ritual suicide.
I think they have to get rid of Marcia. Yes, she’s a singer, but she says nothing of any value. Never has, I think in the entire history of the program, but it is just becoming laughable now. “Well done, darlin” is not constructive criticism!! I guess it was hidden better when you had the ridiculous comments coming from Vile or Dicko – but with Dicko caring too much about his own ego, and JD not saying much of anything, it just makes Marcia look hopeless. Start by getting rid of her. Beg James Mathison to come back, get rid of Ricki Lee – what does she do, by the way?! Or just buy the rights to American Idol, which will have Ellen Degeneres as host – i’d watch that in a second!!
Time to retire what has been a phenomenal franchise.
The Big Brother comparison is an obvious and fair one – it’s nearly time to go…
Marcia.Needs.To.Go.Waste.Of.Space.
It will be interesting to see how the American version goes with four judges this year. That just seemed a disaster when they tried it here. It did get battered by Kath and Kim, though. I think the show needs all the judges replaced with three or four new judges such as Rove, Tina Arena or Darren Hayes. And get some guest judges similar to Liza MInnelli last year – there’s always people touring.
I must admit, I have always pushed the Ten network to friend etc. I admire many thing about them and what they do. they seem open to the press to a point, they try new shows, (Masterchief, the 7pm project etc) and were the first commercial network to have a full time digital network. (I love the extended versions of Moto GP and F1) I also have been a massive fan of reality TV. But last year, I think I only saw about 1/2 of idol. The new evection process just took to long and I found myself changing channel and not turning back. Let’s hope they do some positive changes…..
All I ask new is the V8’s come back home to Ten.