ITV'S "THE VOICE" TO BROADCAST AT CHANNEL 7 IN AUSTRALIA

The Seven Network has commissioned "The Voice" from ITV Studios Australia, to appear on Channel 7 in 2021 as part of its successful content-led growth strategy. The 2021 season will be hosted by Sonia Kruger.

"The Voice" is one of Australian television’s most successful and much-loved entertainment franchises and is the purest vocal talent competition that exists globally. Originating in the Netherlands in 2010 the program airs in 180 countries across every continent, including the nine seasons on Australian screens with a galaxy of superstar Coaches including Delta Goodrem, Keith Urban, Seal, The Madden Brothers, Ricky Martin, will.i.am, Kylie Minogue, Jessie J, Ronan Keating, and Joe Jonas.

CEO and Managing Director James Warburton said: “This is a coup for Seven. Adding 'The Voice' to our 2021 program slate is another brick in the wall of our content-led growth strategy of using proven, power formats. 'The Voice' is a television megabrand that will deliver on our promise of more tentpoles, audience growth, and consistency across the year. It is a strong performer in BVOD and will give audiences what they want: the world’s best television."

Director of Programming, Angus Ross said “'The Voice' remains the biggest entertainment show in Australia averaging over 1.5 million viewers each week – delivering on broadcast, demographics, and streaming. We jumped at the opportunity to bring this juggernaut into Seven’s 2021 schedule. Our plans to supercharge the format are well underway.”

The 2021 series will be reimagined to capture the spirit of the times. A new tighter format adapted for latest viewing trends will see the new series maintain all the momentum of the past while injecting the dynamic pace we know audiences love.

“We’re accustomed to working with some of the best production studios in the country to deliver refreshed formats that have new life breathed into them,” said Angus Ross. “We’ve done it with 'Big Brother' and 'Farmer Wants a Wife' this year – and we couldn’t resist the opportunity to responsibly reimagine the format for 'The Voice' 2021. We’ll deliver an established franchise ramped up for newer and bigger audiences, in a lean production format that speaks to modern viewers.”

David Mott, CEO and Managing Director of ITV Studios Australia said: “This is truly a significant day. It is the beginning of a new era of 'The Voice' in Australia which is still the biggest entertainment brand globally. Seven did not hesitate in securing the rights when this opportunity came up and we cannot wait to get cracking on the series for 2021 and to welcome Sonia back to the biggest entertainment stage on Australian television.”

FRANCHISE EXPANSION 

Multiple versions of the global phenomenon "The Voice" secured strong ratings. In the UK, 3.7 million viewers tuned in to watch Justine Afante from Pixie Lott’s team being crowned the winner of The Voice Kids 2020. This season has been bringing in fantastic ratings, with an average of almost 4 million viewers and a market share of 33.8% in the key demo (16-34) each week.

In the Netherlands, the 3rd season of The Voice Senior launched on RTL4 last Friday night with stellar ratings. The heart-warming show with vocal veterans, age 60 and older, captivated 1.3 million viewers and scored a market share of 27.5% in the key demo (25-54). "The Voice Senior" is locally produced by ITV Studios Netherlands.

Elsewhere in the world, the 7th season of the kids version of "The Voice" premiered last Saturday on TF1 in France and also kicked off super strong. The first two episodes achieved an impressive 27.3% share in the key demo (h <50) and secured 3.6 million viewers. The show is locally produced by ITV Studios France.

The Voice franchise, consisting of The Voice (2010), The Voice Kids (2012), and The Voice Senior (2018) currently has a total of 121 adaptations across the globe, making it the biggest and most successful format brand in the non-scripted global marketplace to date. Even in these unusual times with local restrictions due to Covid-19, "The Voice" continues to find its way to the viewers and stays a steady pillar in broadcasters' schedule.