Former Australian Idol judge Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson is reportedly “hurt” that he was asked to be one of the judges on the rebooted season.

The new Australian Idol, which started late last month, has a panel of four judges; Kyle Sandilands, Meghan Trainor, Amy Shark, and Harry Connick Jr as judges. The original iteration has three judges; Dicko, Marcia Hines and Mark Holden.

A source told New Idea that Dicko was particularly hurt that he wasn’t invited back to the show because former judge Marcia Hines made a guest appearance on the new judging panel.

“Dicko was always known as the ’mean judge’ but producers are keen for Marcia to step up as the tough and controversial judge this time round,” says the source.

They added, “However, the decision has left Dicko feeling a bit hurt as he feels like he has been overlooked for the series.”

Kyle Sandilands have been shrouded in drama since joining the panel, in particular for his beef with fellow judge Harry Connick Jr. The shock jock opened up about what caused he and Harry Connick Jr. to get off on the wrong foot during an appearance on KIIS FM’s Will and Woody show

“I didn’t mind him … I don’t feel he got the vibe of me,” Sandilands said of when they first met.

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“Personally, I don’t think he gelled with me. If someone doesn’t like you, and you feel it, you just don’t like them automatically,” he added.

Sandilands explained that tensions came to a head when he mistakenly told a reporter that Connick Jnr was concerned about pronouns.

“Yes, we had a blow up … It wasn’t a Michael Clarke, Karl Stefanovic situation,” he said.

“He [Connick Jnr] rang me, I was leaving, I was climbing up the 3 or 4 steps to my plane while he was lined up for the airport going through security,” he quipped of his luxury travel arrangements compared to the other judges.

“I said to someone that he wanted the pronouns to be put onto the contestants’ sheets. I thought I heard him say to a producer, ‘we need the pronouns’ and I told someone on an interview, ‘Oh Harry’s going on about the pronouns.

“Apparently, it wasn’t Harry. And he rang me and he took great offence.”

“I just thought ‘what a flop’ and hung up,” he said, adding: “That was it. Friendship over.” Sandilands explained that he and his fellow judge “don’t really chat off the set”.
“He’s a busy guy, he enjoys his own company,” he said.
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