Another round of singers will get the chance to win big when American Idol returns for a 23rd season.
As announced by ABC on Friday (May 10), the network has officially renewed the long-running singing competition series for yet another cycle, just over a week before the current season’s finale is set to air May 19.
“Keep the stage lights on because #IDOL will be back for another season on ABC and Stream on Hulu,” reads a post on the show’s Instagram account.
The new season will mark Idol‘s 23rd year on the airwaves following its premiere in 2002 (aka the year Kelly Clarkson became its first-ever winner); it will also mark the eighth season of the series on ABC since it was rebooted in 2018 following a two-year hiatus from its original network Fox.
Also renewed by ABC: The Bachelor, Dancing With the Stars, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, What Would You Do? and Shark Tank.
One question that remains unanswered is who will replace Katy Perry on the judges’ panel. Though Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan will return for season 23 alongside host Ryan Seacrest, the pop star announced in February that she would be exiting Idol after seven seasons on the program to focus on other endeavors.
“I love the show so much,” she told Jimmy Fallon at the time. “But I want to go see the world and maybe bring new music.”
Perry has, however, revealed her first choice for her replacement. “I gotta say Jelly Roll was crazy when he came on the show,” she told E! News in April. “I was convinced at anything he said. He could run for president, he could be my pastor … To have any of these guys plus Jelly on the show would be amazing.”
For the record, the “Son of a Sinner” singer is totally down. “Of course!” he said when asked at Stagecoach whether he’d consider the gig. “Consider? I’ve accepted the job and they haven’t offered it.”
See ABC’s season 23 announcement below.
