Saudi Arabian version of global ‘Idol’ talent show to air in December
September 27, 2022, 8:11 am

Saudi Arabian version of global ‘Idol’ talent show to air in December

From left, Majid Almohandis, Assala, Ahlam and Aseel Abubakr have been announced as the judges of the first 'Saudi Idol'. Photo: MBC Group

A Saudi Arabian version of Idol, the international reality music competition series, will broadcast its first season in December, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki al-Shikh announced Saturday (Sep 24).

With filming scheduled to begin next month, the new show will be launched in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s GEA and MBC Group.

Turki Al-Sheikh announced the news of the partnership through Twitter, including the names of the four judges who have the task of discovering local singing talent from Riyadh.

“Happy to announce a new partnership between the Entertainment Authority and the MBC Group to launch Saudi Idol,” Al-Sheikh tweeted.

The judging panel consists of Saudi singer Aseel Abubakr, Emirati singer and actress Ahlam, Iraqi-Saudi singer and composer Majid Almohandis, and Syrian singer Assala.

MBC’s Entertainment news show Trending announced that filming of Saudi Idol is scheduled for October.

MBC is still encouraging singers to participate. “Do you have a beautiful voice and would you like to sing?" tweeted the company's official account. "Do you like competition and want to enter the world of limelight and fame? Participate in the largest singing programme. Don’t miss the chance, register now.”

Artificial intelligence to help crowd management at Saudi Arabia’s holy sites

The Idol franchise was originally created by Simon Fuller, with its many international spin-offs including Arab Idol. The pan-Arab show was a version of the Idol series SuperStar, which was broadcast on Lebanon's Future TV for five seasons between 2003 to 2018.

Saudi Idol, which is set to be broadcast on MBC 1, will be divided into two categories, auditions and live shows, Al Arabiya reported on Saturday (Sep 24).

levantnews-thenational

Royal family to return to normal official duties as mourning ends Era of ‘blind engagement’ with China ending, says Pompeo in Taiwan speech

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”