Kaun Banega Crorepati is coming back back early next year with Bollywood's biggest superstar Shah Rukh Khan replacing Hindi cinema icon Amitabh Bachchan as host.

The contract that Star has signed with Shah Rukh is for two seasons with an option to extend it further into a third season. Each season is for 52 episodes, which means that Shah Rukh has committed to shooting 104 episodes of KBC in all.

According to sources SRK will be be paid Rs 280 crore for Kaun Banega Crorepati's next two seasons. Amitabh Bachchan, the previous host, reportedly received Rs 140-160 crore for 390 episodes.

Star Entertainment India CEO Sameer Nair was quoted as saying, "Mr Bachchan expressed his disinclination to do the show and we respect his decision. We are indebted to him for what he brought to the show but now it is time to move on and who better to hand over the baton to than Shah Rukh Khan.

"We have been in talks with Shah Rukh Khan for over a month now and he expressed his willingness to do the show. Shooting will begin by December-end and we expect this season to be on air by January-end."

Nair has been quoted in an official release as saying, "We are extremely delighted to announce the Next Gen avatar of KBC and are even more pleased to present Shah Rukh Khan, as its host. We promise to engage and deliver to our audiences a whole new entertainment experience."

Zee was also in the running for a show with Shah Rukh but apparently lost out because Star outbid them.

Said Nair, "Zee was in talks with Shah Rukh for a show last year but nothing had been lined up for this year. Star was the only one in talks with Shah Rukh this year. We had a specific job — someone to host KBC — and we have found him in Shah Rukh."

Shah Rukh Khan added, "I was pleasantly surprised when Star offered me the show. I was a participant in season one of KBC...and little did I know one day I would be hosting it. It is a huge act to follow, that of Mr Bachchan...but it also excites me that I am getting an opportunity to reach out...talk and interact with my audience through a medium where I began my career as an actor years ago. So here's looking forward to coming round a full circle...guess unlock kiya jaaye."