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Good news for American Idol fans: Katy Perry , Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan are all returning to the show for another season.
ABC confirmed the news on Wednesday, August 19, also letting viewers know that the show‘s longtime host, Ryan Seacrest , will be returning as well.
The president of ABC Entertainment, Karey Burke, spoke about the series on Wednesday, revealing how happy she is to see another season be brought to life.
“American Idol has always been able to bring people together, entertain and inspire – and I am so proud of how this show continued to deliver joy and laughter into people‘s homes during a time when we needed it the most,” Burke said. ”There is no one who we feel more confident about leading us into a new season of high notes than Luke, Katy, Lionel and the incomparable Ryan Seacrest.”
Fans of the show already know that things got shaken up last season when the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, causing the series to go virtual. For the upcoming season, things will continue down that same path, holding remote auditions in all 50 states as the pandemic continues.
“We are so grateful to the fans for sticking with us–and pushing us to No. 1–during this most challenging of times. And we are thrilled to be able to welcome Ryan, Katy, Lionel and Luke back to help us discover our next American Idol,” said executive producer Eli Holzman, CEO of 19 Entertainment‘s parent company Industrial Media. ”At times like these, it is more important than ever to give families wholesome entertainment, packed full of hope, talent and inspiration–where dreams come true. And that is what American Idol is all about.”
Hopefully viewers don‘t have to wait too long for the next season to hit our screens, especially because the remote auditions (dubbed “Idol Across America”) are already under way. These auditions are a lot like most of the communication we’ve been privy to these past couple of months, with hopefuls getting face-to-face time with American Idol producers (via video chat, of course) to receive real-time feedback in their quest to make it on the show.
Perry posted about the news on her Instagram page, inviting hopefuls to audition and gushing over the fact that she’s going to be a working mom once the next season rolls around.
“She’s gonna be a workin’ Mama WERKIN’ it on @americanidol for season 4!” she wrote on IG. “Can #babycat get a high chair next to the desk?”
Katy Perry is expecting a baby with her fiancé, Orlando Bloom , sometime soon--so she will definitely be a lot more busy by the time the next season of American Idol rolls around. Luckily for her growing family, she‘ll be able to stay home and spend time with them while filming for the virtual season.