Australia’s Got Talent host Ricki-Lee Coulter has broken her silence after the show was indefinitely postponed due to Sydney’s coronavirus outbreak.
Taking to Instagram on Monday night, the 35-year-old singer shared throwback photos from previous seasons, alongside a heartfelt caption.
‘I’m so sad that for the second year in a row, a week from filming, AGT has been postponed because of Covid,’ she began.
‘So sad’: Australia’s Got Talent host Ricki-Lee Coulter has broken her silence after the show was indefinitely postponed due to Sydney’s coronavirus outbreak
‘I was really excited for this year’s 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.’
Ricki-Lee, who was also supposed to host AGT last year before Seven pulled the plug on the season, admitted her professional life had suffered because of the pandemic.
‘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,’ she said.
Gutted: Taking to Instagram on Monday night, the 35-year-old singer shared throwback photos from previous seasons, alongside a heartfelt caption expressing her disappointment
No gig: Ricki-Lee, who was also supposed to host AGT last year before Seven pulled the plug on the season, admitted her professional life had suffered because of the pandemic
Ricki-Lee then paid tribute to the cast and crew of AGT, who were left disappointed and out of pocket after the talent show was cancelled for a second year in a row.
‘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,’ she said.
‘All I can say is… when we are finally back… we’ve got a hell of a lot of talent for you!’
New judge Alisha Dixon was quick to share a message of support for Ricki, writing: ‘Beautifully said @therickilee! Momentary pause… because the show must go on!’
Supportive: New judge Alisha Dixon was quick to share a message of support for Ricki, writing: ‘Beautifully said @therickilee! Momentary pause… because the show must go on!’
Axed! Channel Seven decided on Monday evening to pull the plug on AGT in the wake of Sydney’s Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent statewide lockdown. Pictured: AGT 2019 judges Nicole Scherzinger (left) and Manu Feildel (centre) with host Ricki-Lee (right)
Network bosses decided on Monday evening to pull the plug in the wake of Sydney’s Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent statewide lockdown, reports TV Blackbox.
The news will be especially disappointing for AGT’s international judges, American actor Neil Patrick Harris and English singer Alesha Dixon, who just days ago emerged from a two-week stint in hotel quarantine ahead of filming.
Going home: The news will be especially disappointing for AGT’s international judges, American actor Neil Patrick Harris (left) and English singer Alesha Dixon (right), who just days ago emerged from a two-week stint in hotel quarantine ahead of filming
‘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 said.
‘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.’
AGT was due to begin shooting last week at Rooty Hill RSL in Sydney, but filming was postponed due to the escalating Covid-19 situation and has now been called off entirely.
The show’s celebrity judges, also including radio host Kate Ritchie and actor Shane Jacobson, are all ‘expected to be paid in full’ for their time.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian thrust Sydney into a two-week lockdown on Sunday as cases spread further away from the eastern suburbs epicentre, with several burgeoning super-spreader sites being a matter of concern.
Not leaving empty handed? The show’s celebrity judges, also including radio host Kate Ritchie (pictured) and actor Shane Jacobson, are all ‘expected to be paid in full’ for their time
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant on Sunday gave no guarantee that the lockdown would be lifted on July 9 as scheduled with cases surging and the long list of exposure sites growing at an alarming rate.
As it stands there are only four reasons for anyone in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour to leave their homes.
Those reasons are work that can’t be done from home, essential shopping, medical care and exercise in groups less than 10.
Concerns: New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) thrust Sydney into a 14-day lockdown on Sunday. NSW recorded 30 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections in the Bondi cluster to 112