It was obvious that American Idol was headed for a revamp following Katy Perry’s departure, but the changes may be more widespread than we first anticipated.
Luke Bryan, a judge on the series since it moved to ABC in 2018, opened up about his future with the singing competition series in a new interview with Billboard.
While the series typically locks in its talent soon after the previous season concludes, many questions remain about where the show will go in Season 23.
In the aforementioned interview, Bryan said that Disney had been “tightlipped” about whether he, Lionel Richie, and Ryan Seacrest would be asked back.
“I think Disney is just trying to figure out what they want to do and we’re just kind of sitting back and waiting until they decide,” the singer and judge shared.
With the show’s continued strong ratings performance this past season, there’s a chance the series will try to maintain some semblance of consistency by bringing back Bryan, Richie, and Seacrest.
American Idol season 23 could be very different
However, producers could also completely revamp the series to attract even more viewers.
Losing Perry will be a big blow for the series, but it has bounced back after past cast overhauls.
Since ABC rebooted the series in 2018, there have been no changes, so it may be time to change things up.
The Voice has flourished by having a rotating panel of judges throughout the years, but since the show has two seasons per year, it’s more than necessary to switch up the dynamics.
Seacrest’s continuing as the host has been the topic of much debate in recent months due to his new commitment to Wheel of Fortune, which he’s taking over from the legendary Pat Sajak.
The fact that ABC and Disney are keeping things under wraps about American Idol certainly suggests that producers are weighing their options to usher the show into a new era.
ABC has been switching up its slate
ABC has made some big decisions about its slate in recent months after canceling long-running series like Station 19 and The Good Doctor in an attempt to focus more on unscripted series.
Unscripted offerings tend to come in at a lower price point.
Perry’s exit means that a large chunk of American Idol’s budget has been freed up because the “Firework” hitmaker reportedly made a lot for her work on the show.
Monsters and Critics will keep you up to speed on any changes coming for American Idol.
American Idol is currently on hiatus. Season 23 is expected to premiere on ABC in early 2025.