“American Idol” Officially Back On New Network ABC; Will Ryan Seacrest Be A Part Of It?

Early this week, ABC has announced that it has ordered a reboot of the long-running reality competition “American Idol.” According to IGN, the reboot will be back in time for the network’s 2017-2018 TV season.

“American Idol” ran on Fox for 15 seasons until it has been canceled last year. Since its inception, it has introduced singer superstars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Jennifer Hudson.

ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said in a statement accompanying the announcement, "”American Idol” is a pop-culture staple that left the air too soon. ABC is the right home to reignite the fan base. We are thrilled viewers will once again share in these inspiring stories of people realizing their dreams."

FremantleMedia's CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz, whose company will be jointly working with ABC for the reboot, said in a statement, "ABC’s passion and enthusiasm make them a perfect home for American Idol. We are excited to be partnering with them to discover the next generation of talented artists."

There was no word about if the show will be returning Ryan Seacrest as host, or keep the same judges from the last season, the New York Times noted. Moreover, the long-time host has since signed up as a new co-host on ABC and Disney’s “Live” syndicated morning show just last week. Although he did confirm that there were talks of an “American Idol” reboot on Monday, he did hint that he is expecting for the show to come back.

"And one more time -- this is so tough -- we say to you from Hollywood, goodnight, America. For now," Seacrest said.