MUMBAI: Fox has announced that the fourth season of its music based reality show American Idol climaxes in May at the Kodak Theatre. This is the venue where the Oscar Awards were held.
 

Last year, nearly 30 million Americans tuned in to watch Fantasia Barrino claim the crown. In India, the show airs on Star World.

Fox states that the current season has surpassed last year's ratings of the show. It claims that American Idol ranks as the No. 1-rated programme of the season (out of 167 regular series on the six networks) among adults 18-49, adults 18-34, and teens.
 
 

Meanwhile, Mario Vazquez who was one of the 12 finalists picked by viewers, withdrew for undisclosed personal reasons and was replaced by Nikko Smith, son of Hall of Fame baseball player Ozzie Smith.