The drama, the talent and the battles: MBC's The Voice starts

Evidently too many talent shows don't spoil the broth - or at least MBC don't think so. The group already own the rights to 'Idol' and 'Got Talent [1]' but were keen to snap up the latest talent show phenomenon 'The Voice' as well. They have been plugging the show - which is set to hit TV screens on Friday - as an entirely different kettle of fish. 'The Voice' is aimed at people with genuine musical talent - semi-professionals and even former one-hit wonders can apply.

There will be three phases for the contestants to pass through - blind auditions, the battle round and the final live stage. But, this is the Arab world and there's no contest without a bit of pre-show drama. Already, coach Sherine Abdel Wahab [2] has given us a glimpse into the madness during an earlier press conference. When she wasn't falling asleep at the table, she was flirting with fellow judge and divorcee Kadim al-Sahir [3]. And - never one to miss out on the action - Haifa Wehbe [4] waded in with her thoughts on the show. Unsurprisingly, she was none-too complimentary having been passed up for a role as coach.

All the ingredients are there for a scandalous show in the making - let's just hope Sherine manages to keep her cool until the final episode!

Are you looking forward to The Voice hitting Arab TV this Friday? Share your thoughts and expectations!

There's no such thing as too much talent in the Arab world as MBC begins the hunt for the new Haifa.

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Known to his legions of fans as the Caesar of Arabic music, Kadim al-Sahir has a big name to live up to. The straight-laced star normally manages to avoid scandal and celebrity cat fights. But his love of Syrian erotic poetry suggests that an edgier side might come out on screen.

No stranger to controversy, Saber Al Rebai was in hot water earlier this year when an Israeli flag popped up in his music video. Politics aside, he had some explaining to do when pictures of him and a mystery girl surfaced on the web.

Assi el-Helani, aka the knight of Arabic music, is a stand-up addition to the panel. The singer has been happily married to ex Beauty Queen Collette for an eternity by star standards. Starting his career as a contestant himself Assi looks like a sympathetic judge in the making.

Phase one of the Voice is the blind auditions round. Contestants will leave their short skirts at home - as the coaches sit with their backs to the stage, they are left with nothing to fall back on but the strength of their voice.

Ding ding! round two of the voice is the battle stage as coaches pair up their 12 contestants for a lyrical fight. Judges decide their fate before round three.

Round three - this time the public decides. The two least popular songsters will face the judges wrath.

Tongue out, nostrils flared, Sherine Abdel Wahab has already been stirring up drama at a pre-show press conference. She promised to shock us but how much more extreme can she get?