Kyle Sandilands has just announced the judges he will work with on Seven’s Australian Idol reboot.
Sadly, Mark Holden, Marcia Hines and Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson aren’t returning, but the lineup still feels like a win. Although, unfortunately, we will never again hear Holden give a great performance a ‘touchdown.’
If you didn’t freak the fuck out when Mark Holden gave someone a touchdown on Australian Idol in 2003 then are you really an Aussie?
— Ⓒ Ⓞ Ⓡ Ⓔ Ⓨ (@cxreyjacksxn) February 13, 2020
Sandilands announced an all-star line-up – Harry Connick Junior, Amy Shark and Meghan Trainor are joining the panel.
Sandilands said: “Start filming the auditions next week. It’ll be me. The other Australian I’ve chosen, Amy Shark, will be the other Australian. She’s excellent. She’s a nice girl, but she’s been busy, she writes songs, she works hard, she’ll be fabulous.
“Meghan Trainor and from American Idol. Harry Connick Jr. Yes, grannies, get your panties wet now. Harry Connick Jr is on Australian Idol. He’s a real crooner.”
If you don’t know who Trainor is, remember that song, “My lips are moving!” That is her. Plus, she married the guy from Spy Kids, and now they make TikToks together. I simply couldn’t make this stuff up.
@meghantrainor Didn’t realize how good of a rapper @darylsabara is
The original Australian Idol series was a huge hit and gave us some pretty incredible pop culture moments. Remember Paulini in the gold dress?
I can't explain what has led to me Google this photo right now, but I'd just like to say that, on reflection, PAULINI LOOKED ABSOLUTELY BANGING IN THAT GOLD DRESS. #JUSTICEFORPAULINI pic.twitter.com/opdV2TcnbP
— Petra Starke 🌟🗝 (@petstarr) July 31, 2019
Or when Ricki Lee was the favourite and got voted off?
The biggest injustice since Ricki Lee was voted off Australian Idol in 2004. #RuPaulsDragRaceDownUnder
— Katherine Allan (She/her) (@kathrillhouse) May 8, 2021
Basically the reboot has some big pop culture shoes to fill, but the show is already getting buzz before it has even started filming.
So that kind of hype bodes well for Seven.