Ryan Seacrest confirms American Idol will air full season using ‘new technology’ amid coronavirus production shutdowns
RYAN Seacrest confirmed the full season of American Idol will air on ABC despite production shutting down for most of Hollywood during the coronavirus pandemic.
The live shows for the singing competition were expected to begin airing on Monday, April 6th but the network announced it will spread its remaining pre-taped episodes over multiple weeks instead of one to buy time.
Idol’s Hawaii showcase final episode that was originally scheduled to air last night will now broadcast on Sunday April 5th.
To continue filling the Idol void, ABC will run repeats of Celebrity Family Feud and the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? special on Monday April 6th.
On Sunday April 12 and Sunday April 19, ABC will air American Idol: This is Me, which will look at the lives of the Top 20 contestants with unseen footage and performance highlights.
The show’s longtime host, 45, told TMZ that despite the COVID-19 shutdowns, all of the scheduled programming will still “make it to air.”
He told the outlet while self-isolating in his New York home: “I’ve been doing the American Idol episodes.
“We have shot the auditions and we put what we call voiceover tracks onto those shows and I’ve been doing those voiceover tracks from home as well.
“So in terms of our productions and our programming, all is still making it to air,” he said of the season which includes judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
The radio and television personality continued: “With safety being the priority, that is #1, we do want to deliver all of this season. We want to put on these performance episodes.
“We want to put on the episodes that allow America to vote for their favorites to get to an American Idol winner this season. So, how are we going to do that?
"We haven’t fully decided. I think we see the obvious ways that people are using technology now on the air and on social media.
“I think we’re trying to push the limits of technology and explore any sort of technology that might be available to us to deliver the performance, to deliver the judges comments.
“And to deliver America being able to vote so we can make it through the entire season.
“I’m very hopeful we can do that actually,” Ryan optimistically concluded of the show’s future.
According to the outlet, an e-mail was sent to Idol staffers yesterday that announced the show had to abandon filming in its studio due to the ongoing virus outbreak.
“As we continue to monitor advice from federal and local agencies, it seems unlikely we are going to be able to make it back into the studio for this season of American Idol.
"We will continue to monitor and provide updates should any changes occur,” the e-mail concluded.
Do you have a story for The US Sun team?
Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552.