Glee is back with Season 2 premiere introducing new hot sexy and ugly competitions.

Glee made an all-singing, all-dancing return to America's TV screens last night for the eagerly-awaited Season 2 premiere.

All the favourite characters were back with gusto - with a fresh batch of new faces coming along to spice things up and offer some hot competition.

Songs featured in the show included Jay-Z and Alicia Key's duet Empire State of Mind, and Lady Gaga and Beyonce's Telephone.

The pair had a vocal face-off in the bathroom as they sang Lady Gaga and Beyonce's Telephone for the Season 2 premiere

The action takes place with the Glee club still smarting from their loss at the Regionals.

After learning the Nationals will be held in New York, the group perform Empire State of Mind, with Rachel (played by Lea Michele) spotting a potential new member during the rendition - foreign exchange student Sunshine Corazon (Charice Pempengco).

The pair then have a vocal face-off in the bathroom, singing Telephone - but Rachel feels intimidated by Sunshine's talents.

She attempts to scare her off - by sending her to a crack house rather than the auditorium - by Sunshine manages to overcome the detour and make the auditions, wowing the entire Glee club with a rendition of Listen from Dreamgirls.

Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) also has some hot competition in the form of Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet), another new face for the season.

Sam is a new student at William McKinley High School who befriends Finn - but ends up becoming his rival, replacing him as quarterback on the football team.

Sam is not only talented on the pitch - he also has a great voice - and shows it off by singing Billionaire with the rest of the Glee club.

However he stops short of auditioning for New Directions, fearing it would dent his reputation.

And it's not just the students who have new rivals to deal with. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) gets a run for her money from a new aggressive football coach who arrives at the school, Shannon Beiste (Dot Jones).

Will (Matthew Morrison) and Sue team up to attempt to get Beiste to leave, hoping to get their funds back with a sweeping round of budget cuts by Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba).

However Will changes his mind after learning Beiste was bullied at school and, realising the error of his ways, turns on Sue.

In turn Sue tips off the new head coach of Vocal Adrenaline - the rival of New Directions - who immediately snaps up Sunshine.

Sunshine says she would have left in any case because Rachel would have made her life 'a living hell'.

Feeling guilty about losing someone who could have helped New Directions beat Vocal Adrenaline, Rachel sings What I Did For Love from a Chorus Line by herself in the auditorium.

Glee returns to the UK on E4 next January.

Hunky: Finn first notices Sam's singing talents as he hears him singing in the locker room shower

Fresh blood: Star quarter back Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) befriends new kid on the block Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet), but it doesn't last for long

Rivalry: The two women come to blows, with Sue wanting rid of Shannon after her cheerleading budget was cut

Don't mess: Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) gives the new female football Shannon Beiste (Dot Jones) coach a dressing down

Ensemble: The Glee cast sing Empire State of Mind outside William McKinley High Schoo, with Rachel at the forefront

New talent in town: Rachel (Lea Michele) got some hot competition from foreign exchange student Sunshine Corazon (Charice Pempengco) in Glee last night