Canadian Idol Ready To Launch Season Four

Season four of Canadian Idol is getting ready to kick-off after sifting through a record-shattering number of hopefuls looking to become the next Kalan Porter or Melissa O'Neil. The show will premiere on CTV on May 29, a week after the completion of American Idol's most successful season.

A total of 12,173 people auditioned for this year's show, an 81 per cent increase over last year. That number was whittled down to 212 (122 females and 90 males), who are assembling in Toronto this week. The provincial breakdown is: Newfoundland And Labrador (8), Nova Scotia (18), New Brunswick (4), Quebec (27), Ontario (72), Manitoba (24), Saskatchewan (5), Alberta (28), British Columbia (24) and Northwest Territories (2).

By the end of the next round of eliminations, judges Farley Flex, Jake Gold, Sass Jordan and Zack Werner will reduce the 212 wannabes down to 22 semi-finalists. The first three weeks of the show will include highlights from the cross-country auditions, while the June 19 and 20 episodes will reveal the top 22. Their fates will be left in the hands of the voting public after they perform live on the show during the week of June 26.

More contestants will be eliminated as the show progresses through the summer, and the first top 10 show will air live from Toronto's John Bassett Theatre during the week of July 17. Finalists will perform and be eliminated one by one for the next eight weeks until a winner is declared.

Ben Mulroney will once again host the show, and the original four judges will be back again to dish out compliments, criticism and opinions. They'll be joined by a new addition to the program, Elena Juatco, a former Idol finalist who will serve as a roving reporter and provide advice and support to the competitors.

"We've found some real stars," says Idol executive producer John Brunton. "From the cool older kids who front their own bands to the pure, raw talent of some of the younger singers, Canada is going to freak out over the talent on Canadian Idol this year."

The Canadian Idol website will provide access to everything Idol, with exclusive columns, videos and photos, as well as games, quizzes, polls, message boards and alerts.