‘American Idol’ Back on ABC February 19

By Michael Malone
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie return as judges

Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Ryan Seacrest
(From l.): ‘American Idol’ judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan and host Ryan Seacrest. (Image credit: ABC)

American Idol returns on ABC Sunday, February 19. It is season six on ABC. Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie return as judges, and Ryan Seacrest continues to host.

American Idol debuted on Fox in 2002 and ran until 2016, totaling 15 seasons on the network. It started on ABC in 2018.

Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul were the judges when American Idol debuted. Seacrest has hosted for all 20 American Idol seasons. Bryan, Perry and Richie started as judges in season 16. 

American Idol is produced by Fremantle and 19 Entertainment, a part of Sony Pictures Television. Executive producers include Megan Michaels Wolflick, who is the showrunner, and Fremantle’s Jennifer Mullin, with Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman exec producing for 19 Entertainment. 

Fremantle distributes the series worldwide.

Noah Thompson was voted the champ in season 20 last year. ■

Michael Malone
Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.