news articles 10 december

[Inside Australian Idol]

Australian Idol cancels after heat claims fans
Carla Danaher
10dec03

AUSTRALIAN Idol winner Guy Sebastian has cancelled an appearance in Melbourne today after dozens of his fans were hit by heat exhaustion in Adelaide yesterday.



Hot Guy: Australian Idol Guy Sebastian breaks down during his performance in front of a huge crowd yesterday.
Picture: James Elsby

One teenager was taken to hospital after he collapsed in 40C heat as thousands of fans queued for an outdoor appearance by the home-town winner.
The singer was due to perform two songs and sign for fans at Highpoint Shopping Centre this afternoon.

But record company BMG last night issued a statement saying Sebastian's engagements for the rest of the week had been cancelled.

Sebastian, a devout Christian, was also due to fly to Brisbane to meet fans tomorrow.

An upset Sebastian said he was shocked to hear of the teenager's collapse and was praying for his recovery. "I hope he's back at home by Christmas," he said. "I'll be thinking of him and his family."

The 18-year-old was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he was reported to be in a critical but stable condition.

BMG managing director Ed St John expressed concern for the teenager.

"We are anxiously awaiting news of his condition and send our best wishes to his family at this difficult time," he said.

Sebastian is to fly to London on Saturday to represent Australia in the World Idol competition.

His debut album Just As I Am was released on Monday and his first single, Angels Brought Me Here, has topped the ARIA singles chart.


www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,8119018%255E2902,00.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

Heat strikes Guy mania
By BRYAN LITTLELY, CHRISTOPHER SALTER and LAUREN McMENEMY
10dec03

IT WAS supposed to be a triumphant homecoming for Guy Sebastian – instead it left the Australian Idol winner in tears.

More than 7000 fans – some who had waited for up to eight hours in furnace-like conditions – packed into Rundle Mall yesterday to hear him sing.

But the soaring temperatures – which peaked at 39C when he appeared on stage – left 60 people needing treatment for heat exhaustion, with one teenager last night fighting for his life.

In front of stunned onlookers, paramedics worked desperately to revive the 18-year-old before he was rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Sebastian cried and cut short his performance after being told of the incident only moments before taking the stage.

He sang only one of three scheduled songs – His Eye Is On The Sparrow – before he broke down.

"A sad, sad thing has happened – something I didn't expect," he told the crowd before being escorted away by minders.

BMG Australia, the record company behind Australian Idol, was under fire last night over its organisation of the event and the choice of venue.

Conditions in the mall – already bursting with Christmas shoppers – were stifling, as emergency services struggled to gain access to help distressed fans.

"It was very unpleasant," Chief Inspector Neil Smith said.

"It was pretty unforgiving – there's no grass, just concrete.

"If you get caught in the crowd you run out of air, basically."

St John Ambulance event co-ordinator Mark Christie said his organisation, which provided 20 volunteers, was informed about the event a week ago but SA Ambulance was only told on Monday, which was insufficient.

SA Ambulance shift manager Leonie Wilton said extra staff had been rostered on for Sebastian's appearance but had been on standby in vehicles patrolling the city centre and not in the mall.

After the teenager's collapse and a flood of reports of fans suffering heat exhaustion, two intensive care units were set up on either side of the stage in Gawler Place.

Ms Wilton said "more resources" were brought in as the situation worsened. "Whenever there is a major event there is always going to be access problems for SA Ambulance and other emergency services.

"That's why we request some notice so we can plan for the events." She said the paramedics attended to the man within four minutes.

Opposition emergency services spokesman Robert Brokenshire said the venue choice was poor for what organisers knew would be a big event.

"Knowing how big Guy Sebastian is – especially in Adelaide – the event should have been held in a more open area, somewhere with more ventilation and where people could spread out," he said.


Adelaide City Council, which booked the venue to BMG after the record company's event management plan was approved, supplied 30 security guards for the event and provided more than 5000 bottles of water to fans during the day.

"A lot of people tried to make sure this function would run smoothly," council chief executive Mal Hemmerling said.

"I can't speculate whether or not this (the teen collapsing) was caused by the event, or even if the boy was involved in the event – we don't run the events."

Upset and shocked, Sebastian sat for about three hours signing autographs for fans.

"I hope he's back at home by Christmas," Sebastian said referring to the teenager. "I'll be thinking of him and his family."

BMG Australia managing director Ed St John also expressed his distress.

As a result of yesterday's events, BMG Australia cancelled Sebastian's engagements in Melbourne today and in Brisbane tomorrow.

Sebastian heads for London on Friday to compete in World Idol.


www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8119933%255E910,00.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

Heatstruck fan drives Guy to tears
December 10, 2003 - 9:25AM

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Australian Idol Guy Sebastian has cancelled public appearances in Melbourne today and Brisbane tomorrow after a fan was hospitalised at a similar event in Adelaide.

Sebastian was visibly upset yesterday after learning that an 18-year-old man had collapsed in 40 degree heat in Rundle Mall and had been taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition.

"A sad, sad thing has happened - something I didn't expect," Sebastian told the 7000 strong crowd before being escorted away by minders.

He had sung just one of three scheduled songs in what was expected to be a triumphant homecoming for the 21-year-old from the Golden Grove in Adelaide's north-eastern suburbs.

His record company, BMG Australia, immediately cancelled public appearances in Melbourne and Brisbane but it was believed Sebastian would leave Australia on schedule on Friday to compete in World Idol competition in London.

BMG managing director Ed St John issued a statement expressing concern for the teenager who collapsed.

"We are anxiously awaiting news of his condition and send our best wishes to his family at this difficult time," Mr St John said.

He said Sebastian, a devout Christian, had been upset by the incident and was praying for the boy's recovery.

The SA ambulance service said as well as the man taken to hospital about 60 other people were treated for heat-related problems.

While police said conditions in the mall were stifling.

"It was very unpleasant," said Chief Inspector Neil Smith.

"It was pretty unforgiving, there's no grass, just concrete.

"If you get caught in the crowd you run out of air, basically."

AAP

www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/10/1070732246909.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

Guy in tears for fan
By Emma Chalmers
December 10, 2003


AUSTRALIAN Idol Guy Sebastian has cancelled the remainder of his nationwide promotional tour after a young fan collapsed during his appearance in Adelaide yesterday.



Guy breaks into tears on stage in Adelaide.

The teenage boy was in hospital last night after he collapsed in Rundle Mall in 40C heat before the reality-TV show winner's appearance.

The youth was in Royal Adelaide Hospital in a critical but stable condition.

Sebastian's performance went ahead but the 22-year-old broke down on stage in his home town during his set, which was shortened from three songs to one.

His record label BMG last night released a statement announcing it had cancelled all his engagements for the remainder of the week, including a scheduled performance and meet and greet at Robina Town Centre on the Gold Coast tomorrow.

In the statement Sebastian said he was shocked at the incident and was praying for the boy's recovery.

"I hope he's back home by Christmas," he said. "I'll be thinking of him and his family."

It is unlikely Sebastian will be able to reschedule his appearances as he flies to London on Saturday to compete in the World Idol competition, which will be telecast on Channel 10 in Australia on Boxing Day.

Sebastian will line up against idols from the US, Britain and nine other nations for World Idol.

Australia's representative on the judging panel will be Ian "Dicko" Dickson, who told The Courier-Mail yesterday he believed Sebastian had what it takes to take out the global title.

Sebastian's debut album, Just As I Am has already broken the record for the fastest selling album in Australia, selling over 400,000 copies in just two days, so the sales boost offered by a publicity tour is not a necessity.

It is not the first time a fan has been seriously hurt during a concert performance.

Fifteen-year-old schoolgirl Jessica Michalik was crushed to death while watching Limp Bizkit at the Big Day Out festival in Sydney in January 2001.

The Courier-Mail


entertainment.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4459,8121693%255E10431%255E%255Enbv,00.html

[Inside Australian Idol]

Concerts cancelled after Idol concert collapse
A teenager remains in a critical condition in hospital after collapsing at a performance by Australian Idol winner, Guy Sebastian, in Adelaide yesterday.

Sebastian was upset by the man's collapse and cut short his performance, while similar scheduled appearances in Melbourne and Brisbane have been cancelled.

The 18-year-old man was among more than 7,000 fans who packed into Rundle Mall yesterday afternoon in stifling heat.

As temperatures neared 40 degrees, up to 60 people were treated for heat exhaustion.


abc.net.au/news/australia/vic/metvic-10dec2003-2.htm

[Inside Australian Idol]

Teen critical after Idol appearance
December 10, 2003 - 8:05PM


An 18-year-old man remained in a critical condition after collapsing at a performance by Australian Idol Guy Sebastian.

An upset Sebastian cancelled public appearances in Melbourne on Wednesday and Brisbane on Thursday after the man collapsed in 40 degree heat in Adelaide's Rundle Mall on Tuesday.

About 60 other people were treated by paramedics for heat-related problems.

Before an Adelaide crowd of 7,000 fans, Sebastian performed just one of three scheduled songs in what was expected to be a triumphant homecoming for the 21-year old from Adelaide's north-eastern suburbs.

"A sad, sad thing has happened - something I didn't expect," Sebastian told the crowd before being escorted away by minders.

A spokesman at the Royal Adelaide Hospital said the 18-year-old man was in a "critical but stable" condition.

No further details of his condition would be released, the spokesman said.

Despite the cancellation of events in Melbourne and Brisbane, it was believed Sebastian would leave Australia on schedule on Friday to compete in the World Idol competition in London.

Ed St John, managing director of Sebastian's record company BMG Australia, issued a statement expressing concern for the teenager who collapsed.

"We are anxiously awaiting news of his condition and send our best wishes to his family at this difficult time," Mr St John said.

He said Sebastian, a devout Christian, had been upset by the incident and was praying for the boy's recovery.

Police described conditions in Rundle Mall for Sebastian's performance as stifling.

"It was very unpleasant," Chief Inspector Neil Smith said.

"It was pretty unforgiving, there's no grass, just concrete.

"If you get caught in the crowd you run out of air, basically."

©2003 AAP


www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/10/1070732280168.html