Star Academy (Arabia)

The show features a group of young male and female candidates who are selected from a pan-Arab pool of more than 3,000 and sequestered for four months in "The Academy," a four-story building in Lebanon, where they live, train, and compete against one another every week.

[1] The show centers around the 16 candidates who compete in weekly talent competitions, singing, dancing, and acting during on-stage performances.

[1] One of the show's highlights are the guest appearances of some of the Arab world's most important singers and performers such as Najwa Karam, Angham, Haifa Wahbe, Assala Nasri, Ehab Tawfik, Elissa, Myriam Fares, Nawal Al-Zoghbi, Abdallah Al Rowaished, Wael Kfoury, Latifa, Carole Samaha, Sherine, Saad Lamjarred and many more.

Based in Adma, a city north of Beirut, Lebanon, the show is aired for 4 months on the Egyptian TV station CBC and on the Lebanese terrestrial channel LBC and is hosted by Hilda Khalife.

On Friday, there is a live performance show where the candidates compete against each other, sometimes alongside famous domestic and international stars, and are voted off one by one.

[2] The concept of the show is training the students in several disciplines: singing, acting, sports, vocalizing, theatre expression, dancing, and musical culture.

In Saudi Arabia in particular, Star Academy was a media event so popular that its broadcasts achieved record ratings, emptied streets in major cities like Jedda, animated debates, inspired Mosque sermons, and widely distracted students from focusing on final exams in May 2004.

Star Academy has sparked intense debates over the role of Islam in public life, Western cultural influence, gender relations, and political participation and has subverted Wahhabi notions of social order.

[4] In response to countless questions from religious Saudi viewers who questioned whether or not it was religiously haram (prohibited) or halal (permitted) to watch the show and participate in the voting component of Star Academy, the Permanent Committee for Scientific Research and the Issuing of Fatwas issued a related fatwa (religious ruling) that prohibited watching, discussing, voting in, or participating in Star Academy, as well as urging businessmen not to finance this or any similar show.

[5] According to the Committee, the fatwa was issued because the show carried a number of serious issues including "free mixing of the sexes," "the wanton display and unveiling on the part of the women displaying their charms," and blatant promotion of immorality by "making Muslims get used to seeing these shameful scenes that provoke desires and by distancing them from good morals and virtues."

[6] While there was much criticism of the show by the area’s more conservative members of society, many liberals praised the novel approach to television media.

[6] Numerous reporters in Saudi newspapers praised Star Academy as an alternative to the extremist dogma that had taken over mass media in the nation.

Another female journalist writing for Arab news asked "how vulnerable must we be if a TV program can ‘destroy our moral standards and teach our children bad things."

[8] A major liberal voice hailed from within the royal family when Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal, a major stakeholder in LBC, supported Star Academy by sending his private plane to Beirut to bring the winner back to Saudi Arabia.

Like other Lebanese channels, LBC suspended its regular programing to focus all attention on the aftermath of the assassination, including a ten-day hiatus of Star Academy.

[12] The ousting was said to echo the tension that already existed between Syria and Lebanon post-assassination, as there was widespread suspicion that the Syrians were implicated in the crime.

The teachers were as follows: Wadih Abi Raad, Michael Fadel, Mary Mahfouth, Betty Taoutel, Aida Sabra, Elissar Karakalla and Rola Saad.

They then went on a Pan Arab tour, performing concerts in Dubai, Kuwait, Cairo, Alexandria, Amman, Damascus, and Beirut.

Joseph Attieh, who is a radio and TV production student received a trophy, $50,000 in cash and a brand new 2006 car.

The final prime of Star Academy 5 held on 23 May 2008, witnessed the crowning of Nader Guirat, the first winner from Tunis and the Maghreb region.

His victory was somewhat controversial, as Nader Guirat was the first winner of the program to sing primarily in non-Arabic languages (English, French, etc.).

Primes ^Note 5.1 : As there was a tie, Badr had the casting vote and he saved Khaled ^Note 5.2 : As there was a tie, Dia had the casting vote and she saved Amal M ^Note 5.3 : He withdrew from the academy in the semifinals week due to several fights with Mohamad qwidaer which made him take the decision to leave the academy.

There were also rumors that the Saudi Arabia government advised all their citizens to leave Lebanon due to the current unrest *at 12 may 2008 Abdullah Al-Dosari withdrew due to problems with Muhammad Qwaider, at the academy* Tour Nader, Mohamad, Saad, Shahinaz, Mirhan, Diaa and Amel B were chosen to be part of the tour.

Primes Star Academy 11 began in 16-October- 2015 and ended in 29-January-2016 with the crowning of this season's winner Marwan Youssef from Lebanon.

Marwan is the second Lebanese contestant to win the first place title after Joseph Attieh (Star Academy 3).

Among many other prizes awarded to the winner of the season, Marwan Youssef won a song produced by Endemol, and released his first single "Watan Hobi."

Marwan later went on to release a second single alone with Watary Productions record label titled "Rafed Saddek," which saw great success and lead to him filming his first music video for the song.

Also Algeria made history this season as this was the first time in the show's entire run that more than one contestant was chosen to represent the North African nation.

(Tie) - Star Academy 9: Abdallah Abd Al Aziz (Saudi Arabia) – 2 wins.