MUMBAI: A mistake in the on-screen graphics took place during an episode of US broadcaster Fox's music based reality show American Idol.

As a result the broadcaster will air a one hour American Idol performance show today 24 March. The computer mistake resulted in incorrect numbers being posted on-screen, which could have caused confusion for viewers.
 

Today's show will be live with repeat performances from yesterday (23 March). This time around, the correct voting numbers will be shown. An AP report indicates that 11 contestants are still standing. Phone lines will remain open for two hours following the episode, when another singer will be booted off this week by viewers. The contestant with the fewest votes goes home.

According to the American Idol web site the episode will combine new live elements with encores of yesterday's performances. Only the voting results from tonight’s show will determine who receives the lowest number of votes. That person will be sent home this week.
 
 

This is the second unfortunate incident for American Idol in two weeks. Earlier one of the finalists Mario Vazquez left on 12 March. The shows executive producer Ken Warwick has dismissed suggestions that there was a deliberate effort to tamper with the show by putting wrong voting information on-screen.

"Why would we contaminate the honesty of one of the top-rated shows in America by fiddling with it? It's regrettable. This was a human error and we had to address it as best we could," Warwick said. He was quoted in an AP report saying that an independent contractor was responsible for the on-air display.

Various remedies were considered but the producers decided the fairest outcome would be based on the performances the singers had given, not new ones, Warwick said. The 11 finalists took the error in stride, he said. The programme has been accused of racism as well as an anti-overweight bias.