It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload the podcast last week. And welcome back guys to TV Reload. As you may know, my name is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast to get all the inside goss all the popular TV shows you may be watching from around the world. Underniably, our TV sets a major part of our home entertainment, and yet very little is known about how our favorite shows get made.
So each episode I've been finding guests that want to dive just that little bit deeper into the shows they're currently making, so that you can hear all their exclusive stories and gain access to the biggest names in austral And television. I want to thank you for downloading or subscribing to this podcast however you've found me. I love hearing your feedback, so make sure you pop in a review or a comment on your chosen podcast platform. On today's podcast, I have Summer warn who has had a
massive reveal on The Mass Singer this week. If you miss Summer's performance as a singing bad Avocado, you can check it out on tenplay because it was fantastic to see Shane Waran's youngest daughter having a good time with a gorgeous tribute to her father. Some has had a very inter start to life, with both parents being absolutely hounded by the media day in and day out since
the day she was born. Since the passing of her father in twenty twenty two, there has been so much interest and support for his three kids, and this particular appearance was really special to see because she made this fitting tribute to her dad. I have to say I had tears in my eyes and I don't think I'll ever really listen to that Coldplay song Yellow the same
way ever again. I will ask some aer about the way in which she found herself on the show and if her siblings would ever get up and sing on a show like this. Somemer will talk about her famous father's famous friends and what she really thought of his ability to connect with people from all walks of life. We will talk about Summer's singing ability and where she would like to turn up next. I personally think that the team at Neighbors would be fools not to have
her on a show now that that series has come back. Plus, we will get plenty of exclusives from behind the scenes of The Mass Singer, which returns next Monday night on Network ten and if you've fallen a little bit behind, please go and check it out as you can do so on Tenplay. Anyway, let's bring someone into the podcast and guys, I really hope you enjoyed this really fun episode of TV Reload. Hi Ben, Hi Summer, how are you?
I'm good? Thank you? How are you?
I am very excited to be talking to you, because you know what, it's kind of funny how much, well, kind of funny and a bit weird, how much we as Australians feel like we know you, like that we look out for you.
It's so bizarre, I know, but it's so sweet, like hearing everyone like all the support and all the comments people are saying, like it's just so heartwarming. And you know, if someone said a bad thing or commented like why she on the show, she doesn't deserve it, like every one of them just claps back and go, well excuse me, she was actually bloody brilliant. So yeah, it's really nice for people to come together and kind of support me and stick up for me. It's really lovely.
We are so invested, I think you know. When Ash has said, Summer warn the youngest daughter of Shane warn. I felt like it was a moment. It was a real moment.
Yeah, it was just kind of like it was so surreal. And you know, here here I should say that I was like, oh my god, like this is really happening. Like I kind of never thought that this would ever happen. But because you know, I love the show, Like you know, I'd watched the show all the time, and for them to approach me like do you want to come on it? I'm like, oh my god, Like really you really want me on the show.
This is kind of strange. But like, would your siblings have done this show? Would Brook or Jackson have said yes to doing this? Is it? Are you the black sheep of the family that it will take this crazy ludicrous offer up?
Yeah. Look, I think Jackson doing sas I think that was his calling. I don't think he'd ever do this. I don't think Brook would ever do this. Yeah, I mean this is kind of my thing. It's kind of up my alley with their singing and the dancing and you know the whole kind of theatrical part of it. It's definitely my calling. And I think Brook's got her cooking and Jackson's got his training and that kind of thing, and I think I'm the little star of the bad aver.
You can you're the bad Avocado the family. But you know what Brook can go and do like master Chef, like maybe that you know what we deserve to have you all on a show this year. You know when you when you looked up while you were singing Yellow, I had tears in my eyes. Like when you were singing it back with your mask off, did you tears watching it back? Last night?
Yeah? I was in tears. I mean because on the show I kind of was like, no, I'm going to keep it together. I'm not going to cry, you know, I just want to get the song out there. I want to get what I have today out there because when I cry, I can't stop. And I just was like, I want to compose myself and then after the show's finich,
then I'll have my kind of moment. But yeah, I think I didn't cry because I was so rushing adrenaline, Like all this adrenaline kicked in and I kind of went okay, you know, toge went into let's go onto this mode where we just focus on, you know, getting it done. But yeah, last night it was so emotional. Everyone was crying and it was it was just hearing it back and kind of looking I was like, wow, I really did that.
I was just so emotional. I wanted to say though to you today, thank you for doing the show. Like I think it would have been a lot, but it meant so much to me watching it. I mean, my partner didn't even cry at all, he didn't flinch. He was basically in a TikTok hole and he looked for me and he was like, what is going on? And I'm like, you were missing one of the most powerful moments of television history. What's wrong with you?
You know? Oh, that's so sweet. Thank you? That means a lot.
I mean, so, how do you get involved in a show like this? I mean, Stephen Tate obviously reaches out to a lot of people. Did how did it come across your table? I kind even imagine an email sliding in and asking you about this.
Yeah. So one of my family friends, she works at Channel ten, and she know she does the project, and my dad's personal assistant, Helen, who's been in my life as long as I can remember. She was speaking to Helen about it. She goes, you know, I know, someone loves to sing and act and dance, would she ever do it? And H sorry I call it h but she kind of was like, ah, you know maybe, I mean, you know, even if she says no, she's doing the show. And I kind of just like, oh, okay, but yeah,
I mean that's kind of how it came about. Helen was talking to me about it. She was saying, you know, I think this is a perfect opportunity for you, and kind of snapped me into motion being summer, like, there's no way you're not doing the show. I'm sorry. I was like, no, like I don't know, but yeah, I mean that's kind of how it happened. I mean, I didn't sign up. I didn't kind of I wasn't really putting myself out there. It kind of just tacked.
But you weren't knocking on their doors. You weren't sending them emails late at night or shooting some text messages, you know.
No, No, I wasn't putting avocados in their mail box or you know, send me the BOCAMOI know, it just kind of just kind of happened.
How did they come up with this idea for the bad avocado? I mean did you kind of laugh when that was presented to you or did you have saying it?
No, I didn't have any say in it. You literally just get given what you're given. It's like what you were told when you're you know, six years old. You get what you get and you don't get upset. That's kind of what happened. And you know that was me. I hat a Zoom meeting and it was you know, you're going to be the bad Avocado and you're going to be sassy and you're going to you know, run them up on stage. And I was like, yep, all right, yep, okay, I'll be the bad Avocado. Did best as I can,
but you know, I loved it. It was so much fun and I'm so glad I got that costume.
It was so good. I mean, I couldn't work out. You know, when you've sung your first song in the first week the other dancers were kind of being mean to you, and Melby was like, oh, they.
Mean to her?
What was that? Is that a clue? Was that something to do with your story? I didn't understand why that was happening.
No, it was kind of just like, I mean, just the storyline. Really, I mean, yeah, I had no idea what was going on. I didn't really I couldn't really see anything. I didn't know. And then when I kind of watched it back, I went, I'm getting bullied by some toast. That's the books.
You gotta laugh at it. I mean, you love that's right.
It was just a storyline. I mean for the bad avocado. I guess I'm going rotten, so they don't want me on the toast. And yeah, that was kind of cooled to a day and just went, ah, right, no worries.
Well, you know, I remember your dad saying yes to doing I'm a Celebrity. There's a big hoo are about it. And I remember a friend of mine works on the show and was so excited to get your dad on board. And the main reason why he said to the casting people of that show and the producers was he was doing it for you kids, because he thought that your kids loved that show. What was that like for him to be on I'm a Celebrity, Get get me out of here. Is that a big moment for you guys?
I think he was just really trying to get your attention. Yeah, it was something he'd never done before and she was just like, you know, I've done cricket, I've done sport, but I've never really held spiders, have been in the jungle and sleep eating. I don't even know what he ate what coke croshes for a living for the as
long as he was in there. But yeah, I think he kind of just wanted to make us proud, and he kind of just wanted to, you know, probably do something he's never done before, and everyone appreciated it and everyone thought he did a huge job. From memory, I think he came third, or.
I always think he won. You know what, It's so weird with these reality shows that after about two years you just remember who was the biggest icon of the series. So for me, I can't remember. I'm like, oh, shame one he won that series.
Yeah, yeah, he had so much fun. I just remember him coming back and going, oh my god, you are skinny. He lost so much weight on that show, and I think that he was so happy. It was like, look at me, look at me, Look how good I look. He lost all the party pis and potato cake waite, but I think that's what he was pretty happy about as well.
Real I mean, it's a great weight Loss program. I mean, this is this next question doesn't go hand in hand. But I actually think your mom should do The Jungle. And for years I've been throwing that out there. I'm like, I think your mom, Yeah, would she ever do a show like that?
Yeah? I wanted to go and Survivor because she was. She's so like, she's so good at that kind of yoga and all that stuff, and not the Survivor of the Jungle has anything.
Yoga's good for it, the yoga's good for a good civil yep. Yeah.
I just think she has such a calm mind and she's got such a kind of peaceful kind of thing that she could actually I think it's all just mind of the matter, Like, well, if you put your mind to something, you could do it. And I think if she if she could probably do it. But I think she would just struggle with the food. I think she would actually starve.
Yeah, but that's okay, that's just a part of it. It's an experience, tell mom, live it up experience.
You know.
My dad also knew lots of famous people growing up. You know, he was always around them, but were as kids never blinked an eye about the types of people that he was hanging out with because we didn't care. Did you take much notice of the people that your mum and dad would mix with, considering that they were all such high profile celebrities.
Yeah, I mean, you know, it was really funny. Actually, when my dad started dating Elizabeth Hurley, I was a huge fan of her because I would watch I know it probably sounds weird, but I was eight years old and I was watching Austin Powers and I just loved that movie so much. Same and when he kind of said, you know, like I went they had not and he was like, no, no, I am, And I thought that was just so cool. But you know, Dad's met so many people over the years, like from Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin,
The Rock, Leonardo DiCaprio, like all those people. I didn't really appreciate it when I was younger, but now that I'm grown up, I'm like, oh my god, why didn't he take me with him when he had these meetings? Like it's just, yeah, it's pretty It's pretty unreal that he to meet all those amazing people.
I know. I mean that Colplay story that was on TV last night is just so epic. And I mean, if you didn't have the photos to back it up. You just wouldn't believe it. You know, they're not having such a great time of His connections with people was legendary, you.
Know, yeah, exactly, And I think that's what people loved about him. I mean, you know, it didn't matter who you were. It didn't matter if you were a janitor, you worked at Cohle's, or you were the higher CEO, or you know, you were a great businessman. Like he treated everyone with the same and everyone with the same respect, and he gave people the time of day, and he really listened to people and what people had to say.
And that's why I think everyone was so touched and moved and thought that you know, the media portrayed him as this kind of villain and this person that you know,
was just so different to who he actually was. And when the memorial happened and you know, all these amazing things were shown and spoke about him, everyone kind of went, oh wow, like I didn't know that about him, And you know, I just think that he would just be really happy of how much respect and appreciated appreciation people have shown.
Yeah, I think the interesting thing about the Australian media is the tall poppy syndrome. Though. We love to build people up and then we tear them down. And it was so interesting no matter what mud they threw at your dad, he was so good at being able to own it and still be himself and not let it get to him. And I think that was a really beautiful story for him. And then it was sort of like, of course that everyone came together and celebrated him, and
it's sad that that happened sometimes when people pass. But the ultimate thing with him was that people loved him.
You know, he was yeah, exactly, and I think that's what you know, people would kind of bash him behind his back and then be nice to his face or kind of just pretend to know him and kind of you know, oh yeah, I know Shane, or kind of name drop him, and you know, he was just so he was such a good guy that he just wouldn't kind of let that get to him and still treated
everyone with the same respect. And the only time he would kind of put people online and tell people to get started was when if they had a bad word to say about Brooke Jackson and myself, And you know, he said, you can say is whatever you want about me, but not about my kids because they didn't choose this life, and you know, they're just trying to live their life as you know, as well as they can without me
getting in the way. And you know, he would apologize for things getting said about us, but you know, we always just said it's not your fault. You were really good at what you did and everyone loves you, and I just think that we're so proud of you no matter what.
Well, I think that's part of the reason why we were I think Australia was in tears last night because you could feel how proud he was because of that look that he had on his face whenever he spoke about his children. You know. So I lost my father to sudden death very similarly, you know, years ago, So
like I think that's prob why it touched me. But I just thought I could never have done what you what you did last night, and I just thought it was just so powerful to watch you and you know, all the stuff that you know he must have gone through. I think it obviously has helped you as well. I mean I can imagine did it help you work out who was who were the eating it's in this world and who weren't.
Yeah, I mean, I go through there's so much stuff in the media and stuff that get says about says says about me, and I'm just kind of like, you know, I could take the one path and go you know what FM stuff that nut or I could go the way that Dad went and not let any words get to him. And he focused on himself and he did what made he did, what made him happy at the end of the day, and that worked for him. And you know, it took amazing courage for me to get
up there. But I think that's kind of I hope to inspire people that, you know, if I can do it, anyone can. If you have a dream, go for it. You know, don't let the insecurity of that little voice inside your head saying that you're not strong enough, because if you believe in yourself and you've got people around you that support you, then that's all that really matters.
Oh my god, something. So you're so wise beyond your years. I mean I was all morning knowing I was talking to you. I was so excited about it because I just think that, you know, you did such a great job and I just thought you'd have some amazing insights. I mean, had you rubbed shoulders with any of those judges before? Have you ever met Hughsey? I felt like Hughesy looked at you like he kind of knew you did any of those judges. Had you met any of them before in real life?
I hadn't met mel B or Abby, but I've met I think I've met Chrissy a few times because my mom and her, I think cross paths a bit. And Husey. Yeah, I've met Hughsy before. I'm pretty sure, but I mean I was so young, so I can't really remember. But yeah, I think I've definitely crossed paths with them over the years. So I think that's why they were like, oh my god. And you know, I spoke to them after the show and they were just saying, how proud you know, Dad would be, and they were just so happy.
For me, of course, of course. And were you happy with all those clues? I mean the clues that were great?
Yeah?
Good, weren't they They were good clues?
I thought, yeah, I thought I thought they were really great because after you kind of go, oh, okay, the cricket ball and then oh, that's why they did the sun for the sum of the first name, and then you know, there was a lot that kind of goes, oh my god, Yeah, like makes so much sense.
I think it's amazing. I mean, you've never done anything like this before. Do you think that you'll do any more television or is this just a once off? I think you've got a great voice, so maybe to do more with your singing. What are you going to do next?
Look, I hope so. I mean my main passion has kind of always been acting, Like I've always wanted to act, and you know, kind of being in that kind of industry. I never really took singing seriously, and I was just my whole life. I've kind of wanted I've done acting classes and kind of things, so I always thought that was my calling. But the feedback that I've got from singing is just absolutely unreal. But yeah, anything in this
industry I just love. I love performing and I love, you know, just being on stage and it's such a thrill. So yeah, I hope this isn't this opens a path for me that more opportunities can come my way.
They would be mad not to have your neighbors as back. They've rebooted at his back. I know, and much you'd be better on that show than Mischa Barton. Get rid of it.
I love her, I grew up watching her on the o Seage.
Don't worry about it.
Yeah, I mean, I hope so fingers crossed. I'd love to be on that show. But yeah, I'm just saying open minded and just waiting for, you know, another opportunity to come the badabb of his hands so I can make block EMOLLI. Well.
Something that I ask everyone who joins the podcast is what if something from behind the scene, something that we as an audience wouldn't have seen on the show that we might appreciate to know from your experience doing the Master Singer.
Look, there's limited stuff that I can say, but if there's one thing I will say is that when you're on set, you are in a very funny kind of costume. You're in a kind of what looks like a dark beata costume so that no one can see of your identity, and the only time you can take it off is
when you're in the pod. And even if you're you're in the little pub that you're in all day and you need to go to the bathroom, you do a special knock on the door, they tell you to put the costume back on, and then you're walking around Darth Vader around set. But yeah, I mean that was pretty fun. That was I think that would be Yeah, that was something that I think people would find funny.
Well, I've been saying I was saying this last week as well. I'm like, all of you should get like a little statue or a little thing that's made of your costume, or at least you know, they should give you the costume. Do you think, Yeah, that was funny. Yeah, that's good, and then you can be walking around Melbourne wearing it. I reckon people would love that.
Oh yeah, that's good.
Good idea summer. It was so lovely to talk to you. I'm so glad that I had this opportunity to do so, and thank you for being so open and sharing so much about yourself and your dad and all that kind of stuff. But it was really lovely to chat.
Yeah, no worries, Ben, thank you so much for having me. It's been so lovely talking to you as well.
Amazing, amazing. Well I'm gonna let you go because a run out of time, But enjoy chatting to the media. I'm sure there's people just as equally as excited as I have been to talk to you, so enjoy it.
Thank you, Ben.
Have a lovely day, no worries at all.