Dicko's Leaving After Finale

[babooshka]

www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,11058976%255E10431,00.html

Dicko's defection

AUSTRALIAN Idol's hard-man judge Ian Dickson is set to leave the massively successful talent show to join the troubled Seven network next year.

The 41-year-old formerly unknown record company marketing executive rocketed to fame on AI last year.

His acerbic comments helped make him the main face of the Ten show, which drew 2.34 million viewers on Sunday night and is a bigger success this year than last.

However, Dickson's contract with Ten expires after the finale in late November and sources say he used his raised profile to up the ante in renegotiations.

Seven CEO David Leckie is desperate to build his network's stable of stars and is understood to have approached Dickson with an offer.

Ten executives have a high regard for Dickson and wanted to keep him on its star roster, as AI will air again next year.

However, Leckie outgunned Ten with a huge offer that a source said was "well into the six figures", which blew Ten off the negotiating table.

Dickson agreed to join Seven but can't sign a contract until his current one expires.

A Seven spokesman declined to comment, as did Dickson's manager David Wilson. It's understood Seven did not offer a specific program or format.

Dickson has just formed the Watercooler production company and has an alliance with SiCo, owned by Idol's UK creator, Simon Cowell.

[PetshopBowie]

It just won't be the same without Dicko...

[Test Card Girl]

What a shame! Channel Seven might not be a wise move - apart from sport, they don't seem to produce much quality television these days. Simon Cowell has been setting up a new singing competition series so maybe he and Dicko are talking about producing this new programme in Australia?

Dickson has just formed the Watercooler production company and has an alliance with SiCo, owned by Idol's UK creator, Simon Cowell.

[Test Card Girl]

The new Simon Cowell programme is called The X Factor. Does anyone know much about it?

[DogLover]

What a stupid thing to do Dicko! Didnt you see what popstars live did to Molly??? AI wont be the same without your harsh but mostly true comments!
*sniff*

[Kerrie]

Fyrrn said:

The new Simon Cowell programme is called The X Factor. Does anyone know much about it?

I know Channel 10 bought it for reputedly $15 million. There are 3 categories - Under 25, Over 25 and bands. It must be something like Idol, because Simon Fuller tried to sue Simon Cowell (funny, because Cowell was involved in fine tuning Idol) for breaching copyright. The law suit is unlikely to succeed, because the Popstars producers tried unsuccessfully tried to sue Fuller on the same grounds and failed. Anyway, Fuller and Cowell are apparently working on a new project together (probably promoting the hell out of both shows by pretending that there's a bit spat between them when they're actually lovers, who knows). Cowell and Dicko always catch up when they're in the same town, so it's a bit of a love in all round. There were rumours that when Cowell sold X-Factor to Ten that the deal included a requirement that Dicko be on the production team, but Ten hotly denied this, as well as stories that they paid closer to $30 million for X-Factor. Anyway, the X-Factor deal was sealed a few weeks ago, and now Dicko announces his defection to Seven (who have been going down the gurgler, due in part to Idol). It will remain to be seen if Idol goes down the gurgler without him. Maybe this whole thing is part of the reason Mark Holden has started to be more sensible while judging. The show needs to retain as much cred as it can, because Dicko was a huge reason why it worked so well.

[Henry]

Will the winners album next year be with BMG?

[Kerrie]

I think so. Apparently Simon Fuller tried to get Fantasia's and Diana De Garmo's released on Universal, which prompted the inevitable backlash from BMG. I think they were eventually released on RCA, a BMG subsidiary.

[Chicagoholic]

Guest-Kerrie said:

I think so. Apparently Simon Fuller tried to get Fantasia's and Diana De Garmo's released on Universal, which prompted the inevitable backlash from BMG. I think they were eventually released on RCA, a BMG subsidiary.

Fantasia went to J records which is the RnB branch, while Diana went to RCA the Pop branch.

[kattykatkatkat]

I'm so sad dicko is leaving - I proabably won't watch aus idol if there is no dicko - he made the show what it is!

[Moochy]

I heard on B105 this morning that he can't talk about it until next week.

oooooh, have to wait anxiously.

Question: If Dicko left, then would another record company and exec come in or do you think BMG would send in another person?

[henry]

yeah thats what im worried about if bmg are like "lets put a random exec in dicko's place" that be like total shit house, unless he/she was cool

[Kerrie]

Guest-henry said:

yeah thats what im worried about if bmg are like "lets put a random exec in dicko's place" that be like total shit house, unless he/she was cool

Given that BMG are the company who have first right to sign any of the finalists, I think they would be the ones to provide an exec, though now that they have merged with Sony, it's possible a Sony person might be used. They'd be mad to use someone from the opposition.

[Kerrie]

Guest-henry said:

yeah thats what im worried about if bmg are like "lets put a random exec in dicko's place" that be like total shit house, unless he/she was cool

Given that BMG are the company who have first right to sign any of the finalists, I think they would be the ones to provide an exec, though now that they have merged with Sony, it's possible a Sony person might be used. They'd be mad to use someone from the opposition.

[Chicagoholic]

Maybe they won't use an exec at all, and go with someone totally different?