Ryan Seacrest Returns as American Idol Host for Season 24 Across US

Ryan Seacrest will return as the host for the 24th season of American Idol, which is the show's ninth season on ABC, set to premiere in early 2026. He will be joined again by judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, with Underwood having joined the panel last season and Bryan and Richie serving since 2018. The show is continuing its "Idol Across America" virtual audition tour, allowing contestants nationwide to audition in front of producers for a chance to perform before the judges. Seacrest, who has been with the show since its inception in 2002, also hosts Wheel of Fortune and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. American Idol remains a top-rated unscripted series on ABC, with last season's finale ranking number one in primetime. The series is produced by Fremantle and 19 Entertainment, with Megan Wolflick as showrunner and executive producer alongside Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman.