Did American Idol host Ryan Seacrest accidentally confirm which judges will sit on the panel for the show’s next season? During a recent interview, Seacrest seemed to let slip that Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan will all be back for Season 25.
Ryan Seacrest Confirms American Idol Panel
Ryan Seacrest recently hosted the iHeartRadio Music Awards. During a backstage interview with Entertainment Tonight, Seacrest addressed the recent news that American Idolis moving production from California to Seacrest’s home state of Georgia.
“It’s super cool,” Seacrest said of the move. “It’s convenient for Luke [Bryan] and Carrie [Underwood], right? Not too far. Lionel [Richie] and I will be zigzagging a little bit.”
Seacrest’s comments seem to confirm that last season’s judges will be back for the new season. Entertainment Now points out that the show usually makes an official announcement of the next season’s cast by August, but it hasn’t done so yet.
It looks like the move to Georgia won’t be an issue for the judges. It’s unclear if Richie’s recent health issues will affect his ability to judge. Seacrest joked that instead of the iconic “You’re going to Hollywood!” line, he’ll have to start saying, “You’re going to see Ryan’s mom!”
While talking to Entertainment Tonight, Seacrest confirmed that he’ll be traveling back and forth between California and Georgia for work, since his radio show and Wheel of Fortune hosting gig are both based in Los Angeles.
This isn’t the first time Seacrest has had to split his time between coasts for work. He previously hosted Live with Kelly Ripa in New York while also filming American Idol on the West Coast. Seacrest left the morning show in 2023 and was replaced by Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos.
Seacrest said it will be “a nice change” to film the show in his home state, joking, “I can see all my college, high school football buddies. They can all come.” He added that the judges will start watching auditions “in a couple weeks.”
What do you think about Ryan Seacrest’s apparent confirmation of next season’s American Idol panel? Let us know in the comments below.
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Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
