ABC is doubling down on its reboot of American Idol.
Two weeks ahead of the show's two-night finale, ABC announced on Friday (May 4) that it was green-lighting another season of the reality competition — its sixteenth overall, and second since moving to ABC.
The network also confirmed that host Ryan Seacrest will be back at the helm next year alongside returning judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
ABC president Channing Dungey said in a statement: "We knew that American Idol on ABC would unleash an opportunity for singers from all walks of life to realize their dreams and that these incredible contestants would have America rooting for their success.
"I am thrilled that Katy, Luke, Lionel and Ryan will be back to once again embark on this Idol journey with us to discover the next crop of inspiring talent."
While the Idol reboot's ratings on ABC were lower than its final season on Fox, the viewing figures were modest enough for the network to consider its multi-million dollar investment a success.
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Thus far, judge Katy Perry seems to have garnered more headlines than the actual Idol contestants. Between the controversy over her kissing an auditioning singer and dissing rival Taylor Swift, Katy has been a frequent talking point for viewers.
In the last few episodes alone, Twitter lit up with glee when Katy was surprised live on air by her parents and laughed along as she accidentally split her pants while judging. As you do!
American Idol continues in the US on Sundays, leading up to a two-part finale on Sunday, May 20 and Monday, May 21 on ABC.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
