National Football League

Fox sets 'Idol' premiere date

Gary Levin, USA TODAY

Kevin Bacon stars in "The Following' on Fox in January.

The singing competition returns Jan. 16
New drama 'The Following,' with Kevin Bacon, premieres Jan. 21

Fox has set American Idol's 12th-season premiere for Jan. 16 and 17 (8 ET/PT), a typical pattern for what has been the No. 1 singing show.

New judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban will join Randy Jackson and host Ryan Seacrest for the new season.

In other scheduling moves, The Following, a new drama starring Kevin Bacon as an ex-FBI agent tracking a serial killer played by James Purefoy, will premiere Jan. 21, Mondays at 9 ET/PT, the night after the network airs the NFL's high-rated NFC Championship Game. (The Mob Doctor currently airs in that time slot but is not expected to last much longer.)

And the second season of Touch, starring Kiefer Sutherland, which was scheduled to return this month, will instead premiere Feb. 1, Fridays at 9 ET/PT, running 13 consecutive episodes. The show replaces Fringe, which will have completed its final 13-episode season.

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