"Konami has acquired the rights to produce games based on American Idol, the popular US reality TV show based on popular UK reality TV show Pop Idol.

As ITV2 fans will know, the American series features a number of improvements over the original, namely a) even stupider contestants, b) even more amusing dance routines and c) no 'Doctor' Fox.

No details of the game tie-ins have been announced so far, other than the fact that they'll appear on both current and next-generation consoles. But it seems likely that while the last AI game (published by Codemasters) required you to press buttons in time with the music, this one will involve them new-fangled microphones in the manner of Karaoke Stage.

Konami says the Karaoke Stage series is very much alive and kicking, however, as Karaoke Revolution Party - a cross between KS and Dance Dance Revolution - is still on course for a release later this year.

There's no word yet as to when the games will be released, but you can bet we'll be phoning up Konami every hour, on the hour until they give in."

Woo Hoo - I can't WAIT!