Latest 'American Idol' Changes: 'Behind the Music' Meets 'Big Brother'?

Despite saying that the level of talent for the upcoming Season 10 is "amazing," 'American Idol' producers must be feeling nervous, as news reaches us of yet more tweaks to the show's format.

After this summer's "Judgegate" controversy, is it a ploy to refocus viewers' attention away from the judges and back onto the singers?

Recently we told you how Nigel Lythgoe had axed the semifinals round, and how this season may be the first to allow online voting. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the buzzword for Season 10 is "transparency," and to that end creator Simon Fuller wants to keep fans hooked with more behind-the-scenes footage and direct interaction with the finalists.

So, welcome to the 'American Idol' house! Sources close to the show say that the final 12 will share a house in the Hollywood Hills, where they will be allowed to chat with fans via Twitter. Singers may also be taken on a road trip to Las Vegas where they'll do a crossover with Cirque du Soleil's Beatles-inspired show, 'Love.'

Apparently the plans for the house are still in the development stage, and no details have emerged of the extent to which it will feature in the show. Will Fox air behind-the-scenes footage of the finalists hanging out in the house and receiving orders from their mentor Jimmy Iovine, à la 'Project Runway'? Will they be allowed to record 'Real World'-type confessionals? Will there be a spin-off footage show like 'Big Brother: After Dark'? Will there be booze? Tears? Fights? Hook-ups? Eating challenges?

Because the creative details are still being worked out, right now we can only speculate, but how much we get to see will probably depend on how interesting the actual footage turns out to be. Plus, now that the eligible age has been lowered to 15, there may be issues around how much, and what kind of, footage can be aired of minors.

With the addition of Twitter, we may even get breaking news direct from the house. Last season, contestants were allowed to have social media accounts for a period of time, but these were then were abruptly consolidated into a single 'Idol' feed midway through the run. Sources close to the show suggest that producers will be further relaxing their Twitter rules this season.

And what about that trip to Sin City? Again, it's still at the planning stage, but several Las Vegas productions were said to have lobbied to take part in an 'Idol' crossover before the Cirque du Soleil juggernaut won out. Sources say that 'Idol' will have its largest number of singers so far -- 325 -- take part in Hollywood Week before being whittled down to 60 for the trip to Vegas. From there, 40 will return to LA before the Top 12 are chosen and move into the house.

With Season 10 so close to launching, we're sure to hear of even more shake-ups, so stay tuned for updates.

'American Idol' Season 10 premieres January 19, 2011 on Fox.