American Idol is entering its eighth season on Tuesday with a new judge, Kara DioGuardi in a bid to keep viewers tuning in.

The search for a star will kick off with a two-night, four-hour premiere, Reuters reported. The event will feature a blend of hopeful and sometimes hopeless auditions in cities across the nation.

The show has been tweaked to keep viewers tuning in after the numbers slipped to about 28.1 million per episode last year from an average 30.8 million in 2006.

Changes had been made to make it more interesting, but executive producer Ken Warwick denied that the show's makers were in a panic over lower ratings.

The new judge who is a songwriter and producer gives more broadcast time to the popular Hollywood round, in the 2009 season where promising contestants show off their skills, and brings back the wild card round for a place in the coveted final 12.

American Idol