Ricki-Lee reacts after Australia’s Got Talent filming was postponed

Ricki-Lee has opened up about her “devastation” after her next big TV gig had to be yanked by Channel 7 at the last minute.

Ricki-Lee has shared her disappointment after filming for Australia’s Got Talent was postponed amid Sydney’s Covid-19 outbreak.

AGT was due to begin shooting last week in Sydney, but filming was put on hold as the city was plunged into lockdown over the weekend, with multiple states now battling growing virus clusters.

News.com.au understands US actor Neil Patrick Harris – who recently celebrated his 48h birthday in quarantine – and British singer Alesha Dixon will head home following the decision, despite just completing their mandatory two-week hotel stint in order to appear on the judging panel.

Radio host Kate Ritchie and actor Shane Jacobson were also announced as judges earlier this month, with Ricki-Lee Coulter returning as host.

D Minor with Australia's Got Talent host Ricki-Lee Coulter.

In an Instagram post overnight, Ricki-Lee wrote: “I’m so sad that for the second year in a row, a week from filming, AGT has been postponed because of COVID.

“I was really excited for this years show – with an amazing new panel of judges and from what I had seen and heard in my pre-show prep, an EPIC line-up of talent. I truly mean that. It would have been an awesome season.

“After spending the better part of the last 18 months at home in my robe, I was excited to get all glammed up, to be back in front of an excited crowd, to be getting nervous & eager contestants ready to walk out on a stage for an audition that could change their lives.

“I was so ready, we all were. The crew on this show are the best in the biz and they’ve been working on this now for two years with no big shiny show to give to you all at the end of all their hard work! We were so close (again) … but so far. All I can say is … when we are finally back … we’ve got a hell of a lot of talent for you!” she wrote.

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Neil Patrick Harris turned 48 while in hotel quarantine. Picture: Getty Images

British singer Alesha Dixon is understood to be heading back to the UK. Picture: Supplied

A Seven spokesperson yesterday labelled the postponement “disappointing”.

“Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions in Sydney, we have decided to postpone production of the new season of AGT to a date to be determined,” a Seven spokesperson told news.com.au.

“A studio audience is a vitally important part of this much-loved show, so we have made the responsible but tough call to not go ahead for now. A big thank you to our judges – Neil Patrick Harris, Kate Ritchie, Alesha Dixon and Shane Jacobson – and our host Ricki-Lee, and we hope to see you again soon.”

RELATED: Comic rips into Australia’s Got Talent bosses

Radio personality Kate Ritchie. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Actor Shane Jacobson. Picture: Nick Wilson

Sydney was plunged into a tight two-week lockdown on the weekend as cases of the super-contagious Delta Covid variant continue to surge, along with the growing list of exposure sites.

It’s the city’s first lockdown in six months, and it comes after multiple warnings from the vice president of Australia’s peak medical body that the Delta variant lurking across the country “has outrun contact tracers”.

There are currently only four reasons for anyone in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour to leave their homes, including work that cannot be done from home, essential shopping, medical care and exercise in groups less than 10.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has defended her Government’s handling of this latest outbreak over the weekend, amid scrutiny over whether Sydney should have moved to a strict lockdown earlier to contain the highly contagious strain.

“Can I say very, very strongly any success NSW has had to date is because our Government to the letter followed the health advice,” she said.

“I’m not someone who will be afraid to take any decision we need to keep our citizens safe.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a two-week Sydney-wide lockdown on Saturday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Christian Gilles