Ricki-Lee Coulter: 20 years since Gold Coast singer became a celebrity on Australian Idol’s 2004 season

Gold Coaster Ricki-Lee Coulter appeared on her way to winning Australian Idol before a “scandal” knocked her out at the 11th hour. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

The early years of reality TV did something which recent years have failed to do – create stars.

The early 2000s saw plenty of previous unknowns become household names.

From Sophie Monk to Blair McDonough, Shannon Noll and Guy Sebastian, these are people who have had long and varied careers in the ever-fickle entertainment sector for more than 20 years now.

It helped that it was only a new genre at the time.

Australian Idol finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter

Among the breakout stars of that era was Gold Coaster Ricki-Lee Coulter who made it through to the finals of the 2004 series of Australian Idol.

The music – themed show was only in its second year but Ricki-Lee became one of its biggest exports 20 years ago.

A year earlier the then-Southport High School student made headlines when she beat out 25 finalists to become the lead act at the 2003 Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols. That same year she had tried out for Australian Idol’s first series but failed to make it beyond the auditions.

But 2004 proved to be a different story when she performed in front of Idol judges – Mark Holden, Marcia Hines and Ian “Dicko” Dickson – again.

Ricky-lee's Mum Loretta Sheerin and sister Jodie Coulter

“When you go to the auditions they ask you to prepare a verse and a chorus,” an-18-year-old Coulter told the Bulletin about the Brisbane audition at the time.

“I did that and stopped, but Dicko had this look on his face and then said, ‘Don’t stop, please keep singing, please don’t stop’.

“So I started the song over again and just kept singing. When I finally finished they said it was amazing.

The Ricki-Lee Coulter fan club was led by her mum Loretta Sheerin

“(Marcia Hines) told me that she thought I was sexy and she loved my confidence and my personality. Then they told me I was going to Sydney (for the finals). I can’t believe it.’’

Ricki-Lee, who performed Don’t Let Go by R’n’B band En Vogue, was one of only eight young hopefuls to get through the tough round of Brisbane auditions.

The Gold Coaster was considered a favourite through the early weeks of the television series and made it into the final seven.

One mystery Surfers Paradise punter bet $1000 that Ricki-Lee Coulter would be crowned the winner in November 2004.

But in October she was unexpectedly knocked out in a move Dickson declared a “scandal”.

Hines cried and Holden said this was “not the end but the beginning” for the singer.

Ricki-Lee Coulter after being eliminated from Australian Idol.

Dickson, who had been critical of Ricki-Lee’s performance, pleaded with Australian viewers to “get off their arses and vote” to keep performers like her on the show.

But while her run on the show was over, her star was just beginning its rise.

She returned to the Gold Coast in October 2004 to new-found stardom, being mobbed by hundreds of screaming fans when she touched down at Coolangatta airport

She looked every bit the pop star as pint-sized fans surrounded the singer, desperate for an autograph and to wish her well.

“This is unbelievable,” gushed Ricki, as crowd chants of “go Ricki” thundered through the airport.

“This is huge. Oh my gosh.”

Fans held up signs declaring `You got ripped off, Ricki’ and `We love you, Ricki’ as they called for her to be put back into the competition.

Fans from across Australia said they could not get through to the voting hotline.

On the Australian Idol website, there were calls for other contestants to step aside so Ricki-Lee could return.

Numerous petitions urging the show’s producers to reinstate her also circulated around Australia but while she didn’t win, her career took off.