American Idol 2014 News: New Hollywood Or Home Round, Randy Jackson Dog Pound Workshop

News, Previews

Following the lead provided by The Voice and The X Factor, American Idol will also tinker with new format changes this season.

After auditioning Idol contestants receive their Golden Tickets, some will be called to perform again in front of the judges (before even unpacking their bags) in a new “Hollywood or Home” round. These extra performances will decide whether they continue on to Hell Week or just are sent home on the spot.

In addition, Randy Jackson now assumes the role of mentor. Instead of joining J-Lo, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. on the panel, Jackson will instead host a workshop phase where the contestants will “discover things about themselves.” Jackson will also be available to consult with the contestants prior to each live show performance.

Murtz Jaffer is the world's foremost reality television expert and was the host of Reality Obsessed which aired on the TVTropolis and Global Reality Channels in Canada. He has professional writing experience at the Toronto Sun, National Post, TV Guide Canada, TOROMagazine.com and was a former producer at Entertainment Tonight Canada. He was also the editor at Weekendtrips.com.