Country singer Keith Urban returning as ‘American Idol’ judge

LOS ANGELES - Country singer Keith Urban will be returning to “American Idol” as a judge when the Fox singing contest returns for its 13th season next year, Fox Broadcasting Company said on Thursday.

“I will confirm one thing, Keith is going to return to the show, you could see how much he loved the show,” Kevin Reilly, chairman of entertainment at Fox told reporters at a Television Critics Association meeting.

“Idol,” once a ratings juggernaut for Fox, has slumped in recent years and is in the midst of revamping its judging panel after high-priced talent Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj failed to boost viewership last season.

Pop singer Carey and rapper Minaj announced after the “Idol” May finale that they were leaving the talent show, while longtime judge Randy Jackson also bowed out.

Singer Jennifer Lopez, who left the show in 2012 after two seasons as a judge, may return to the panel when “Idol” begins in January, Reilly said.

“There is no deal with her or with anybody else,” he said after saying Fox has had discussions with Lopez about a return.

“Idol,” which premiered in 2002 and drew more than 30 million viewers during its peak years of 2006 and 2007, attracted only 14.2 million viewers for its finale, in which vocal powerhouse Candice Glover won the competition.

The show’s longtime producer, Nigel Lythgoe, was let go in June and replaced by Swedish producer Per Blankens, who was most recently the producer of Sweden’s version of the show.

source: interaksyon.com

LeAnn Rimes seeks treatment for anxiety, stress

Country singer LeAnn Rimes has entered treatment for anxiety and stress, but is not seeking help for an eating disorder or substance abuse, her spokesman said on Thursday.

Rimes, whose affair with “CSI: Miami” actor Eddie Cibrian while both were married to others caused a scandal three years ago, checked into an unidentified treatment center on Wednesday – the day after her 30th birthday.

“LeAnn has voluntarily entered a 30-day in-patient treatment facility to cope with anxiety and stress,” her publicist Marcel Pariseau said in a statement to People magazine. “While there will be speculation regarding her treatment, she is simply there to learn and develop coping mechanisms.”

Pariseau told the celebrity magazine that the “How Do I Live” singer was not seeking help for substance abuse or an eating disorder, despite recent photos that have sparked debate over her thin figure.

Rimes denied earlier this year that she had anorexia.

The Grammy-winning singer, who became a country music star at age 13, told People that her stay was “just a time for me to emotionally check out for a second and take care of myself and come back in 30 days as the best 30-year-old woman I can be.”

Cibrian, who married Rimes in April 2011 after they both divorced, said his wife had his full support.

Rimes will exit her program to perform some scheduled concerts in September, Pariseau said.

source: interaksyon.com