Australian Idol set to be put in idle

AUSTRALIAN Idol looks set to be the first TV casualty of the year after judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson confirmed his contract had not been renewed and industry insiders revealed Channel 10 plans to rest the program for 2010.

Ten announced the program's return in its 2010 season launch last October, but sources say it did a backflip to avoid another year of embarrassing ratings.

Ten also was believed to be anxious about how the program would fit around its coverage of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, from October 3 to 14 in the middle of the Australian Idol season.

"Ten is going to rest Australian Idol for 2010," a TV insider said. "They will make a decision towards the end of 2010 as to whether it will return in 2011."

Plagued with disruptions, including the controversial and shock exit of judge Kyle Sandilands, who was replaced by Sony talent scout Jay Dee Springbett last year, Dickson says that shelving the program and starting over would not be a bad thing.

Dickson is enjoying holidays before recommencing his breakfast radio commitments on Vega this month.

Presenter Ricki-Lee Coulter refused to comment on the speculation, saying she was focusing on her album and new breakfast radio position at Nova in Sydney.

A national average audience of 1.4 million watched Stan Walker's triumph over Hayley Warner in the program's finale last year, compared with the more than 3.34 million who watched Guy Sebastian beat Shannon Noll in the premiere season in 2003.