NEW YOR – Australian rock band INXS, which has kept going with guest vocalists since Michael Hutchence (search) died in 1997, has enlisted reality TV guru Mark Burnett (search) to help them find a new singer.
Burnett's reality series "Rock Star" will air next summer on CBS, the network announced Thursday.
His obvious model is Fox's "American Idol." (search) Burnett will hold auditions in the United States and in London, Tokyo and Sydney, Australia. The top contenders will live together in Hollywood and compete live each week.
INXS, which had the hits "What You Need" and "Need You Tonight," will embark on a world tour with their new singer.
Burnett's pedigree as producer of "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" (search) made "Rock Star" a concept eagerly sought by the TV networks.
"Rock stars offer rich material for the reality TV world," Burnett said. "They are colorful personalities and charismatic performers who make great reality TV characters."
By airing in the summer, "Rock Star" won't be going head-to-head with "American Idol," which ends its competition in May.
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