ITV

Tag: Ryan Seacrest

  • Fox to bring down curtains on ‘American Idol’ in 2016; lines up new shows

    Fox to bring down curtains on ‘American Idol’ in 2016; lines up new shows

    MUMBAI: Popular reality show American Idol will begin its 15th – and final – season in January 2016 on Fox.

     

    A season-long celebratory event, American Idol XV will feature host Ryan Seacrest and judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr., as they search for the final Idol superstar and pay tribute to the past 14 seasons of talented contestants and the millions of fans who tweeted, texted and championed their Idols.

     

    The reality show began in 2002 and was a huge success. Over the years, American Idol has been responsible for churning out singing stars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson.

     

    NEW SHOWS

     

    Additionally, Fox also announced that its old hit The X-Files will debut with a special two-night event beginning 24 January, following the NFC Championship Game, and continuing with its time period premiere on 25 January. The thrilling, six-episode event series, helmed by creator/executive producer Chris Carter and starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, marks the momentous return of the Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning pop culture phenomenon, which remains one of the longest-running sci-fi series in network television history.

     

    Come September, Fox will also be bringing back the new TV hit Empire. The show is expected to run up to 18 episodes next season, up from the 12 this year.

     

    Fox will also introduce a series of new shows in 2016 like the devilish drama Lucifer, which is based on a DC Comics story and modern gothic action series The Frankenstein Code; and two comedies, The Guide To Surviving Life and animated Bordertown.

     

    In addition, two new dramas – the futuristic Minority Report and the Miami-set Rosewood will debut this fall. Based on Steven Spielberg’s international blockbuster film and the first of his films to be adapted for television, Minority Report follows the partnership between a man (Stark Sands) haunted by the future and a cop (Meagan Good) haunted by her past, as they race to stop the worst crimes before they happen.

     

    Ryan Murphy will return with a new show, Scream Queens, which stars Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis. Additionally, John Stamos will lead a new comedy titled Grandfathered, and Rob Lowe and Fred Savage will star in The Grinder. New Girl returns to the Tuesday comedy block in January with a season of uninterrupted episodes.

     

    As previously announced, Grease:Live, a three-hour production of the massively popular crossover musical Grease, starring superstar singers, dancers and actresses Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens, will air live on 31 January, 2016 on Fox.

     

    Additional Fox series include: Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?, Bob’s Burgers, Boom!, Bones, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bullseye, Family Guy, Gotham, Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef, Masterchef Junior, The Simpsons, Sleepy Hollow, So You Think You Can Dance and World’s Funniest.

  • AT&T and ‘American Idol’ part ways

    AT&T and ‘American Idol’ part ways

    MUMBAI: Judges have come and gone, but what had remained consistent about Fox’s American Idol apart from host Ryan Seacrest, are the sponsors.

     

    However, in a new development AT&T which has been the sponsor for the reality show for its last 12 editions has finally decided to part ways. The American telecom giant has earlier been quoted as saying that the show is a powerful platform that allows it to connect with its customers directly.

     

    However, it seems the show’s declining ratings has adversely affected the relationship between the two. As per the Nielsen data, reported in American dailies, the average audience size for Idol has dropped by 9.9 million viewers over the past three seasons, from 23.1 million in 2011 to 13.2 million last year.

     

    The other sponsors – Coke and Ford – are still associated with the show, the 13th edition of which went on air on 15 January.

  • Coca-Cola asks ‘American Idol” fans to join singer Taio Cruz for song

    Coca-Cola asks ‘American Idol” fans to join singer Taio Cruz for song

    MUMBAI: In order to create interactivity for American Idol which airs on US broadcaster Fox, beverage conglomerate Coca-Cola has announced the Perfect Harmony collaboration. This invites fans of the show to help write a new song for it that will be performed during the show’s season finale on 25 May.

    Fans can visit www.AmericanIdol.com where they can listen to the opening segment of a song penned by multiplatinum singer-songwriter Taio Cruz. Then the fans take it from there. Taio will start the song and write the beginning of each verse, but it’s up to fans to help finish each verse in time for him to perform the single on the final show. People can also get the latest updates on the programme by following the hashtag #perfectharmony on Twitter.

    Ryan Seacrest, host of the show, said: “American Idol auditions are proof that many of our fans have a passion and desire to sing professionally. What we don’t get to explore on camera are the many talented songwriters that exist as well. Coca-Cola has created a very exciting and innovative programme that, for the first time, gives fans the opportunity to work with a top artist to create a new song that will be performed live in front of millions of people.”

    Each week till 13 May people in the age group of 18+ will have the opportunity to submit lyrics for consideration for inclusion in the final composition. Following each of the four submission phases, Coca-Cola will select the top three lyrics and then fans, ages 13 and up, will be able to vote for their favorite. The lyrics with the most votes will then be incorporated into the song.

    Cruz said, “Songwriting can be an individual journey or a cooperative effort, and I’ve done it both ways. But creating a new song, with the input of music fans and in partnership with Coca-Cola and American Idol? Now that takes the experience to a completely new place and I’m ready to get it started.”

    Perfect Harmony is part of a new Cola-Cola music programme that offers teens the inside track to the latest in music through opportunities to express themselves and collaborate with popular artists.

    Later this year, Coca-Cola will launch another teen music showcase with emphasis on Hispanic teens. People will be able to vote for an up-and-coming bilingual artist or band that will win the chance to perform with an established artist live onstage. The programme will kick off with a concert celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in September.

     

  • Zee Studio to bring red carpet coverage of Oscars

    Zee Studio to bring red carpet coverage of Oscars

    MUMBAI: While Star Movies will telecast The Oscar Awards live from 6 am on Monday, Zee Studio has also something special to offer for viewers interested in the event.

    Zee Studio has tied up with US broadcaster E! to bring their show Live from the Red Carpet: The 2007 Academy Awards to Indian viewers. The coverage starts at 4:30 am. The Oscars themselves will conclude at around 10:30 am. This means that combined coverage on the two channels will last for six hours.

    E! News anchor, Ryan Seacrest, and E! News co-host, Giuliana DePandi, will spearhead the star-studded presence on the red carpet from the site of the annual ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. The pre show will look to capture the buzz.

    There will be more interest this year than last year in India since Water directed by Deepa Mehta is competing in the foreign film category. The suspense is most in the best picture race. For the first time all five nominees Babel, The Departed, Letters From Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen all have a chance to win which is as it should be. Little Miss Sunshine which is the only feel good movie in the bunch seems to be a little ahead at the moment having won the directors guild, writers guild and actors guild awards.

    Martin Scorcese should win best director for The Departed. However one cannot completely rule out two time winner Clint Eastwood. Eastwood has been nominated for Letters From Iwo Jima which tells the story of the second World War from the viewpoint of the Japanese soldiers. Around 21 per cent of Oscar voters are actors and would no doubt appreciate Eastwood making two great war movies in one year.

    Helen Mirren should win best actress in The Queen which deals with the two week period following the death of Princess Diana in 1997. Best actor is a three way race betwen Forrest Whitaker who plays Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King Of Scotland, old time favourite Peter O Toole who falls for a young woman in Venus and Leonardo DiCaprio who plays a diamond mercenary in Blood Diamond.

  • Fox to kick off sixth season of ‘American Idol’ in January

    Fox to kick off sixth season of ‘American Idol’ in January

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster Fox has announced that the sixth season of its music based reality show American Idol returns for its sixth season in a special two-night, four-hour season premiere on 16 January 2007.

    In India the show will air on Star World.
    The search for the next superstar began last summer, as the show travelled to several cities in the US. Over 100,000 people turned up at the auditions for the sixth season.

    The show’s host Ryan Seacrest is back, and judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson return to lend their professional expertise, personal comments and sometimes tough criticism to a new crop of aspiring singers. Some will get the judges approval and others will hear the cold, hard truth!

    Guest judges Olivia Newton John, Carol Bayer Sager and Jewel also joined the road trip this season. Viewers will find out what these celebrity judges had to say about the talent around the country and who gets the gold ticket to Hollywood.
    Last year’s season culminated in the crowning of Taylor Hicks as the fifth American Idol. Hicks joined previous winners Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood as holders of the coveted title. In total, American Idol artists have sold 10 million singles and 23 million albums since the show first aired in 2002. Now the stage is set to turn a sixth singer’s dream into reality.