Cayla Masters
Long-running singing competition American Idol is one step closer to making its return to television. Except this time around, the former FOX TV series is reported to be switching networks.
According to Variety, ABC Television Network has inked a deal with the show’s producers, FremantleMedia and Core Media Group.
Although details are still fairly vague, sources involved in the revamping would like to see former host Ryan Seacrest fulfill the position again. The 42-year-old has just been named Kelly Ripa’s new co-host on ABC’s Live! earlier in the week and moved to New York from Los Angeles for the fresh gig. However, Idol would film in the City of Angels, which entails a great deal of coast-to-coast air travel for the radio personality.
Once the show ended after 15 seasons last spring, creator Simon Fuller expressed a strong passion to continue Idol’s legacy.
“There are loads of ideas being shared, and I’m deep in thought about how we can evolve Idol,” he revealed to The Hollywood Reporter. “We debuted at the very beginning of the digital world. So the next generation of Idol will be a lot more interactive, a lot more immersive.”
Idol helped launch the careers of several young artists, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood Jennifer Hudson, Phillip Phillips, Adam Lambert, Lauren Alaina and more. Contestants who advanced to the weekly live shows would perform for both the judges and public, while viewers at home determined the fate of the hopefuls dreaming of stardom.
Variety also shared the possibility of Clarkson, the first ever winner of the competition, coming back for the rebooted series as well.
A wide range of star-studded names sat at the judges panel throughout the years, such as Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, Harry Connick Jr., Mariah Carey, Nick Minaj, Steven Tyler, Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi, and original trio, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.
The show’s reboot is rumored to air March 2018.
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