'American Idol' team blast 'The Voice', 'X Factor': 'We produce stars'

American Idol executives at Fox have blasted rival reality shows The Voice and The X Factor, claiming that neither format is able to produce genuine stars.

The network's alternative entertainment president Mike Darnell, American Idol executive producer Ken Warwick and show judge Randy Jackson declared at the TCA press tour yesterday (January 8) that the long-running contest still gives aspiring singers the best opportunity for success.



Referring to former winner Kelly Clarkson's recruitment to guest mentor the next season of The Voice, Darnell said: "It's a compliment to Idol. Other shows want to use our stars for their shows. We're not hiring a lot of people from The Voice to be on our show.

Warwick added that he saw American Idol as "the show that produces the stars" and went on to brand former X Factor UK champion Leona Lewis as a "one-and-a-half-hit wonder".

Jackson noted that while Idol was able to give contestants a big break, he considered The Voice to be "like [a] second-chance theater" - citing champion Javier Colon's former contract with Columbia Records in his statement.



Darnell also addressed rumours about whether Ryan Seacrest will continue to host American Idol once his contract expires at the end of this season.

"Our expectation is he's going to be on this show for as long as we can have him," the Fox chief said. "And I hope that's forever."

Seacrest himself later told E! that he couldn't "imagine... life without American Idol", but declined to commit to any future seasons.

American Idol's 11th season begins with a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, January 18 at 8pm on Fox.

Season two of The Voice will launch after the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 5 on NBC.