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Our turn for TV pop mania
Our turn for TV pop mania
5 May 2003
By Mike Edmonds, Luke Dennehy & Carla Danaher, Herald
Sun
Following rave ratings in Britain and America, Australia
is to get a version of another show for wannabe pop stars.
WHEN Australian Idol starts on Channel 10 in August,
the network will be expecting big things. If the British
and US versions of the show are anything to go by, the
program should be a winner. The Australian version will
be filmed in Sydney. There is no word on a host yet, but
rumours tip Marcia Hines and Paul Mac as two of the judges.
In the US, Paula Abdul's singing career was revived after
she became a judge on the show. British adjudicator Simon
Cowell, who is known as Mr Nasty for his cutting remarks,
has become a cult figure.
Those who have been watching Entertainment Tonight
will know how the format works, as the show is featured
on ET almost daily.
The format for Australia is not finalised, but it will
most likely be similar to the US. The first two episodes
were devoted to the auditions, with thousands of hopefuls
culled to 40 by episode three. Then there were four semi-final
episodes, with two contestants from each episode advancing
to the finals. After each live show, viewers vote for
who they like best. The person with the least votes is
booted off the show.
In the US, the show is on twice a week, and averages 20
million viewers each night.
The show began in Britain, where two of its stars, Will
Young and Gareth Gates, went on to become the most successful
male pop artists in the past two years in that country.
Last week, the debut album Thankful of the first
US winner, Kelly Clarkson, went straight to the top of
the Billboard charts.
The judging panel consist of singer Marcia Hines, former singer
and now writer and producer Mark Holden and BMG record label
representative Ian Dickson.
