Radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson announced her coronavirus test results live on air this morning, after production of The Masked Singer was thrown into chaos over the weekend following a COVID-19 outbreak on set.
The 45-year-old revealed on her KIIS FM breakfast show that she’d received a text message alert from Victorian health authorities during a commercial break. She tested negative.
Earlier in the broadcast, Jackie had confessed she was ‘nervous’ and checking her phone ‘every five minutes’.
The wait is over: Radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson (pictured) announced her coronavirus test results live on air this morning, after production of The Masked Singer was thrown into chaos over the weekend following a COVID-19 outbreak on set
At the start of the program at 6am, Jackie addressed the situation in Melbourne’s Docklands, where filming of The Masked Singer ground to a halt on Saturday when seven dancers tested positive for COVID-19.
‘We all did our tests yesterday [Sunday] morning. We really feel for [the dancers]. They’re young and they’d be naturally a little scared at the moment,’ she said.
‘It’s really sad that that happened actually.’
Uncertainty: She revealed on her KIIS FM breakfast show that she’d received a text message alert from Victorian health authorities during a commercial break. She tested negative
Jackie explained that the dancers were kept apart from the judges and host Osher Günsberg during filming, thereby minimising their risk of exposure.
She said: ‘We’re all in different quarters of the set. So you’ve got Hughesy [judge Dave Hughes], Dannii [Minogue], Urzila [Carlson] and I in one area.
‘And then you’ve got dancers in another area. [The judges] can still get to that area, but we often don’t go to that area.
‘And then you’ve got Osher’s area… it’s really weird, he’s in a different area to us, and I think that’s because he doesn’t actually hang out with us at all because he’s hosting. Even his walk to the stage is in a different area, if that makes sense.’
Fingers crossed: Earlier in the show, Jackie had confessed she was ‘nervous’ and checking her phone every ‘every five minutes’
Outbreak: Filming of The Masked Singer in Melbourne’s Docklands ground to a halt on Saturday when seven dancers tested positive for COVID-19. Pictured: judge Dannii Minogue
Jackie went on to describe how things went down on Saturday.
She said: ‘I had literally just had all my hair and makeup done. I was all excited because it was the finale and I knew I’d be coming home [to Sydney] after that. I knew I was on the home stretch… and that’s when we were told the news.
‘I think we were literally an hour and a half away from being called to set to film. We all just packed up and went home, and we’re in isolation. I’m still in isolation.
‘We’ll get our results this morning.’
Close call: Jackie explained that the dancers were kept apart from the judges and host Osher Günsberg (pictured) during filming, thereby minimising their risk of exposure
Jackie revealed that she was told about the COVID-19 outbreak by Stephen Tate, Channel 10’s head of programming.
‘He knocked on my dressing room door. He looks at Max, who’s my hair and makeup guy, because we’re not allowed to have more than two people in the one room. So he looks at Max and he looks at me and goes, “Hey, can we have a chat?”
‘I thought, what is it? Just rip the Band-Aid off and tell me. And Mex left and he [Tate] told me the news that one of the dancers has tested positive.’
‘How did you handle the news?’ asked Jackie’s co-host Kyle Sandilands.
She replied: ‘I sat down and I was like, oh no… is he okay? I was calm, I really was, because what can you do?
‘I feel like with this show, so many hurdles have been placed in front of us that at the moment I’m not surprised that another hurdle has come our way.’
‘Hey, can we have a chat?’ Jackie revealed that she was told about the COVID-19 outbreak by Stephen Tate, Channel 10’s head of programming. Pictured (left to right): The Masked Singer judges Dannii Minogue, Dave Hughes, Jackie O and Urzila Carlson
Channel 10 said in a statement on Saturday that the entire production team was being monitored closely following the outbreak.
‘Network 10 is working closely with the Victorian Government and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services. Network 10 is providing all crew with all the support and assistance possible,’ a spokesperson said.
‘The health and safety of the community, and our staff and production partners is our number one priority.
‘The entire production team, including the masked singers, the host and panellists are now in self-isolation. They are all being monitored closely and are in constant contact with medical authorities.’
Location: The Masked Singer is being produced in Melbourne, which is at the centre of Australia’s coronavirus second wave. Pictured: host Osher Günsberg
Back-up dancers: With no studio audience this season because of coronavirus, the show has instead used dancers to perform in the forefront as the stars perform
One dancer had arrived on set feeling unwell on Friday and was told by producers to go home before testing positive to coronavirus.
Another six dancers who were in close contact subsequently tested positive.
With no studio audience this season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the show has instead used dancers to perform in the forefront as the stars perform.
Victoria recorded another 208 cases of coronavirus on Sunday, and 17 more deaths. The national death toll is now 502.
On hold: After Channel 10 pulled the plug on The Masked Singer, Nine also suspended production of Million Dollar Hot Seat, which is filmed on a neighbouring set in Melbourne
Stopped: The Eddie McGuire-hosted quiz show halted filming at the request of the Victorian Government
After Channel 10 pulled the plug on The Masked Singer, Nine also suspended production of Million Dollar Hot Seat, which is filmed on a neighbouring set in Melbourne.
The Eddie McGuire-hosted quiz show halted filming at the request of the Victorian Government.
Following the breakout at Docklands Studios, a total of 200 people have been ordered to isolate pending their tests results on Monday.
The Masked Singer host Osher Günsberg reveals show was two hours away from filming the finale before production was suspended
The Masked Singer host Osher Günsberg has revealed the show was just hours away from filming the grand finale before production was suspended on Saturday.
Speaking to The Sunday Project via video link, the 46-year-old began: ‘We were literally two hours away from hitting record on our grand finale.’
‘The pyrotechnics were loaded, everyone was in costume and we were ready to go,’ he added.
Bad luck: On Sunday, The Masked Singer host Osher Günsberg revealed the show was two hours away from filming the finale before production was suspended
Osher explained that a young person had put their hand up and said they were not feeling well, before production was immediately suspended.
‘They were brave enough to pull the emergency brake on the freight train. We hit stop and everyone shut down,’ he said.
‘Nothing is as important as everyone’s safety. I hope we can see them as an example if you’re not feeling great, it’s not worth it.’
Candid: Speaking to The Sunday Project via video link, the 46-year-old explained: ‘We were literally two hours away from hitting record on our grand finale’
The Channel 10 star also said that he and judge Jackie ‘O’ Henderson had been scheduled to fly back to Sydney on Sunday, but they’re now in self-isolation.
The COVID-19 bombshell came on the night of the show’s grand final taping.
‘We were fortunate to have already filmed all the episodes except the finale,’ a Network 10 spokeswoman said.
Unlucky: Osher explained that a young person had put their hand up and said they were not feeling well, before production was immediately suspended
The temporary suspension of production will not affect the broadcast schedule, as three weeks of episodes have already been filmed.
The show is based in Melbourne, which is at the centre of Australia’s second wave of coronavirus.
Contact tracing is under way as authorities scramble to determine the cause of the outbreak.
The zany show had been allowed to continue filming under state government regulations as it had commenced production prior to Victoria’s stage-four lockdown.