American Idol is renewed for a fourth season by ABC… ahead of season three finale with singers performing from home
American Idol will be returning for a fourth season.
The series has been picked up by ABC and will be coming back for season four (officially its 19th season), Variety reports. No premiere date was announced.
The talent contest has been forced to film episodes remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic where studio productions are no longer allowed to limit the spread of the disease.
It’s coming back: American Idol has been renewed for a fourth season by ABC. Pictured are judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan
The news comes just ahead of the season three finale which will air on Sunday.
Judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie will all be performing along with Top 11 contestants and several Idol alums.
It’s not yet known which of the judges have signed on for the new season or whether Ryan Seacrest will be back to host.
Perry is expecting her first child, a baby girl, with fiance Orlando Bloom so she’ll have her hands full next year. She talked about her excitement at becoming a mom on the Mother’s Day episode of the show.
New format: The talent contest has been forced to film episodes remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic where studio productions are no longer allowed to limit the spread of the disease
It’s not yet known which of the judges have signed on for the new season or whether Ryan Seacrest will be back to host. Katy Perry (pictured) is expecting her first child this summer
‘I don’t know exactly what it means yet to be a mother, although I’ve always felt very motherly to my friends and my fans and stuff,’ she said.
‘But I know that I’m about to step into the next level,’ said Katy, who showed off her bump to viewers of the program.
Eleven contestants were left at the beginning of the episode of which seven were selected to move ahead to the upcoming season finale.
The seven singers going into the finale are Arthur Gunn (pictured), Dillon James, Francisco Martin, Jonny West, Julia Gargano, Just Sam, and Louis Knight
All seven singers chosen had to perform a song from the Disney repertoire, giving their renditions from home via video conference.
The seven singers going into the finale are Arthur Gunn, Dillon James, Francisco Martin, Jonny West, Julia Gargano, Just Sam, and Louis Knight.
American Idol had a 15-year run on Fox before it was cancelled in 2017. It returned on ABC the following year.
Long running talent show: American Idol had a 15-year run on Fox before it was cancelled in 2017. It returned on ABC the following year