Big changes continue to be announced for the American Idol 2011 season and this one is pretty interesting. Perhaps following the lead of my other favorite reality show, Big Brother, the upcoming season of Idol will feature the “Idol House” where, you guessed it, our Idol hopefuls will reside during the competition, says MSN:
These plans are still in development and could change, but as of now producers intend to have the Top 12 live together in a house in the Hollywood Hills.
The big question is whether Fox, which declined to comment for this story, is going to make the “Idol” house a visible part of the show.
Will the network air behind-the-scenes footage from the Top 12 hanging around and recording confessionals, like on other reality shows? The creative details on the “Idol” house are still being worked out, but the answer seems to be: It depends how compelling the footage is.
More important than just how compelling the footage from the house would be is the issue that they just lowered the eligibility age down to 15! If everyone was 18+ in that house then they could probably have a lot more flexibility, but a voyeuristic angle on a show with kids competing seems a little, ehh, sketchy.
You can also expect to see a return of Twitter to the show (are you following us on Twitter? @americanidolnet). The producers are planning to relax their Twitter rules this season after last season’s “one for all” approach where the singers shared one Twitter account.
I can’t believe how much their changing up this season to try and keep American Idol the ratings juggernaut it’s been in the past. What do you think of this new Idol House? Would you want to see what’s going on when the hopefuls are off-stage?