ABC has renewed “American Idol” for a fourth season.
The singing competition series, like the rest of the television industry, has faced production shutdowns due to the coronavirus. But instead of going off the air, the show has been airing episodes filmed remotely since April 26, with judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, as well as host Ryan Seacrest, mentor Bobby Bones, and all top 20 contestants shooting their segments from home.
The Season 3 finale airs Sunday, May 17 at 8 p.m. ET, at which point viewers will first vote to narrow the talent pool down from seven to five and then later crown the winner.
Performers set to appear on the finale include Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet,” “Bad Times at the El Royal”) performing a medley of Aretha Franklin songs with the Top 11; Lauren Daigle and the Top 5 performing her hit “You Say,”; Rascal Flatts and Doug Kiker performing “Bless The Broken Road,”; Luke Bryan performing his new single “One Margarita,”; Katy Perry performing her new single “Daisies” for the first time on TV; and Lionel Richie performing “We Are the World” along with all the other two judges, the Top 11 and other “American Idol” alums including Alejandro Aranda aka Scarypoolparty, Fantasia, Gabby Barrett, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Laine Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Phillip Phillips, Ruben Studdard and Scotty McCreery.
The Top 7 finalists are as follows: Arthur Gunn of Wichita, KS; Dillon James of Bakersfield, CA; Francisco Martin of Daly City, CA; Jonny West of Studio City, CA; Julia Gargano of Staten Island, NY; Just Sam of West Hollywood, CA; and Louis Knight of Narberth, PA.
The singing competition series debuted in 2002 on Fox, where it remained for 15 seasons until it went off the air in 2016. The next year, ABC revived it under the same name. Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie signed on as judges at the time and have remained through three seasons on the network, along with host Ryan Seacrest, who has remained with the show since its inception.
ABC has not yet disclosed whether Seacrest and the judges have signed on to return for Season 4.
“American Idol’s” Sunday show is averaging a 1.6 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic and 8.4 million total viewers, according to the “most current” data from Nielsen, which includes a week’s worth of delayed viewing where available. On Mondays, Season 3 is posting a 1.7 rating and 8.5 million viewers.
“American Idol” is produced by Fremantle and Industrial Media’s 19 Entertainment. Executive producers include Fremantle’s Trish Kinane, who also serves as showrunner, as well as Jennifer Mullin, and Megan Wolflick. Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman executive produce for 19 Entertainment. Fremantle is the worldwide distributor.
The season finale of “American Idol” airs Sunday, May 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.