Originally Posted by LaurieMarlow:
“Yeah, the dropping of Bill and Zoe is interesting. Well, actually, less so Bill, because he isn't producing and this was the only reason he was on the panel last time. Also, he was total drivel as a judge (searching for a vomit smilie). Hopefully Mackintosh will have something more interesting to say.
But Zoe? Considering that she's been on board right from the beginning? I wonder if there was some tension between her and Andrew last time around. They're both a bit prone to playing favourites and last time around, they weren't backing the same horse. I thought it was a bit obvious in the final of Joseph that she had been warned not to say anything very harsh. She could have laid into Lee (and I'm sure she really wanted to) but she didn't.
I'll miss her in an odd way. I hated her and all, and she could be a total cow, but I felt the bitchiness added to the show. Maybe ALW though she'd be too harsh for the little Olivers?”
Assuming that Zoe was actually 'dropped' (I heard somewhere that she decided not to take part because she was unhappy with the format), I'd assume it's because she did come across sometimes as a bit 'gobby'. As a vocal coach she's supposed to be professional, but some of her comments were less that constructive!
I would hope that she wouldn't have laid into Lee (or anyone else) in the ADWD final. None of the finalists deserved to be 'laid into', least of all Lee!
I think she found Lee infuriating (he was the pro, but he was also shy and deeply insecure. He had incredible talent, but he also had a quite astonishing lack of confidence in himself) - see the clip in the 'Winner's Story' documentary, where she refers to him as 'mumbly, bumbly Lee'. I can understand that, but I think Zoe did, at times, let it impact on her judgement.
Zoe does seem to know her job (vocal coaching), but as a judge, I think there were times when she was found wanting. I hope she has been kept on as vocal coach.
