Get ready for some more fun coming your way, American Idol fans!
The hit singing competition is wrapping up season 23, and fans have been waiting to learn if another season will be on the way. Well, we have good news as Deadline made a surprise announcement about the show's future. On May 9, ABC (a.k.a. the network the show airs on) rolled out its list of reality TV shows that have been renewed, and we found out American Idol will indeed be returning for season 9 (season 24 overall) in 2026.
Shortly after the news broke online, American Idol confirmed the big reveal on Instagram. "Dim the lights... here we go," read the official caption. "#AmericanIdol is coming back for another season! 🎶."
As ecstatic as fans were about American Idol returning, they went to the comments to voice their feelings about the judges. Mainly, they want to see season 4 winner and current judge Carrie Underwood return to the show next year.
"YAY! Please make sure Carrie is a judge next season! She is super fun!! Love her so much!! ❤️," one person begged. "We want Carrie Underwood back! 🥹❤️," another declared. "I'm back if @carrieunderwood is back! She gets along so well with Luke and Lionel!" a different follower added.
As fans know, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie have been on the show since it was rebooted back in 2018. But Carrie replaced Katy Perry as judge only in 2024. So, you can never be too sure about which judges are returning.
But the good news is, the show will be back, and we just can't wait to see what's in store.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
