World Idol

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excuse the html, i'm to lazy to remove it.

World Idol from FOX 12/25 and 1/31 2003
Nov 13 2003 <P>AMERICAN IDOL WINNER KELLY CLARKSON AND 'IDOLS' FROM AROUND THE GLOBE COMPETE FOR 'WORLD IDOL' TITLE TO AIR DECEMBER 25 AND JANUARY 1 ON FOX </P><P>Winners from 11 Countries to Compete </P><P> <BR>Who will be the world's favorite pop superstar? In a two-part global television event, Idol winners from around the globe, including US winner Kelly Clarkson, will battle it out for the World Idol title on December 25, 2003 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. In the second part of the special, which will air on January 1, 2004 (9:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT), the WORLD IDOL will be crowned. FremantleMedia North America and 19TV together with FOX bring this special to America this December.</P><P>On December 25, 2003, the show will feature performances from each of the eleven Idols vying for the world crown. An international panel of judges, one representative from each country, will give contestants feedback on their performances. At the end of the show, viewers from around the globe will be able to vote for their favorite performers (more details to follow). On January 1, 2004, the eleven Idol winners will take the stage to find out who is the WORLD IDOL. </P><P>The Idol winners participating in WORLD IDOL include: Kelly Clarkson, USA; Will Young, UK; Heinz Winckler, South Africa; Alicja Janosz, Poland; Jamai Loman, Netherlands; Alexander Klaws, Germany; Kurt Nilsen, Norway; Diana Karazon, Lebanon; Peter Evrard, Belgium; Ryan Malcolm, Canada; and TBD, Australia.</P><P>In announcing the contest, Alan Boyd, President of Worldwide Entertainment, FremantleMedia Production says, "We are thrilled to announce the production of what promises to be a great global television event. The idea for a worldwide Idols competition was conceived some time ago, and for FremantleMedia and 19TV to now be able to realize this project, working with all of our broadcast partners, is absolutely fantastic. With our network of creative teams and production companies around the world, FremantleMedia is uniquely placed to deliver such a complex and in many respects unprecedented event." </P><P>Simon Fuller, founder of 19 and creator of the Idol format added: "When I dreamt up the idea of Pop Idol, I always saw it is a global concept, and so I'm delighted to see WORLD IDOL being made in London. The last two years have been fantastic and it is incredibly satisfying to see a British TV idea being so successful on a global stage."</P><P>Cecile Frot-Coutaz, FremantleMedia North America Chief Operating Officer Production added, "This is a very exciting new show in the Idols franchise. All of the contestants have proved themselves winners in their own countries, and this is a great opportunity for our viewers to see the range of incredible talent that Idols has uncovered from around the globe."</P><P>The Idols brand has created superstars across the globe and can now be found in over 20 countries. The US version, AMERICAN IDOL, has broken ratings records for FOX and is about to launch its third season in January of 2004.</P><P>Based in Santa Monica and with offices in New York, FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is one of America's foremost producers of reality-based, entertainment programming for television. The company's credits include "American Idol" (Fox), which received five 2003 Emmy nominations; "The Price is Right" (CBS "Family Feud" (syndication); "Oliver's Twist" (Food Network); "Date Patrol" (TLC); "American Juniors" (Fox) and "Cupid" (CBS). <BR>FMNA is a division of award-winning international television production company Fremantle Media, which creates drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in more than 40 countries and territories. FremantleMedia is a wholly owned subsidiary and the content business arm of the publicly traded RTL Group, one of Europe's largest television and radio broadcast companies. The RTL Group owns 23 television and 22 radio stations in eight countries, and is a division of leading integrated media and entertainment company Bertelsmann AG.</P><P>The 19 Group of Companies was founded by Simon Fuller in 1985 and since then has achieved over 35 No. 1 singles and 13 No. 1 albums. Fuller also has an impressive tally of over 60 Top 40 albums and 170 Top 40 singles in the UK alone. Fuller created and managed the Spice Girls, who became a global phenomenon under his guidance, selling over 38 million albums. In 1998, Fuller's 19 launched S Club 7, which has sold 10 million CDs worldwide, while its three television series to date have consistently topped children's viewing figures, reaching 104 countries. In 2001, Simon Fuller's 19TV created and produced the television phenomenon "Pop Idol," the format this is currently in production in more than 18 countries around the world, specifically in North America under the "American Idol" title. 19 also manages such leading music artists as Annie Lennox, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken and Tamyra Gray.