Olly Murs "gutted" as ITV show is axed
Pop star and TV presenter Olly Murs has explained why he is "gutted" that his singing competition show Starstruck on ITV has been axed.
The show, which aired for two seasons on ITV from 2022, saw members of the public impersonate showbiz legends in a fresh take on the TV staple Stars in Their Eyes.
Despite a lot of love from viewers, it was announced that the series had been cancelled in September, 2023.
Via The Sun at the National Television Awards, Murs explained: "Presenting is something I have always loved doing. Starstruck was amazing but that isn’t coming back.
"I am gutted; it is such a great show. In this game, things change so quickly. The ratings did really well but in terms of money and stuff like that, it just didn’t work."
Related: The X Factor's Olly Murs shares intimate wedding day video
Murs, who has also appeared as a judge on The Voice UK since 2018, hinted at whether or not he might return to a reboot of talent show goliath The X Factor, should it materialise.
"I love any show that gives people a crack at this industry. If it wasn’t for that show I wouldn’t be here," he said.
"Me and Simon are great, it’s been a long time. Whether it’s The X Factor or The Voice, there are so many voices that need to be heard. Working on The Voice for me has always been an honour."
After finishing as a runner-up in The X Factor's sixth series, Murs briefly hosted the show in 2015 alongside Caroline Flack.
Related: X Factor star claims ITV "refused" to investigate treatment of contestants
Starstruck featured superstar judges like Beverley Knight, Sheridan Smith, Adam Lambert and Jason Manford judging the amateur singers.
For its second season, Smith departed from the show and was replaced by country legend Shania Twain.
Both winners of its two seasons walked away with a £50,000 prize as a result of their singing and impersonation prowess – season one saw Rachael Hawnt take the crown as Cher, while season two's victor Abbie Edwards won when she appeared as Adele.
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