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IAN "Dicko'' Dickson says his passion for music and inability to find the right slot at the Seven Network are the reasons behind his return as a judge on Australian Idol next year.
Dickson, who will be added to the existing line-up as a fourth judge, has also spoken exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph about his battle with alcoholism.
He said he was excited about rejoining the program that made his name on local television.
"I feel great. I may not have been in this great position now, with some good years ahead of me, if I had kept on drinking.
"There's no point me hiding from it - I was an alcoholic. It was taking over my life, and I had to do something about it.''
Dickson, who rose to prominence for his often acerbic appraisals as one of Australian Idol's original judges, admitted he remained a fan of the program despite his 2004 defection to the Seven Network.
"As I sat there watching Idol this year, screaming blue murder at the contestants and the judges, my wife said to me: 'I think you need to stop kidding yourself.'
"At that point, I realised that my heart had never left the program.
"I ran away from music two years ago when I left Idol, and that's my religion in many ways. Music is my life, and I couldn't stomach being without it.
"Now, I feel more passionate about music than when I was in the industry, so I return with this fresh-faced, hungry desire to find some talent.''
Dickson, 43, rejected reports that suggested his return to the program would spell an end for judge Kyle Sandilands.
"No, I'm simply joining Kyle, Marcia (Hines) and Mark (Holden) as a fourth judge - although which end of the table they'll sit me at is yet to be discussed,'' he said.
"For some reason people think Kyle and I won't get on, but that's rubbish.
"I've known Kyle for years, from my days as a record exec, and we've always got on fine. I don't always agree with him, but I don't need to.''
Dickson said he left Seven on good terms and felt no resentment, despite finding little success with My Restaurant Rules, Celebrity Survivor and Dancing With The Stars.
"I've had two really good years with Seven, but I had to face facts. Try as I did, and try as Seven did, we weren't able to develop a home for me.
"I'm aware that I'm an unusual prospect as talent. I'm an ex-record exec who was a judge on a talent show.
"But I don't think it was good for me to go from show to show to show, as though I'm a gypsy.
"I need a home, so I decided to keep it simple and stick to something I know.
"So I stick to music. It's in my blood, and I feel like I have something to offer.''
Although Dickson's move to Seven cost the Kerry Stokes-owned company $1 million, he refused to divulge the monetary worth of his new contract with Network Ten.
"I'm not going to talk about what I earn,'' he said.
"I was overpaid in the record industry, and I'm sure I'm overpaid now, but it's up to me to try to deliver something that works for the public and works forthe network.''
Interestingly, when Dickson and Sandilands were interviewed by The Sunday Telegraph about this year's Idol series, their predictions on who would win, who would make the final three and who would be the next out were remarkably similar.
http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,22049,20860335-5006009,00.html
Dickson, who will be added to the existing line-up as a fourth judge, has also spoken exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph about his battle with alcoholism.
He said he was excited about rejoining the program that made his name on local television.
"I feel great. I may not have been in this great position now, with some good years ahead of me, if I had kept on drinking.
"There's no point me hiding from it - I was an alcoholic. It was taking over my life, and I had to do something about it.''
Dickson, who rose to prominence for his often acerbic appraisals as one of Australian Idol's original judges, admitted he remained a fan of the program despite his 2004 defection to the Seven Network.
"As I sat there watching Idol this year, screaming blue murder at the contestants and the judges, my wife said to me: 'I think you need to stop kidding yourself.'
"At that point, I realised that my heart had never left the program.
"I ran away from music two years ago when I left Idol, and that's my religion in many ways. Music is my life, and I couldn't stomach being without it.
"Now, I feel more passionate about music than when I was in the industry, so I return with this fresh-faced, hungry desire to find some talent.''
Dickson, 43, rejected reports that suggested his return to the program would spell an end for judge Kyle Sandilands.
"No, I'm simply joining Kyle, Marcia (Hines) and Mark (Holden) as a fourth judge - although which end of the table they'll sit me at is yet to be discussed,'' he said.
"For some reason people think Kyle and I won't get on, but that's rubbish.
"I've known Kyle for years, from my days as a record exec, and we've always got on fine. I don't always agree with him, but I don't need to.''
Dickson said he left Seven on good terms and felt no resentment, despite finding little success with My Restaurant Rules, Celebrity Survivor and Dancing With The Stars.
"I've had two really good years with Seven, but I had to face facts. Try as I did, and try as Seven did, we weren't able to develop a home for me.
"I'm aware that I'm an unusual prospect as talent. I'm an ex-record exec who was a judge on a talent show.
"But I don't think it was good for me to go from show to show to show, as though I'm a gypsy.
"I need a home, so I decided to keep it simple and stick to something I know.
"So I stick to music. It's in my blood, and I feel like I have something to offer.''
Although Dickson's move to Seven cost the Kerry Stokes-owned company $1 million, he refused to divulge the monetary worth of his new contract with Network Ten.
"I'm not going to talk about what I earn,'' he said.
"I was overpaid in the record industry, and I'm sure I'm overpaid now, but it's up to me to try to deliver something that works for the public and works forthe network.''
Interestingly, when Dickson and Sandilands were interviewed by The Sunday Telegraph about this year's Idol series, their predictions on who would win, who would make the final three and who would be the next out were remarkably similar.
http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,22049,20860335-5006009,00.html
