American Idol Returns And Fox's Fall Schedule

THE GUESSING IS OVER AS "AMERICAN IDOL" RETURNS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY ON FOX BEGINNING JANUARY 17 AND 18
Released by FOX

THE GUESSING IS OVER AS "AMERICAN IDOL" RETURNS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY ON FOX BEGINNING JANUARY 17 AND 18

SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES Premieres Wednesday, January 18; Moves to Mondays on January 23

BONES Moves to Wednesdays at 9:00 PM Starting January 25

THAT '70s SHOW and STACKED Move to Thursdays, 9:00 to 10:00 PM, on March 2

TRADING SPOUSES Returns on Fridays at 9:00 PM Beginning Jan. 6

24 Premieres with a Two-Day, Four-Hour Event Sunday and Monday, January 15 and 16

PRISON BREAK Returns Monday, March 13, at 8:00 PM; All-Original Episodes Begin Monday, March

The speculation can cease as FOX announces its mid-season schedule and television's No. 1 show, AMERICAN IDOL, remains in its dominant Tuesday/Wednesday time periods throughout spring 2006. Making the announcement was Peter Liguori, President, Entertainment for FOX.

"With all of the speculation and rumor, it's great to finally announce the premiere of the second half of our season," Liguori said. "It takes discipline to hold back 24 and AMERICAN IDOL, but doing so allows us to strengthen our schedule across the week and to give our viewers nonstop excitement from January through May." He added: "I'm also pleased to announce that we're bringing back PRISON BREAK earlier than planned because fans are demanding it and because it's a fantastic companion for 24. All of this necessitates some other moves, but we're keeping HOUSE behind the IDOL performance show, where it performed so successfully last year."

24 premieres with a two-day, four-hour event Sunday, Jan. 15 and Monday, Jan. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM). 24 will air original episodes – no repeats – every week for the rest of the season.

AMERICAN IDOL's fifth season will launch with a two-hour premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 17 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and a one-hour episode on Wednesday, Jan. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), prior to a special premiere of SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES (9:00-10:00 PM). SKATING moves to its regular 8:00 PM time period on Monday, Jan. 23, followed by an all-new episode of 24. The AMERICAN IDOL results show will move to its regular 9:00-9:30 PM time slot at a date TBA.

Other January news includes HOUSE remaining in its current 9:00 PM Tuesday time period; the move of the new hit drama BONES to Wednesdays at 9:00 PM (following the AMERICAN IDOL results show) beginning Jan. 25; and the return of TRADING SPOUSES on Fridays at 9:00 PM beginning Jan. 6. February brings the season finale of REUNION on Thursday, Feb. 2.

In March, the most talked-about new drama this season is back as PRISON BREAK returns with an encore of this past Monday's fall finale on Monday, March 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), and then thrilling, all-original episodes – no repeats for the rest of the season – beginning Monday, March 20 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Also in March, THAT '70s SHOW and STACKED air from 9:00 to 10:00 PM on Thursdays after THE O.C, beginning March 2.

FOX MID-SEASON SCHEDULE (All times ET/PT):

MONDAYS
8:00-9:00 PM SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES (as of Jan. 23)
PRISON BREAK (returns with fall finale encore on March 13 and all originals beginning March 20)
9:00-10:00 PM 24 (premieres Jan. 15 & 16, all originals all season)

TUESDAYS
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (premieres Jan. 17)
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE

WEDNESDAYS
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Audition Episodes (premieres Jan. 18)
9:00-10:00 PM BONES (as of Jan. 25)

THURSDAYS
8:00-9:00 PM THE O.C.
9:00-9:30 PM THAT '70s SHOW (as of March 2)
9:30-10:00 PM STACKED (as of March 2)

FRIDAYS
8:00-8:30 PM THE BERNIE MAC SHOW
8:30-9:00 PM MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
9:00-10:00 PM TRADING SPOUSES: MEET YOUR NEW MOMMY (as of Jan. 6)

[EDITOR'S NOTE: KILLER INSTINCT will have its last airing Dec. 2.]

SATURDAYS
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK
11:00 PM-12:00 AM MADtv

SUNDAYS 7:00-7:30 PM FOX COMEDY WHEEL (Encores of FOX comedies)
7:30-8:00 PM KING OF THE HILL
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM THE WAR AT HOME
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD