After a lengthy search and deal-making process, Fox has locked in the four-person panel of experts for its new singing competition reality series The Four: Battle for Stardom. Sean “Diddy” Combs, producer DJ Khaled, singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and record label exec Charlie Walk have sign on to headline the series, which will premiere on January 4 and air Thursdays at 8 PM.

As expected, The Four will beat to air ABC’s reboot of former Fox mega hit American Idol, which will launch in March and air on Sundays. The Four, Fox’s response to Idol 2.0, also will air while NBC’s rival singing competition The Voice is on hiatus, on one of the nights the original aired on Fox toward the end of its run.

The Four, created by Armoza Formats and produced by ITV Entertainment in association with Armoza, works backwards from typical competition shows: four finalists, chosen from their auditions, will try to defend their coveted spots on the stage, as they are challenged by new singers determined to replace them. Each week, if any of the four are outperformed as determined by a panel of judges, they’ll go home and their challengers will take their place.

“This show is going to disrupt the world of competition television and will revolutionize the format,” Combs said. “It took the right show and network to bring me back in the game. We plan on being the best talent show out there, taking it to that next level and making history again.”

Fox

Said Rob Wade, President of Alternative Entertainment and Specials at Fox: “Diddy, DJ Khaled, Meghan and Charlie are giants in the music space,” “They understand what an artist needs to break through – from killer music and style to innovative marketing and social media. This is a show like no other and we can’t wait to get started.”