Idol () is a 2008 Philippine television interactive reality-based singing competition show broadcast by GMA Network. Created and developed by FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment, the program is a franchise of Pop Idol created by British entertainment executive Simon Fuller, the show is the second incarnation of Philippine Idol.
Hosted by Raymond Gutierrez, with Ogie Alcasid (singer, songwriter, and record producer), Jolina Magdangal (singer and actress), and Wyngard Tracy (retired talent manager) as judges, it premiered on April 4, 2008, replacing Kakasa Ka Ba Sa Grade 5?. The show concluded on August 17, 2008, with a total of 37 episodes.
Transition from Philippine Idol
ABC 5 had previously announced that they are considering producing a second season of the show. However, many reports claim that ABC management was slowly abandoning that plan. Sources claimed that ABC incurred heavy losses in the previous season, primarily because of the low number of advertisement slots despite being a widely followed show. ABC asserted that it was still under negotiation with FremantleMedia about the second season and had earmarked Asian Idol as its "big launch", although there was a possibility that GMA was negotiating about Idol as well since the network already had local versions of Celebrity Duets and Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?—both FremantleMedia franchises.
After several negotiations, FremantleMedia had officially decided to move and to have the second season aired on GMA Network, which premiered on April 5, 2008. FremantleMedia's representative Geraldine Bravo said that it is "very fortunate" to find a new partner, while GMA Network's Senior Vice President for Entertainment Wilma Galvante added that both parties have agreed that the network "has the experience, the resources, and the people to mount talent-search programs".
Overview
Auditions
Auditions for Pinoy Idol were held in the following cities: Cagayan de Oro, Batangas City, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Davao City, Pasay, Dagupan, and Angeles City. Auditions in Naga were canceled for unknown reasons. During the Pasay auditions, Ida Henares, head of the GMA Artist Center (the talent arm of GMA Network), took over Magdangal's seat in the judges' panel as the latter was in the United States at the time. Out of thousands of aspirants, 179 passed through the next round of eliminations.
Theater rounds
The 179 audition passers gathered in Manila for the theater rounds in Cinema 6 of SM City North EDSA. The first round saw the hopefuls divided into groups of 10 and they each performed their pieces in front of the judges. Ninety contestants were chosen for the second round. In the second round, the ninety aspirants formed pairs and each pair had duets to perform together; they were judged separately. Half of the ninety were virtually cut. The final forty-five each performed a song of their choice for a final time in front of the judges. Afterwards, they were divided into three groups of fifteen. One group was eliminated, bringing the number down to thirty.
In April 2008, the judges re-examined the performances of the final thirty survivors, starting from their audition pieces down to their final ones in the theater round. Then, in the GMA Network Center, the judges announced the fates of the thirty. It is from this final group that the Top 24 were chosen.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics song "Ready to Fly" by Amy Pearson was used extensively throughout the audition and theatre phases of the competition.
Semi-finalists
[[File:Pinoy idol top 24.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Pinoy Idols 24 semifinalists.]]
The 24 semi-finalists were announced on May 17, 2008. Some of their names were changed or shortened so it would be easier for viewers to remember. Their names and short biographies were also published the day after the announcement. The semifinals, or "workshop phase," began on May 23, 2008, with the Top 12 male contestants performing first and the Top 12 female contestants performing the next day. Eliminations were on a weekly basis beginning May 25, 2008, until the Top 12 was finalized. Because of a quirk in the number of weeks and process of elimination, this stage ended a week later than expected (see Production below).