Coming from its lowest rating season, many wonder what's next for American Idol?
After airing 12 seasons, one of TV's longest-running talent search shows is now back to the drawing board to see what went wrong and what needs fixing. As overhauls are still underway, here's what we know so far.
American Idol executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick were both fired following the drop in ratings. In an official statement posted by The Hollywood Reporter explaining his departure, Lythgoe was very vocal about his feelings:
"I am truly saddened to be leaving a great team of friends and colleagues. However, at the end of the day, the most important thing is to maintain this incredible platform for America's young talent. This will only happen with the success of the program. If the executives that are now in charge of American Idol believe that the ratings will improve with my departure, I have no complaints."
Mariah Carey and Nikki Minaj have made it official-- they are no longer returning for season 13. Rumors have it that Carey quit because she knew Idol producers weren't renewing her anyway. Shortly after, Minaj announced her exit in a tweet, saying she wanted to focus on her music. Having the two together in a show proved to be a bitter clash of personalities. As for Keith Urban, there are no reports yet.
Is Jennifer Lopez returning as Idol judge? Unfortunately, a reliable source says "it's not happening." In an exclusive interview by E! News, J.Lo straightened out rumors she was considering returning to Idol's judges table, saying "It's not looking that great because my year is getting booked up."
So who will be the next Idol judges? There are no official announcements yet, but as expected speculations are endless. A report by ET Online, shares a list of stars that they think could take the judges seat. Among them are: country icon Faith Hill, Glee's Matthew Morrison, rapper Diddy, Idol's Jennifer Hudson, rocker Jon Bon Jovi... and the list goes on. But these are all speculations until American Idol makes its official announcement. Who do you think should take the judges seat?
While the new Idol judges aren't sure yet, one person is definitely returning to Idol's season 13--host Ryan Seacrest. After hosting the show for 12 years, Seacrest is committed to stick with the show for as long as they will allow him. After all he loves hosting Idol!