American Idol is cutting back in season 14.
Like reality juggernauts Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance before it, the Fox reality singing competition will air one episode per week—with the performance and results within the same show, in its new season, which premieres tonight at 8 p.m.
Not too worried about the downsizing? Harry Connick Jr., who will be returning to the judges' table along with Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban.
"It's going to be a surprise to all of us because we're not sure about how the shows are going to be structured," Connick tells E! News.
He continues, "All we know is we have one night to listen and be told who will not be there the next week, which is very exciting because it has never been like that before. And the people who are producing the show are really geniuses as creating moments on television. This is just another chapter in how American Idol is reinventing itself."
And Connick says he and his fellow judges don't worry about all the changes, including the loss of Coca-Cola as a sponsor, saying they are still having "fun" doing the show.
"When we're taking breaks and we have a lunch break on set, we'll all sit around the table and Keith will tell us about what his kids are doing and Jennifer will say, 'My kids are doing this,'" he says. "That's what we talk about and we talk about the stuff that matters. I don't think we've ever really sat down at talk about the contestants before."
For more scoop on the new season of Idol, including why he decided to come back to the show for another season, check out our interview with the charming Connick above!
American Idol premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on Fox.
—Reporting by Lori Parker