SINGAPORE : Singapore Idol fever kicks off on Sunday night on Channel 5 after months of auditions and preparations.

Viewers can look forward not just to the competition itself, but also to a whole new set of extras, like online programmes and a backstage show.

Behind the glamour and fireworks, a whole team of MediaCorp producers and editors are working hard; their job is to make it all come together.

Said Jennifer Gwee, executive producer, Singapore Idol, "We're very excited to work on the second season of Singapore Idol. This time our challenge is to step up the show. It's going to be very exciting, and it's definitely going to be bigger and better this time round."

The first show, called "Auditions", will be aired on Sunday night at 8pm, and it will show off some of Singapore's unique talents.

Said Alvin Ong, producer, Singapore Idol, "One of the other characters the viewers should look out for is a person who employs a very special technique of singing, which he calls the crying technique. It will be interesting and the viewers should look out for it."

Alvin and his team have endured countless sleepless nights to go through reams of tape just to suss out the best highs and lows of the audition process.

With larger-than-life characters and nail-biting competition, the season finale of the last Singapore Idol was the highest rated local show programme on Channel 5.

If that is anything to go by, it looks like many Singaporeans will be tuning in this time round to discover the island's latest talents. - CNA /ct