The Voice winner announcement continues ratings decline

The announcement last night on Nine Network’s The Voice that 28-year-old Sydney architect Alfie Arcuri won this season was watched by 1.287 million metro viewers. It was the most watched televised moment on Sunday night.

The fifth season’s grand final’s 2 ½ hour run itself drew an average of 1.153 million metros, putting it at fourth place for the night.

The total metro and regional viewership, as well as catch-up, will be known later this week.

But last night continued The Voice’s continuing decline in viewer numbers for its grand finales. Its first, in 2012, drew 3.2 million. It dropped to 2.13 million in 2013, then 1.57 million in 2014 and 1.66 million last year.

Last night’s show didn’t have the real buzz of a grand finale, not helped by occasional lacklustre song choices by coaches for contestants. Producers tried to up the ante with Good Charlotte’s first TV appearance in six years for the world premiere of their single Life Can’t Get Much Better, and USA’s girl group Fifth Harmony performing Flex.

What producers didn’t expect, though, was the “did you see that!” social media moment when Gold Coast contestant Tash Lockhart, already suffering a bad flu, had a nipple-gate accident during her duet with coach Ronan Keating on Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over.

Bookies favourite Arcuri gets a record deal with Universal Music Australia, $100,000 in cash and a Mazda car. Aside from performing Jack Savoretti’s Catapult (which coach Delta Goodrem chose peculiarly because it was a statement of what his life was going to be post-win) and a duet with Goodrem on Labrinth’s Beneath Your Beautiful, he also previewed his debut single Cruel in which he was clearly channelling Sam Smith.

“This was more than just singing, it was a personal growth experience,” Arcuri said about his ride on the show during which he came to terms with his sexuality. “It was validating.”

Goodrem admitted she struck up a close friendship with him: “When I turned around (in the judge’s chair) I felt warm towards him,” she said.

George Ash, Sydney-based President of Universal Music Asia Pacific, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Alfie Arcuri to the Universal Music family and are excited once again to be part of such a great season of The Voice here in Australia. We congratulate all the artists and coaches on a great year and look forward to working with Alfie on his new single and upcoming album.”

Goodrem also coached runner up Adam Ladell, the Melbourne teenager whose battle with Tourette’s Syndrome made him a viewer’s fave – and also forced Nine Network to have each episode this season on a seven second delay.

Before his sets, Goodrem emphasised the change the teen was making with his brave step of going on national TV. She read out a letter from a 14-year old girl who also had Tourette Syndrome. As Ladell burst into tears, they brought the girl out to thank him in person. The demonstration certainly put the fire in him: he went out with The Script’s Superheroes and won the crowd over.

Another highlight was Goodrem and Ladell’s duet on two pianos on Cyndi Lauper’s True Colours. Initially they planned to sing looking away from each other: during rehearsals, they apparently kept breaking down because of the poignancy of the lyrics.

The show began with the final four, along with Lockhart and Brisbane’s Ellen Reed, performing a rendition of My Chemical Romance’s Sing.

Jessie J, who duetted with Reed on Chaka Khan’s Ain’t Nobody, is said to be making her last appearance on The Voice Australia. She wants to return to recording and touring next year. According to the Sunday Herald-Sun, Nine has already lined up an “international comedian, singer and actor” to replace her.

Nine has announced it is open for new singers for a return season in 2017.