WWE News: Tough Enough return date, episode count, network, and contest details

WWE issued a press release on Monday to officially announce the return of Tough Enough. The show will premiere on April 4, 2011, the night after WrestleMania 27. The first show will air after WWE Raw, and will then move to its usual slow of the hour leading into Raw on USA Network.

"The diverse group of men and women will live and train together in a house in Los Angeles," reads the press release. "To see who has what it takes to be the next WWE Superstar or Diva, the contestants will battle it out each week in a series of unique challenges designed to test for such characteristics as showmanship, creativity, athleticism and desire, just to name a few. 

"Each episode will feature a current WWE Superstar, who will introduce the contenders to a quality that they must possess to make it to the top of the sports entertainment world.  Along the way, viewers will witness the trials and tribulations of what it takes to be one of the best in the world’s greatest sports entertainment organization.

"Each episode will conclude with the elimination of one of the hopefuls who is left outside of the ring, while those that remain will move one step closer to their dream. In the final episode, the remaining contestants will battle it out for the grand prize." To read the full press release, visit Corporate.WWE.com.

Powell's POV: The press release notes that USA Network ordered 10 episodes of the show. There are no additional distribution notes, although one has to wonder whether the plan is to air the show in place of NXT outside the United States. I'm not crazy about the idea of WWE airing three hours of programming on Monday nights, but I'm guessing RIng of Honor and HDNet are even less thrilled about the time slot given that nine of the shows will compete with the ROH on HDNet show.