After the recent judges’ announcement for American Idol season 24, Ryan Seacrest’s fate has finally been revealed. Seacrest is the only on-air talent to appear on American Idol every single season. The judges’ panel has undergone several shakeups over the years, first when Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell left after seasons 8 and 9, respectively.
In the ABC era of American Idol, the panel has been quite stable, with Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan discovering great singers for seven years in a row.
Once Perry left, the search was on for a replacement. The seat ended up being filled by none other than American Idol season 4 champion Carrie Underwood, which marked the 20th anniversary of her big win.
Now, Seacrest is confirmed to be coming back as the host of American Idol. It was recently announced that Richie, Bryan and Underwood are all returning as judges for American Idol season 24. As of this writing, neither American Idol nor Seacrest has commented publicly on the hosting announcement.
What Ryan Seacrest’s Hosting News Means For American Idol
Seacrest’s hosting news and the recent judges’ announcement mean that there will be no on-air replacements heading into 2026, which will provide a lot of stability on American Idol, which saw ratings rise after Underwood joined the show.
American Idol season 24 is expected to film auditions with Seacrest, Richie, Bryan and Underwood sometime this fall, with the virtual auditions currently underway. Hollywood Week and the Hawaii round will likely be filmed in early 2026, ahead of an expected late winter or early spring premiere date.
Seacrest, known as one of the hardest-working people in the entertainment industry, holds multiple jobs, including Idol and Wheel of Fortune. When he co-hosted Live with Kelly and Ryan, he had to fly back and forth between California and New York.
Now that he’s hosting Wheel of Fortune, he’s able to stay in California. Seacrest replaced Pat Sajak on the iconic game show, and he just began his second season alongside Vanna White on Monday, September 8.
It’s pretty much a given among fans that Seacrest will always return to American Idol, but considering his busy schedule, nothing is ever guaranteed. After Richie, Bryan and Underwood’s returns were announced, there was some speculation online about why Seacrest wasn’t announced alongside them, but his contract negotiations are likely done separately from the judges, which accounts for the delay.
Our Take On Ryan Seacrest Returning To American Idol
Seacrest is one of the best competition show hosts ever. American Idol truly wouldn’t be the same without him.
Not only are his hosting skills top-notch, but he can interview the contestants and interact with the judges in a way that seems very natural, even during the times when he’s reading off a teleprompter. There are other talent show hosts that sound very stiff when speaking on stage, but Seacrest has never had that issue.
Aside from the contestants themselves, the only question mark left regarding American Idol season 24 is whether Artist in Residence Jelly Roll will be returning.
Despite that uncertainty, American Idol season 24 is shaping up to be another great year of talented performers as the judges and viewers narrow down the pool until another winner is crowned.