The Voice ‘went £650,000 over budget’ – Daily TV round-up

BBC talent show 'The Voice' reportedly went over its budget by more than £650,000.

The BBC initially paid £22 million for the rights to the show, which started in Holland and was then a hit in the US.

[Related story: The Voice tour 'fails to sell out a single venue']

But now it’s being claimed that the Beeb has refused to foot the bill for additional costs of £650,000, leaving the production company behind it, Wall To Wall, to pay the excess.

It's thought that the extra cash went on the show's elaborate set, including the judge's pricey swivel chairs.

A source at the corporation told The Sun that 'we handed over a certain amount of money for the show and it is up to the production company how they spend it'.

The show, which BBC controller Danny Cohen hailed as the biggest entertainment hit in a decade, lost a third of its audience over the series while its winner Leanne Mitchell failed to break the Top 40 with her debut single. [The Sun]

Also in today's press

Jenny Eclair has quit 'Loose Women' amid rumours of backstage tension. The comedian said she had 'an absolute hoot' on the show, but a source told The Mirror that 'the decision to part ways was amicable but it is no secret that there is tension backstage between some of the women... she never fully integrated with the other women and feels now is the time to move on'. [The Mirror]

Nicole Scherzinger has been signed as the fourth judge for 'The X Factor', despite Simon Cowell dropping her from the US version. She'll replace Kelly Rowland on the panel, and is reportedly getting a fee of £750,000. [The Mirror]

Rufus Hound has said he quit game show 'Celebrity Juice' because he wasn't funny enough. “I think how hard people laugh at Terry Alderton, Michael McIntyre and Milton Jones and I’m aware of how far I am from that,” he said. [The Sun]