The new series of American Idol will be one of the best yet, according to producer and judge Simon Cowell.
The singing contest, which airs next Thursday, showcases the best and worst of auditions from across the US in a bid to find just one "Idol".
Cowell dismissed speculation that the show will have less competition in the ratings this year due to the ongoing writers' strike in the US, saying they had discovered "three or four" stars.
He said: "I think three or four of the contestants we've got this year would have gotten recording contracts even without 'Idol'. I think they're that good."
He went on: "We heard a year or so ago that 'Dancing With the Stars' was thinking about going up against us, which I think would be a mistake... So I think we're in the same position as we were last year and the year before.
"The most important thing is that our show has got to look better, it's got to be more fun as a show. And if it is, I think more people will watch."
Cowell also dismissed criticism that American Idol was not as good as it used to be.
"It's an incredible vehicle for people who want to be successful and under normal circumstances can't get a record deal for some reason," he said.
"The idea of Carrie Underwood wandering around without a record deal is staggering.
"You look at shows like 'American Idol' and 'Dancing With the Stars', which I consider to be two of the superbrands, these two shows, in my mind, seem to be getting better over the years."
He went on: "The good news is that this is a much better season than last year ... [it's] one of the strongest years that we've had in a long, long time.
"It's younger, I think the talent is more current, they're more interesting people. So I go into this season a lot more optimistic than I went in last year."
