‘I’m really grateful’: Rita Ora reveals how happy she is to work in Australia as a judge on The Voice… after jetting over from the UK following covid rule-breaking backlash
Rita Ora has revealed how elated she is to have joined the line-up for The Voice Australia, as the show prepares to begin filming later this week.
The British musician – who has just completed her mandatory 14-day quarantine after jetting in from England – spoke out after meeting her fellow judges Keith Urban, Jessica Mauboy and Guy Sebastian for the first time in Sydney on Wednesday.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Rita said: ‘I’m really grateful to have been invited here to be a part of The Voice this year. I can’t wait to be able to mentor the amazing talent out here, let’s go.’
Rita Down Under! UK artist Rita Ora has revealed how happy she is to have joined the line-up for The Voice Australia, as the show prepares to begin filming later this week. Pictured on Wednesday
She added that: ‘Australia is home to some of my favourite musicians and writing partners I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.’
Rita landed Down Under at the beginning of the month, after flying over from her home in London to appear on the panel.
Her appearance in Sydney comes after the singer’s lockdown-flouting 30th birthday bash in London in November, a move which saw her branded ‘selfish’ by police.
The party came shortly after she flew by private jet to Cairo on November 21 to perform at the five-star W Hotel.
New gig: Rita landed Down Under at the beginning of the month, after jetting over from her home in London to appear on the show
She returned the next day and under government quarantine rules should have self-isolated for 14 days. Instead, she threw a birthday party on November 28 at the exclusive Casa Cruz restaurant in London’s Notting Hill.
For this she apologised with the following statement: ‘Hello all, I attended a small gathering with some friends to celebrate my 30th birthday.
‘It was a spur of the moment decision made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK… I’m deeply sorry for breaking the rules and in turn understand that this puts people at risk.
‘This was a serious and inexcusable error of judgement. Given the restrictions, I realise how irresponsible these actions were and I take full responsibility.
Cringe: It comes after the singer came under fire after throwing her lavish party on November 28 at the exclusive Casa Cruz restaurant in Notting Hill, but was caught out. She was branded ‘selfish’ by British police as a result. (Pictured on her birthday)
‘I feel particularly embarrassed knowing first-hand how hard people have worked to combat this terrible illness and being fully aware of the sacrifices that people and businesses have made to help keep us all safe. Even though this won’t make it right, I want to sincerely apologise.’
The infamous birthday party at Casa Cruz saw Rita being fined £10,000, the manager of the restaurant sacked and the venue facing losing its licence.
Making matters worse, she had previously pretended on social media that she was simply spending her birthday quietly with her parents, even quoted in a prior interview with The Times saying the same thing.
I’m sorry: Rita was caught twice flouting lockdown rules in November. Rita offered an apology on social media and said she felt ‘particularly embarrassed’ after her party was revealed