New Australia’s Got Talent judge says she expects fireworks
Australia’s Got Talent judges Sonia Kruger and Manu Feildel have disagreed over - ironically - whether to expect disagreements this year.
Confidential
Don't miss out on the headlines from Confidential. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Cameras are yet to roll and already the Australia’s Got Talent judges are firing up.
Returning panelist Manu Feildel and newcomer Sonia Kruger have very different expectations this year.
“Why do we always have to bring negativity and people fighting?” celebrity chef Feildel said, referring to the trend of reality shows hyping drama for ratings.
“There wasn’t any drama last year and I don’t think there should be this year.”
But Kruger disagreed as the pair met with other judges over lunch yesterday.
MORE SYDCON
‘Bullets with our names on them’: Amazing Race star’s suicide talk
MAFS poo scandal couple ejected: hear from the real experts
Katy Perry: ‘Taylor and I don’t have a close relationship’
“There is always room for drama, this is where we differ right off the bat,” Kruger said.
“I can’t imaging that the four of us are going to agree on every single act, there’s no way in the world.”
Kruger, who joins Channel Seven after jumping ship from rival Nine, added: “I’ve been joking I finally get paid to judge people because I am quite good at that.”
Alongside host Ricki-Lee Coulter, joining Feildel and Kruger over lunch at Sydney’s Chiswick restaurant were returning judge Shane Jacobson and another newbie, actor Olympia Valance.
“I’m hoping I can judge as well as I have watched from home as a fan of the show,” Valance said.
“It is something I have never done before but I’m pretty good at judging people.”
Australia’s Got Talent: Challengers and Champions will pit Aussie acts against some of the best Got Talent champions from around the world.
The winner will walk away with $100,000 in prize money.
“It will jump up a level,” Jacobson said. “It is Australia versus the rest of the world basically.”
A surprise addition to the show is radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands, who will guest judge the grand final.
Sandilands appeared as a judge on the show from 2010 to 2013.
“It’ll be great to be back in the judging seat for Australia’s Got Talent, although what’s even greater is the show only needing my judging skills for when all the early rubbish is swept away and only the best of the best remain,” Sandilands said. “I can’t wait.”
The KIIS FM breakfast host wasn’t able to attend the lunch as he has been working from LA for the past few weeks.
“It is a big deal,” Kruger said on his breakfast show yesterday.
Sandilands responded, clarifying that he will be a guest judge for the grand final only.
“It is just a one off,” he said. “It is not a big deal. Good luck Sonia, I hope it goes well because I know it can be tedious when some 80-year-old grandma comes out and puts a lamp shade on their head and goes, ‘I am a lamp shade’, and then you have to sit there for three minutes.”
Australia’s Got Talent will air on Channel 7 later this year.
Originally published as New Australia’s Got Talent judge says she expects fireworks
$14k a clip: NSW YouTube stars making more than you
YouTube stars in NSW are raking in thousands of dollars per video but it’s what they do in their clips that will drive traditional workers mad. Check out the rich list.
Glamming it up for a return to the racecourse
The first official racing carnival featuring the new $46.6m WINX stand at Randwick Racecourse is kicking off, with model and new mum Ksenija Lukich among those dressing up for the occasion.