American Idol judges confirmed for new season — but one role remains uncertain

The judges for season 24 of American Idol have been revealed — but the host of the program is yet to be confirmed.

The singing competition shared a back-to-school themed video Monday on Instagram to confirm this year’s panel of judges: Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood. This marks American Idol season four winner Underwood’s second season as a judge, while Richie and Bryan have been judges since 2018.

However, a host was not announced in the video.

Ryan Seacrest, the host of American Idol since its 2002 debut, was not included in the announcement.

Sources told Deadline that Seacrest is expected to return; he just doesn’t have a signed deal yet.

American Idol is yet to confirm if Ryan Seacrest is returning as a host (Getty Images)

American Idol also confirmed Monday that the search for next season’s contestants is on, with virtual auditions across 50 states, beginning August 26.

“Those auditioning will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents face-to-face with an American Idol producer, from anywhere in America, across any official audition date for a chance to proceed to the judge auditions,” ABC noted.

In this part of the talent search, called “Idol Across America,” there will also be virtual, nationwide open call dates throughout September for singers. There are also open calls in different states next month.

If singers pass the open call, they’ll be invited to audition in-person for the trio of judges. From there, contestants who receive a golden ticket from the judges move onto the next round of auditions, also known as “Hollywood Week.” Singers are eliminated during the process, typically leaving about two dozen to compete during live shows, though the process does ebb and flow from season to season.

The next season of American Idol won’t air until 2026. The show moved from Fox to ABC in 2018, making the next season the ninth on ABC.

When Carrie Underwood joined the show in 2024, she replaced Katy Perry as a judge. Before her exit, the “California Girls” singer was on the judging panel for seven seasons.

American Idol remains a solid performer for ABC, with the 2025 season averaging about 7.3 million cross-platform viewers over five weeks, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Many now-famous faces entered the music business after winning American Idol over the years, including Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, and Fantasia Barrino. However, even fan-favorite contestants had major career success, including Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, and Chris Daughtry.

In May, Jamal Roberts, a physical education teacher from Mississippi, was crowned the season 23 winner of American Idol. At the time, he secured the majority of the 26 million votes cast.