‘American Idol’: ABC Renews Singing Competition For Season 4

Peter White
·2 min read

Click here to read the full article.

American Idol will sing another song for ABC after the network renewed the Fremantle talent contest for a fourth season.

However, the network on Friday did not reveal whether the judges — Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie — along with host Ryan Seacrest, would return. Perry is pregnant and expected to have her baby later this summer, so there are question marks about whether she will return.

More from Deadline

The renewal will bring the total number of seasons for the long-running format to 19 in the U.S., having previously aired on Fox between 2002-2016.

The news comes comes ahead of the current season’s live finale Sunday, when the show will crown its next singing sensation in slightly unusual circumstances; the show had returned from the COVID-19 shutdown April 26 with remotely produced episodes.

Kicking off the finale event following America’s last nationwide vote, the road comes to an end for two contestants when the top 5 are revealed. Then, America’s real-time vote will determine the winner live on the East Coast broadcast.

Finale performances include Cynthia Erivo, who is set to star in Nat Geo’s Genius as Aretha Franklin, performing a medley of songs from the Queen of Soul with the top 11: Lauren Daigle and the Top 5 will perform “You Say”; Rascal Flatts and Doug Kiker will perform “Bless the Broken Road”; Bryan will perform his new single, “One Margarita”; Perry will perform her new single “Daisies”; and Richie will perform “We are the World” joined by his fellow judges, the top 11 and members of the Idol family.

American Idol is produced by Fremantle and Industrial Media’s 19 Entertainment. Executive producers include Fremantle’s Trish Kinane, who also serves as showrunner, Jennifer Mullin and Megan Wolflick, with Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman serving as executive producers for 19 Entertainment. Fremantle distributes the series worldwide.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.