During last week’s American Idol Top 7 live show, host Ryan Seacrest announced that auditions for the next season are now open. Shortly after, Disney officially confirmed that American Idol has been renewed for the 2024–2025 season. The network also renewed Dancing with the Stars, ensuring both long-running franchises will return to ABC next season.
Alongside those renewals, Disney/ABC announced the return of several other flagship series, including The Bachelor and Shark Tank. These renewals reflect the network’s continued commitment to live competition and reality programming, formats that remain important for linear ratings and streaming window performance.
It’s true that broadcast ratings have softened in recent years across the board, and both American Idol and Dancing with the Stars have seen year-to-year declines consistent with that trend. Even so, American Idol continues to perform strongly within ABC’s schedule and has outpaced rival singing competitions on other networks in key time periods this season. The upcoming season will be Idol’s eighth on ABC and the 23rd season overall when counting the show’s original run on FOX. Dancing with the Stars is set to enter its 33rd season.
American Idol is currently in the middle of its 22nd season. Reigning champion Iam Tongi will hand over the crown to a new winner on Sunday, May 19. In the penultimate episode, airing Sunday, May 12, the Top 5 performed songs from the Disney catalog, with country star Kane Brown serving as mentor during a Walt Disney World-themed segment. By the end of that show, the Top 3 was revealed, setting the stage for the season finale and final performances.
Katy Perry is leaving the judges panel after 7 seasons
Earlier this year, judge Katy Perry announced she will depart American Idol after seven seasons on the panel. Her exit leaves producers with the task of finding a high-profile artist to fill that seat. Speculation is likely to intensify over the summer, with names such as Meghan Trainor and Jelly Roll already mentioned in entertainment chatter. With veterans Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan reportedly expected to remain, the front-runner to replace Perry would most likely be another prominent female performer to maintain balance on the judging panel.
Producers tend to favor judges who bring industry credibility, television presence and the ability to mentor contestants, so casting conversations typically weigh experience, fan recognition and chemistry with the remaining panel. As ABC prepares for next season, expect casting updates, official confirmations and continued buzz about who will sit next to Richie and Bryan on the judges’ bench.
Dancing with the Stars will continue under the hosting of Alfonso Ribeiro with co-host Julianne Hough, and the series will once again simulcast on Disney+. The prior season — the show’s thirty-second — concluded in December with Xochitl Gomez and professional partner Val Chmerkovskiy winning the Mirrorball Trophy. Last season’s judging panel included familiar faces such as Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.
At one point there was discussion about keeping Dancing with the Stars exclusively on streaming, but with the renewed deal it appears the series will continue benefiting from both linear broadcast exposure on ABC and the added streaming audience on Disney+. That dual-platform approach helps maintain broad visibility for the format and gives advertisers and viewers multiple ways to engage with the live competition.
With auditions now open and major casting decisions pending, the next few months will bring updates about judges, hosts and format details for both American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. Fans can expect a steady stream of casting rumors, official press announcements and promotional moves as ABC and Disney prepare their 2024–2025 reality slate.