2010 CCTV Spring Festival Gala gears up

Organizers and performers are gearing up for the 2010 CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Some programs had their first audition this week, and the clock is ticking for the Gala set to be aired on Chinese Lunar New Year's eve.

Five programs took part in the first round of auditions at CCTV on Tuesday. They included comedy sketches, cross talks, and a magic show.

Taiwan magician Liu Qian won overnight fame after appearing at the 2009 Gala. And he has been working hard to win another entry into the 2010 Gala.

For the first time, ordinary audiences were invited to join the assessing team. And their advice will be weighed in deciding who's in and who's out.

As revealed by Jin Yue, Chief Director of the 2010 Gala, famous comedian Zhao Benshan and pop diva Wang Fei both stand a good chance of performing at the coming Gala.

Jin Yue, chief director of 2010 Spring Festival Gala, said, "Zhao Benshan has started preparation work. Right now he is selecting the best script for his comedy sketch. Wang Fei is also seriously considering returning to the stage after a long break. "

The final bill for the gala will be decided in late January before performers enter a series of rehearsals.