Australia's Got Talent gets the Priscilla treatment by Aussie Oscar winner Tim Chappel

AUSTRALIA'S Got Talent is getting a glitzy makeover as Aussie Oscar winner Tim Chappel signs as creative director and gives us a sneak peek.

COLOUR: Tim Chappel's designs for Nathalia Theodore and Julia Manias.

CHANNEL 9 is set to give Australia's Got Talent a glittering makeover, with Australian Oscar and Tony award winner, Tim Chappel signed as the show's new creative director.

One half of the famed Priscilla, Queen of the Desert costume design team, who claimed an Academy award in 1995 for their efforts, has begun work with the AGT finalists, adding extra sparkle and world class set design to their performances.

Chappel's signature flamboyance will be seen from next Sunday night's first finals episode, but he gave News Corp Australia a sneak peek of his sketches for Sydney contestants Natalie Theodore and Julia Manias, the popular dancing poodle (who now gets his own back-up dancers) and singer Scott Carne.

DISCO: Tim Chappel's illustrations for contestant Scott Carne's back-up dancers.

"The wonderful thing about this show is we have such different, kooky characters," Chappel said, "and my involvement is to take them to the next level, to build on the special qualities about them."

Taking a swipe at rival reality series, The X Factor, which leads the way with its consistently extravagant set design and production numbers, Chappel said: "they are like a sausage factory, pushing the same product out the other end.

Tim Chappel an Oscar and Tony-award winning production designer has joined Australia's Got Talent to be the show's creative director for the finals, upping the ante in terms of TV production. Tim pictured with contestants Natalie Theodore and Julia Manias.

"I saw people with personality enter the show but they've been styled so much they all look the same. Our approach is really different and we have such diverse acts, it's really about getting the best out of them."

COLOUR: Tim Chappel's designs for Nathalia Theodore and Julia Manias.

He added: "we've taken the opportunity to use all the technology (including LED screens and computer-generated imagery) but we have to stop and ask ourselves 'if (contestants) are getting smothered by it or does it work to support them?' We have to make them the star not the production."

POODLE: AGT's dancing poodle inspires a Tim Chappel design.

Nine will be hoping the extra glitter and sequins will help pull a bigger audience, with X Factor outshining AGT every week in the head-to-head ratings.

Last week's viewer margin was 1.556 million nationally for X Factor to AGT's 1.13m.

While his styling talents don't extend to dressing the all-star judging panel, Chappel revealed Kyle Sandilands will be the inspiration for eight `Kyle' dancers in the weeks ahead.

"It's abstract, but I'm trying to capture the essence of Kyle and then make him happy. It will be a `happy Kyle.' I'm told that's a foreign concept," Chappel quipped.

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