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One of the most expensive reality programs ever mounted by a major American network, The One: Making a Music Star was inspired by the Spanish series Operación Triunfo, which had enjoyed international success in a host of incarnations in a variety of countries (the British version, for example, was titled Star Academy). The contestants were billeted in a highly respected music academy where they were coached and mentored by a "faculty" of celebrities (who doubled as judges in the elimination process), and were subjected to rigorous training in all aspects of entertainment. Canadian TV personality George Stroumboulopoulos hosted, while the judges included songwriter Kara DioGuardi, record executive Andre Harrell, and musician/comedian/producer Ernie Hudson of Hudson Brothers fame. Debuting amidst high expectations on July 18, 2006, The One: Making a Music Star ended up posting the lowest ratings of any series premiere in the history of the ABC network. As a result, only four of the planned 15 episodes ended up being run off during a brief two-week period, consigning the series to the ash-heap of failed "sure things" which included such previous media catastrophes as Turn-On and The Paula Poundstone Show.