‘The Voice Australia’: Audience held against their will, Denyer claims

People who were in the studio audience during a “disastrous” day of filming of The Voice have spoken out after Grant Denyer’s shock claim.

Audience members who were at a “disastrous” day of filming of The Voice have come forward after Grant Denyer’s shock claim about the reality show.

Denyer said on the 2Day FM breakfast show yesterday that a recent taping of the Channel 9 program went way overtime and audience members were held against their will and prevented from leaving by producers.

He claimed one audience member even called the police in an attempt to get let out of the taping at Fox Studios in Sydney.

Triple M’s Kennedy Molloy spoke about Denyer’s claim on their national radio show yesterday and received a call from a man who was in the audience that day.

Jane Kennedy and Mick Molloy at last year’s radio awards. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“It was pretty traumatising by the time we finished,” a caller named John said.

“We got there at 2 o’clock, it was only supposed to go until 7:30pm and at 10:30pm I walked out and it was still going.

“They give you a bottle of water and a packet of chips. They were gluten free shi**y chips! You’ve got the crew walking around with a pizza and we’re getting a packet of chips.

“It was just hectic,” John told the radio duo.

This isn’t the first time. This happened about 3 years ago to my sister. Filming went over by 2hrs +, and staff were not letting them leave as a number of people had already left.

— kath sass (@sassyairlines) March 13, 2019

On the 2Day FM breakfast show yesterday, Denyer said the current season of The Voice is “already falling apart”.

Going into detail about the recent “disastrous” day of filming, Denyer said: “They were running three hours over and the audience had already been there for nearly nine hours for a record.

“It got so bad that the audience … started booing in the record. When the judges started pressing the buzzers, people were like, ‘Boo!’ They were revolting.

“The staff had to lock all the doors to the recording studio and they manned the doors and refused to let anybody out. People were trying to storm out and leave and say, ‘You can’t stop me!’ And they saying, ‘Yes we can!’”

Sam Perry won The Voice Australia last year.

Denyer claimed that The Voice staff stood in front of the doors and blocked the exits and refused to let people leave before filming finished, a claim that a spokeswoman for The Voice has denied.

“It got so bad that audience members started ringing the cops,” the radio star said on air. “They were calling triple-0 at the exits saying, ‘I’m being held against my will at Studio 3 in Fox studios at The Voice set.’”

Denyer also revealed that he’s heard the upcoming season of The Voice will feature a number of contestants who have already appeared on the Channel 9 show.

“There’s rumours they’re contacting a lot of previous contestants in the show, not a good sign,” the Dancing with the Stars host said.

“If you can’t find fresh talent and you’re having to go back through previous series and ask people back on for another crack, that ain’t looking that good.”

2Day FM co-host Ed Kavalee added, “It’s people you’ve seen before — they sucked last time, they suck again.”

This year’s coaches on The Voice are Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Kelly Rowland and Boy George.

In a statement to news.com.au, a spokeswoman for The Voice said: “The records for the Knockout round did run over, as often filming does, but no one was held against their will and was free to leave as soon as it was safe to do so.

“The studio doors were not locked nor were exits blocked. Our priority and responsibility is the safety of the audience and crew in a working studio.”

This year's coaches: Boy George, Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian and Kelly Rowland.