The Voice Australia has a brand new look after Sporty Spice Melanie C was added to the panel of judges for the upcoming 2025 season of the singing competition.

Mel is joining former Boyzone member Ronan Keating and ’80s American star Richard Marx in the big red chairs.

The international line up is rounded out by returning coach Kate Miller-Heidke, who is the only Aussie on the judging panel this year.

In a high-octane trailer for the upcoming season, Mel C is touted as ‘an icon’, ‘a pop culture phenomenon’ and the biggest viewer drawcard for the Channel Seven reality show.

‘There’s only five of them in the world… and we’ve got one,’ fellow coach Ronan brags in the trailer.

The Voice Australia has a brand new look after Sporty Spice Melanie C was added to the panel of judges for the upcoming 2025 season of the singing competition

Mel C is joining former Boyzone member Ronan Keating and ’80s American star Richard Marx in the big red chairs

‘She made history as part of the biggest selling female group of all time,’ he adds.

‘We all want you bad,’ Mel is seen telling one hopeful contestant after smashing her big red button.

‘You’ve got so much girl power!’ she tells another aspiring female pop star in the first look.

‘With a spice girl is where you belong!’.

In yet another power play for a team member, Melanie openly admits she’s relying on her Spice Girl status to reel in the best singers.

‘I was a Spice Girl. That is my pitch,’ she says bluntly.

The Voice formula relies on an international superstar judge battling out local legends for the best singing talent in the competition.

UK singer Rita Ora held that position for two seasons alongside Aussie veterans Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy.

Melanie C has been quietly dating Australian model Chris Dingwall since at least the middle of last year

The famously private singer said she is ‘missing life Down Under AU,’ as she captioned carousel of photos taken during filming for The Voice

Mel has been quietly dating Australian model Chris Dingwall since at least the middle of last year.

In 2024, her extensive DJ tour saw her visit Australia twice within six months and she  enjoyed an extended holiday with Chris off the end of her busy work schedule.

In the last 12 months, the blossoming relationship has gone from strength to strength,

The famously private singer said she is ‘missing life Down Under AU,’ as she captioned carousel of photos taken during filming for The Voice.

The collection happy snaps, posted last week, included a rare selfie with her beau.

Mel was first announced in a fresh new The Voice judging panel in January, after longtime judges Jessica Mauboy, Rita Ora, and one season wonder Jason DeRulo vacated their big red chairs.

Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian, who started on The Voice in 2019, was the last man standing until October 2024, when he sensationally quit.

‘I have some news to share with you all regarding my role as a Voice coach,’ the original Australian Idol winner penned in an announcement made to Instagram.

‘I have made the decision to take a break from the best red chair on the planet… Whoever has the audacity to take my chair, don’t get too comfortable… I will wrestle for it back with zero dignity when I’m ready to return,’ he wrote.

Guy Sebastian sensationally quit The Voice Australia in October 2024

Mel will be searching for Australia’s next singing sensation alongside Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Richard Marx and multi-platinum selling hitmaker Ronan Keating. Fan favourite Kate Miller-Heidke is also back

Viewers have expressed mixed reactions to the shakeup, with some questioning the lack of Aussie faces.

‘I just know the network scrambled when Guy [Sebastian] announced his departure,’ one user commented on Instagram.

‘And the death of Voice Australia is complete,’ added another.

‘I might actually watch this year now that there is a Spice Girl for a judge,’ one person countered.

Returning host Sonia Kruger will lead the series, which will  coincide with the 65th TV WEEK Logie Awards on 3 August, for which both The Voice and Kate Miller-Heidke are nominees.