1. Boy George was almost brought back!
The casting was “very complicated” this year. There was said to be multiple lists of possible coaches causing headaches for production!
Former coach, Boy George, is said to have been very keen to return, but when Keith Urban became available, that changed everything.
“They quickly locked in Keith and Guy as the male mentors, which left only the female coaches to cast. They like the equal balance,” tells the insider.
2. Shock budget cuts
The filming schedule was quite different to every other season, as they had half the amount of time due to budget issues. Set spies say filming at times felt rushed and the crew worked twice as hard.
The source reveals Keith felt the crew did such an exceptional job, he rewarded everyone with an espresso coffee machine!
3. Jess’ breakdown
One network insider says it took weeks of convincing to get Jess to sign on, as she was uncertain she could do the job.
However, she eventually came around and is said to have broken down in tears thanking the producers for choosing her, stating: “Nobody has ever allowed me to be truly myself in the media before.”
4. Unpaid performers
Some artists were left less than impressed when they received limited financial support to take part in the competition, with only flights and accommodation covered.
“Producers view it as, ‘It’s your dream, so you need to back it and support it financially,’” the spy says.
5. Watertight contracts
The show finished filming early this year and keeping the 2021 winner a secret has proved quite the challenge for the network.
The artists making it closer to the finals signed multiple NDAs with huge financial consequences if any details were leaked.
6. Cheat sheets exposed
The rules of the show don’t allow producers to talk with the coaches during each artist’s performances or time on stage.
The insider says they instead had to create “cheat sheets” for the coaches who may not have been familiar with a certain song choice, but otherwise the show is pretty much reliant on genuine reactions.
7. Sonia's here to stay!
She is a familiar face across a stack of Channel 7 shows, but our insider says The Voice is Sonia Kruger’s favourite! It’s believed that, behind the scenes, Sonia has become more involved with the contestants this year – even becoming an unofficial mentor.
“She’s a people person, and unlike hosting Big Brother, this gig allows her to actually get to know the cast,” the insider says. “She’ll stick around for The Voice as long as they keep having her back.”
8. Strict song choices
Due to copyright, insiders say contestants are expected to prepare multiple songs for their Blind Auditions.
“They’re encouraged to have backups to avoid any issues,” tells the source, who says even producers have a say in which track they ultimately perform. “They’re looking for big moments and emotive tracks.”
