American Idol returns in April of 2020 with Host Ryan Seacrest, Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Ritchie, Katy Perry, and Bobby Bones as mentor.
Ryan Seacrest will be returning to the American Idol stage for the show’s 18th season (and 3rd at ABC)! Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry were announced as returning over the summer with Seacrest’s status unknown.
Today, ABC and Seacrest announced the deal renewal. Idol will continue broadcasting from Los Angeles and Seacrest will commute back and forth between his new home in New York.
“American Idol has been my home for 17 seasons and I can’t wait to return to the stage,” said Seacrest. “It’s the greatest gift to be able to play a part in discovering new talent with a franchise that has been such a relevant part of American culture for so many years.”
Seacrest has announced every winner of American Idol for the past 17 seasons. Idol has also proven to be a strong franchise for ABC.
The current Dancing With The Stars champion, Bobby Bones, will return to the show as the in house mentor as well. Bones was rumored to be replacing Seacrest as host and even filled in one night when Seacrest was sick.
“I’m thrilled that Ryan is returning to American Idol,” said executive producer and showrunner Trish Kinane. “His passion for the show is evident, and we couldn’t imagine searching for the next generation of superstars without him.”
Personally, I am glad Seacrest will be back for Idol 18. I mean, how would he survive without his Idol job?
