American Idol Officially Returning To TV

This... is... American Idol: Part 2!

ABC confirmed on Tuesday, May 9, 2017 that the network will launch a reboot of the popular FOX reality-competition series American Idol. Details on the revival, announced on Good Morning America, are scarce at best; per Variety, the show's still searching for a host, judging panel, and showrunner.

However, Disney/ABC TV Group president Ben Sherwood offered a positive look ahead, saying, "America, get ready for the return of a bigger, bolder and better-than-ever Idol."

As Nicki Swift previously reported, ABC is hoping that the show's original host, Ryan Seacrest, will reprise his role as emcee of the once-top-rated show; however, in order to make that happen, TMZ says that Idol 2.0 would have to work around Seacrest's new gig as co-host of Live! with Kelly and Ryan. Seacrest himself played coy about the rumors on Monday's episode of Live!

ABC's decision to reboot Idol will likely surprise many. While it was a hit at the top of its game, averaging almost 40 million viewers in 2006, the show sharply declined in popularity by the end of its 16-season run. As Variety notes, the show averaged just 9.1 million viewers in its "farewell season" in 2016.