'Holden Sure Idol 2 Will Be
A Winner'
May 24, 2004 - Rachel Browne - The Sun-Herald
The failure of Seven's Popstars Live to set the ratings world alight might be
worrying a few people in Ten's rival Australian Idol camp, with the show due to
air in July.
But Idol judge Mark Holden believes his show will conquer as it did last year,
when a peak of almost 4 million viewers watched.
"Popstars lost their way when they started copying Idol," he said. "That's where
they went wrong. I feel really sorry for [Popstars judge] John Paul Young
because he is a great bloke."
While some may argue it was Idol that aped Popstars in the first place, such
debate has had no impact on the number of wannabe singers turning up to the
Australian Idol auditions, which finished in Sydney this weekend.
More than 20,000 people have auditioned so far, with mixed results.
"In Tasmania there was only one person who was any good, they were all pretty
shocking down there," Holden said.
And Holden's days as a sex symbol may well be behind him with co-judge Ian "Dicko"
Dickson receiving all the offers of, er, intimate favours from the aspiring
singers.
"Dicko has had a few casting couch opportunities but none for me," Holden
lamented.