‘Judge Rinder’ producers have been scouting for "entertainers" to take part in the courtroom show.
The ITV show – which stars criminal law barrister Robert Rinder – has been sending out Facebook posts from researchers looking for "DJs and entertainers who are looking for TV opportunities".
DJ karaoke host and close-up magician Steve Colledge told the Mirror: "I told [an ITV executive] I’m a magician and have parrots and do magic with the parrots.
"He asked ‘does anyone owe you money?’. I said ‘no’. He said ‘do you owe anyone else money or anything else like that?’.
"He kind of went down the lines of that for a while then dropped the bombshell he was looking for someone for Judge Rinder."
A spokeswoman for the programme has addressed the social media call-out, and insisted the team looks for a "wide range" of possible contributors.
The rep added that anyone progressing through the casting stages "must have a real case to be heard".
She said: "We speak to a wide range of potential contributors in the early stages of the production process.
"Anyone who goes beyond this early stage must have a real case to be heard and the production team works rigorously to ensure each case is editorially and legally sound before going forward to be heard by Judge Rinder."
Meanwhile, Judge Rinder himself previously suggested he should be named Best judge in the National Television Awards because of his legal background.
This year, the acid-tongued star was up against Simon Cowell for ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ and ‘The X Factor,’ Robbie Williams and Louis Tomlinson for ‘The X Factor’ and eventual winner David Walliams for ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.
He said before the ceremony: "It’s not Judge Cowell, whose the other, Judge Louis, although I like him very much. I think One Direction fans, you should vote for me, it’s what he would want, definitely.
"There’s judge Walliams, he also wants everyone to vote for me and judge Williams.
"I shall be absolutely furious if you don’t vote for me, it would be completely wrong!"
Judge Rinder scouting for ‘entertainers’
