Simon Cowell is singing "Duets" with Fox.

The network has given a cast-contingent order to an unscripted singing competition series from the "American Idol" star that would have professional singers partnering with celebrities outside of the music business to perform duets in front of a live studio audience.

The format, which Cowell sold to U.K.'s ITV last month, features each duo setting a musical theme from which they pick songs to perform in front of a panel of judges, with viewers having the final say in voting off contestants (HR 12/2).

Cowell, whose snarky comments as a judge on "Idol" have become a major audience draw for the show, will executive produce "Duets" through his SYCO TV production company but not appear as a judge.

The search for celebrities to star in the series, which has been eyed for a summer run, has begun.

Partnering professional performers with celebrities from a different field has been hot genre in the unscripted world after ABC struck gold in the summer with the British format "Dancing With Celebrities." Fox's upcoming "Skating With Celebrities" features seasoned figure skaters with nonskating celebrities.

Cowell, whose singing competition series "The X Factor" is a mega-hit in the U.K., also is executive producing "American Inventor," a reality competition series for ABC searching for the next great product concept.

Cowell is repped by CAA and attorney Sam Fischer.