American Idol is coming back to television later this year. The show will premiere on ABC, and will bring back the same formula of celebrity judges and singers who want to get their big break. The new show could air as soon as March of 2018. Currently there are no judges attached, and since Ryan Seacrest just started hosting mornings with Kelly Ripa, it’s likely he’s out as a returning host.
Here’s what Disney had to say about it:
“American Idol on ABC…that has a nice ring to it,” Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney|ABC, said in a statement. “Idol is an entertainment icon, and now it will air where it belongs, in ABC’s lineup of addictive fan favorites alongside Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor. America, get ready for the return of a bigger, bolder and better-than-ever Idol.”
One thing that we kind of know at this point is that the show became very expensive to produce. Most of that was because of the auditions that would tour around the country. According to TMZ, Disney could cut expenses by having one or two auditions spots. Namely, Walt Disney World in Florida, and Disney’s California Adventure. How’s that for a spin on your vacation?
Walt Disney World has previously had an American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where the audience could pick the finalists. However, that attraction closed a few years back to make room for the Frozen Sing A long. With auditions potentially coming back, could we see a new attraction in which theme park guests actually get to sit in on the American Idol audition process? Would the parks also play host to the show as well?
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