The Real Reason Bobby Bones Isn't Returning To American Idol
Bobby Bones is a country radio host who first rose to prominence by interviewing a range of musicians on his aptly titled "Bobby Bones Show." "The Bobby Bones Show" received syndication from iHeartRadio in 2013, allowing it to be heard by a lot more people — and increasing Bones' popularity a ton. While he has since hosted various events hosted by the company, his arguably biggest break came in 2018 when he was tapped to appear on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and won the competition.
However, that wasn't Bones' only time spent on competitive television, as he was made a permanent mentor on "American Idol" that same year. In 2019, the radio personality also filled in for host Ryan Seacrest, according to TV Line. With a new year and a new season of "Idol" on the horizon, set to start on February 27, it appears that there will be some changes. Bones announced on an Instagram story that he won't be returning to the show, leaving many fans shocked.
Bobby Bones can't return to American Idol because he is filming a new show
During a recent Instagram Q&A ahead of the new year, radio host and "American Idol" mentor Bobby Bones opened up to fans about his recent career moves. After revealing he was spending some time in Costa Rica, many were curious about the mysterious reasons behind it. Bones eventually shared that he wouldn't be returning to "Idol" after signing a contract for a new show, with a network other than ABC.
"As soon as I can say, I will. The network hasn't even announced the show yet. So I'm going to chill for a bit. But it's a really good show," he explained. "And some of you noticed, I'm not in the 'Idol' promos this season. My contract [with] my new network won't let me do another show right now. Love 'Idol,' BTW. It was a great four years."
However, eagle-eyed fans on Reddit appear to have possibly cracked the mystery, after a TMZ article from December discusses CBS creating a new show like "Survivor" — but with celebrities; one Twitter user claimed the show is filming in Panama, a short flight from Costa Rica. It is unclear if Bones will be a host or contestant, while other names included on the possible cast list include "RHONY" star Eboni K. Williams and Jodie Sweetin from "Full House," per TMZ.