We've asked James to explain exactly what goes on behind the scenes.

On Sunday's the boys arrive at Fox Studios at 2.00pm.

"Typically I'll get here and go across the road and do voice overs for all of the packages," says James.

The voice overs are done in a separate studio, also on the Fox lot, and are basically James and Andrew's narratives for any pre-taped segments on the show, from a look at the Idols' week, to My Mum Rocks winners to Idol Encore.

"It's kind of good to, before you even get in the studio, know what the show's going have in it and how it's going to shape up and what we're going to focus on."

At 2.30pm it's time for Andrew and James to run through the night's script with writer and producer Steve Kelly.

Explains James, "In the past we'd sit down with Steve Kelly and do a bit of writing with him, but nowadays he writes a shell and we do a read-through of it and we'll add stuff or take stuff out, or re-write stuff for about half an hour or so."

Despite having the script, and changing it several times throughout the day, the boys will often adlib much of it live on the night.

"We need it there for a guide," James says, "and on the night you can go off that. But if there's enough stuff happening to react to and make stuff up, there's a bit of freedom to do that as well. I like the idea that if you make it all in your own words, then it comes across quite naturally."

Throughout the day the contestants practice their songs with John, Erana and the band, and Andrew and James like to watch as many of these performances as they can.

"Watching the performances gives us a good idea of what the show is going to be like, but for the most part you just have to wait to see what the judges say before we can work out how we'll respond to something."

At 3.30pm it's time for the full dress rehearsal, which sees a run-though of the show, but without the judges on hand to make comments.

"It's pretty much the whole show right through as if we're doing it live," James says. "Then we have a little break, have a meal and then we actually do the live show."

At around 7pm James and Andrew take the stage for the live show. The audience will already be seated, and have been whipped into shape by audience warm-up Ewan Campbell. Our hosts chat to the audience, may tape some promos for the show and then one-by-one introduce the judges and performers.

Then, at 7.30pm, it's show time.

"People say it goes pretty smoothly, but in essence we've already done the show a couple of times that day already," says James.

Although he concedes that the performances can take a very different shape on the live show.

"I think sometimes some of the contestants get off lightly when I see the rehearsals," he admits. "But then, I'd say a lot of the time what you see in rehearsal is completely different to what you see in the live show. Either they realise it's the real deal and they give more, or the pressure gets to them and they fall. You can never tell during the rehearsals. I've seen some amazing, amazing performances in rehearsals, this year and other years, and then they go on stage and the breathing's not right or they start on the wrong key, and it's like, ‘Wow, tragedy'. You just never know in rehearsals, and you just never know what mood the judges will be in."

Ain't that the truth?

And then, at around 9pm it's time to head home, after a quick drink in the green room … until it all begins again the following day for the Verdict Show.