Ian Dickson (TV personality)

In 1989, Dickson joined Sony Music UK (then CBS Records) as a press officer, managing Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Midnight Oil, Warrant and Michael Bolton. In 1990, he moved to the Epic Records label as a marketing executive working with Pearl Jam, Ozzy Osbourne, Living Colour, Screaming Trees and Celine Dion. He became Director of International for Sony UK in 1993, overseeing global strategies for all Epic and S2 label artists including Jamiroquai, Desree, Reef, Manic Street Preachers and Basia. He moved to A&M Records UK in 1994 as Director of International, looking after acts such as Chris De Burgh, Therapy, Del Amitri, The Bluetones and the Mowax label including DJ Shadow, Money Mark and U.N.C.L.E.[3]

In 2001, he moved to Sydney to take up the position of General Manager of Marketing for Sony BMG Australia, and remained in the role until August 2004.[4]

In 2003, Dickson took up his best known role, as the "nasty" judge on Australian Idol in the first and second seasons, alongside fellow judges Marcia Hines and Mark Holden. The first series premiered on 27 July 2003 on Network Ten. A large majority of viewers initially disliked him for his insensitive, cold attitude (including controversial comments on a female contestant's weight), but towards the end of his tenure he became popular for his candid assessments of performances based on his expertise and experience within the record industry. He was also Australia's judge at the first World Idol in December 2003.

Near the end of the 2004 series of Australian Idol, it was announced that Dickson would be leaving the show and Network Ten to move to the Seven Network to broaden his interests as a presenter and producer. The move caused controversy at the time, as the popularity of Idol and Dickson himself were at their peak. His first role at the Seven Network in 2005 was as host of the second season of reality TV series My Restaurant Rules, succeeding Curtis Stone. Also that year he was a contestant in Dancing with the Stars, placing third.

During this time, Dickson and his business partner and manager, David Wilson, formed Watercooler Media, an independent television production company.

In December 2005, Dickson began his first stint on radio, hosting the morning show on Sydney and Melbourne radio stations Vega 95.3 and Vega 91.5, both part of the Vega radio network.

In 2006, Dickson was the host of Australian Celebrity Survivor on the Seven Network.

On 30 November 2006, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Dickson would return to Network Ten in 2007 to become a fourth judge on the fifth season of Australian Idol, rejoining Mark Holden, Marcia Hines and his successor Kyle Sandilands.[5] Season five premiered on 5 August 2007.

Also in 2007 Dickson accepted an offer to be a judge on The Next Great American Band on Fox in the U.S. He was scouted by American Idol executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick based on his performance at World Idol four years earlier. His fellow judges were Sheila E. and John Rzeznik, and the series premiered on 19 October 2007. Australian Idol and The Next Great American Band were filmed simultaneously, which meant Dickson traveled back and forth between the U.S. and Australia for his filming duties.

In 2008 and 2009, he was again a judge on Australian Idol for seasons six and seven, the final seasons of the series.

In January 2008, it was announced that Dickson would be hosting the breakfast radio show on Vega 91.5 alongside comedian Dave O'Neil and former Big Brother runner-up Chrissie Swan, replacing Denise Scott and Shaun Micallef. The breakfast show was titled Dicko, Dave & Chrissie. Chrissie left the show in 2009 and Dickson and O'Neil continued the show for one more year until its end in 2010.

On 4 July 2011 Can of Worms premiered on Network Ten with Dickson and Meshel Laurie as hosts. He and his business partner and manager, David Wilson, developed the show, in which celebrities were required to answer yes or no before a live studio audience to tricky moral questions such as, "Is it wrong to tell your kids there is no God?" and "If a woman has had a boob job, is it an open invitation to have a good look?".[6] He and Wilson had pitched the show several times to various TV networks from 2005 to 2009, finally selling the concept to Network Ten with a pitch meeting where Dickson acted as host and the executives the contestants. At the end of the first series he elected not to return as a host of subsequent series but remained as an executive producer.[7] Can of Worms lasted two more seasons with Chrissie Swan and Dan Illic as hosts and ended in 2014.

After leaving his hosting duties on Can of Worms at the end of 2011, Dickson joined the cast of the second season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia, which premiered on the Nine Network on 18 April 2012. He was announced the winner of the series in the final episode, and split his earnings with runner-up Nathan Joliffee. He won AUD$204,253 for his nominated charity, The Australian Children's Music Foundation. His soft side seen during the series and the final was in contrast to his persona as the hard-as-nails judge on Australian Idol.

After his win Dickson returned to Europe to spend some time with his family. Upon his return to Australia, he announced he would be returning to radio in 2013 as the breakfast host on Sydney talkback AM radio station 2UE alongside 2UE police reporter Sarah Morice.[8] In 2014 Dickson and Morice moved to the 12pm-3pm shift hosting their show Afternoons with Dicko & Sarah. The show came to an end at the end of 2014.

In July 2015 Dickson played Widow Twanky in Bonnie Lythgoe's stage production of Aladdin and his Wondrous Lamp at the State Theatre in Sydney, Australia. Jessica Rowe and Beau Ryan also appeared in the production.

On 28 October 2015, it was announced that Dickson would be one of the four new judges on the Nine Network's new Australia's Got Talent.[9] The series premiered on 1 February 2016 with Dickson as a judge alongside Kelly Osbourne, Sophie Monk and Eddie Perfect.

Starting on 29 November 2016, Dickson appeared in the second season of the TV series First Contact on SBS, one of six well known Australians spending twenty-eight days living in various Indigenous communities across Australia.[10]