‘American Idol’ Reboot May Be Coming to ABC After Failed Negotiations With Fox and NBC

Gina Ippolito

Even before ending its 15-season run on Fox, American Idol was looking for a new home. Idol production companies Fremantle and Core and creator Simon Fuller were shopping around a new version of the show. Fox itself was initially interested, but fears that it was too soon for a revival, especially if the new version was largely the same as the old version, made the network back out.

Trent Harmon, <i>American Idol</i> season-15 winner. (Photo: Fox)
Trent Harmon, American Idol season-15 winner. (Photo: Fox)

NBC was the second network that expressed interest. It was allegedly looking for a way to scale back on the shooting schedule for its own hit reality singing competition, The Voice, while still giving its audience reality programming to tune in to year-round. Once Fox found out NBC was interested, it wanted back in, and both networks started courting the Idol team. Negotiations with both networks stalled, however, for a variety of reasons, and for a while, it looked like it might be a long time before fans got their American Idol fix.

Then ABC threw its hat into the ring. ABC had tried to launch several reality singing competitions, but all fell flat and were ultimately canceled, so now the network seems ready to sign on the dotted line and get this deal going. The producers have apparently said they’d still want Ryan Seacrest to come back and host because they believe he is the magic, necessary ingredient to the hit, although it’s dependent on his new gig co-hosting Live With Kelly and Ryan. One thing is for certain, though: We haven’t seen the end of American Idol.

Watch: Ryan Seacrest Talks About a Possible TV Reunion With Simon Cowell

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