Ryan Seacrest, Carrie Underwood Hand Out ‘American Idol’ Platinum Ticket on New Year’s Eve
Photo by: ABC/Al Drago Reading Time: 2 minutes
American Idol officially returns for Season 23 in March, but fans got a sneak peek of one of this year’s contestants during New Year’s Eve celebrations. Host Ryan Seacrest and new judge Carrie Underwood handed out a Platinum Ticket in Times Square.
American Idol Platinum Ticket Handed Out on New Year’s Eve
Ryan Seacrest recently returned for his 20th year hosting New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on ABC. Carrie Underwood was among the celebrity performers who took the stage in Times Square during the celebration. Together, they surprised an American Idol Season 23 contestant.
During the live broadcast, Seacrest and Underwood introduced viewers to Filo, who auditioned for the show this season. Seacrest then explained the Platinum Ticket, which is an upgraded version of the coveted Golden Ticket to Hollywood. This ticket allows contestants to skip part of Hollywood Week.
That’s when Underwood surprised Filo by presenting him with a Platinum Ticket of his own. Filo looked shocked and emotional as he accepted it, saying, “What just happened? This is insane!”
Although the Platinum Ticket isn’t a guarantee that a singer will go far in the competition, last year’s winner Abi Carter did receive one for her audition. We’ll have to wait until Season 23 premieres to hear why the judges loved Filo’s performance so much.
SEE ALSO: ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CREW REPORTEDLY PREFERS CARRIE UNDERWOOD OVER ‘CHAOTIC’ KATY PERRY
The Judges Already Handed Out a Platinum Ticket
Season 23 of American Idol hasn’t even premiered, but we’ve already watched the judges hand out two Platinum Tickets. In November, fans at a Tennessee Titans game in Nashville got to see the first Platinum Ticket handed out on the field.
The singer performed “Lady Marmalade” for the crowd, before the judges (Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan) came out to present her with a Platinum Ticket. The show was in Nashville to film the new season, as they drove around town and hung out at Bryan’s bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge.
American Idol Season 23 premieres Sunday, March 9, on ABC. Are you excited to see this year’s auditions? Let us know in the comments below.
