Report: New Season of Tough Enough to Have an 'American Idol' Format?

WWE announced last week that popular wrestling reality show Tough Enough will soon return to the USA Network.

News has already started leaking out about the company’s plans for the upcoming season—including some interesting format changes.

As PWInsider.com noted, via Wrestle Zone, veteran performer Bill DeMott will take on a key role in the show.  

Credit: WWE.com

Apparently, the company is also planning a bold, new American Idol-style approach to the competition. (Don’t worry, fans won’t see hopefuls get on stage and belt out off-key versions of Celine Dion songs for a panel of judges.) As Wrestle Zone mentions:

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WWE NXT head trainer Bill DeMott is expected to be featured on the show, and most of the show footage will be shot at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, meaning it’s possible other trainers might be featured on the show in addition to DeMott.

As for the show itself, it will reportedly have somewhat of a new format. Contestants participating on the show will still live together in a house, as has been the case in previous seasons, but the show might follow more of an American Idol-type format in which live voting and segments are done to determine who is eliminated from the show.

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These are good ideas. More live segments and fan voting sound like a great way to revive the show’s formula and make it into must-see television again.

Give the fans an opportunity to get invested in—and vote for—a potential new star, and it will surely aid the performer when he or she finally does make the main roster. They will already be fairly over with the crowds and won’t have to struggle to make a connection with fans like most new wrestlers.

Ideally, the new format will also give aspiring wrestlers a chance to develop mic skills and charisma as they attempt to endear themselves to the WWE Universe and avoid elimination every week.