It’s official: ABC has revived American Idol — and is throwing some shade at Fox in the process. 
 
 The network has struck a deal to bring back the reality competition series next season, ABC confirmed Tuesday. 
 
 What’s more, ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey took a swipe at Fox for canceling the series in the first place, suggesting its rival misstepped by dumping the show prematurely. 
 
 “American Idol is a pop-culture staple that left the air too soon,” said Dungey. “ABC is the right home to reignite the fan base. We are thrilled viewers will once again share in these inspiring stories of people realizing their dreams.” 
 
 ABC reportedly outbid Fox and NBC for the reality show’s return. 
 
 Fox aired Idol‘s last episode — or what would have been its last episode — in 2016, after 15 seasons. The show was canceled due to a combination of its expensive cost and sagging ratings. 
 
 ABC doesn’t have a host or judges locked down yet for its edition of the show (though Ryan Seacrest is expected to likely return now that he’s joining ABC anyway — co-hosting Live with Kelly Ripa). But Disney Media Networks co-chairman Ben Sherwood — in another line that could be interpreted as a dig at their rival — said the new version would be an improvement upon Fox’s run. 
 
 “‘Idol is an entertainment icon, and now it will air where it belongs, in ABC’s lineup of addictive fan favorites alongside Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor,” he said. “America, get ready for the return of a bigger, bolder and better-than-ever Idol.” ||||| CLOSE The long-running music competition series "American Idol" is coming back for the 2017-2018 season on ABC instead of FOX. USA TODAY 
 
 Original 'American Idol' judges Randy Jackson, left, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell returned for the series finale in 2016. Fox says it's "too soon" for a return, though ABC will give it one. (Photo: Matt Sayles, AP) 
 
 This ... is American Idol, on a new network. 
 
 The singing competition, which set ratings records over a storied 15-year run on Fox but was canceled last spring, is being resurrected on ABC. 
 
 The Disney-owned network confirmed the news early Tuesday, providing no details about judges, a host, timing or the duration of the series, though it's been speculated that a shortened season will begin next spring on Sunday nights. The show's previous seasons, about 20 weeks each, stretched from mid-January to mid-May. 
 
 TMZ first reported Idol producers FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment's talks with ABC after earlier discussions with NBC ended. 
 
 As for who might be back? 
 
 TMZ says Ryan Seacrest, who joined the Disney family only last week as the new co-host of Live with Kelly!, "seems interested" in returning as host, though Seacrest Monday played coy on Live!, saying, "I don't know if I can host it." 
 
 If the show remains in Los Angeles, as expected, Seacrest would have to jet back and forth each week during live Idol episodes. But Live!'s previous co-host, Michael Strahan, did the same thing each week during NFL season, when he moonlighted as a host of Fox NFL Sunday in Los Angeles, though the weekend gig didn't pose as direct a conflict. 
 
 Simon Cowell, the judge who vaulted the show to fame, is now executive producer and a judge on NBC's America's Got Talent. NBC is also the new network home of fellow judge Jennifer Lopez, who has a major deal to produce and star in a new reality-competition series, World of Dance (premiering May 30) in addition to her current detective drama Shades of Blue. 
 
 Idol was the top-rated show for eight seasons of its run, peaking in its fifth with an average of more than 30 million viewers (and 36 million for its May performance finale). But by the end of its run, Idol drew only about one-third of that audience, even as the show's expenses — some judges were paid $15 million a season — skyrocketed. Fox announced a planned final season in 2015, and the show ended its run only last May, after NBC's The Voice had eclipsed it. 
 
 While ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey, in a statement, called Idol "a pop-culture staple that left the air too soon," former executive producer Nigel Lythgoe expressed skepticism about the speedy return, telling Variety, "it feels a little too soon to bring it back." But ABC has been struggling on Sundays with dramas, ranks fourth among the major networks and with no NFL contract, can sorely use another reality hit. And all of the networks have struggled in recent attempts to launch new unscripted hits; NBC's Little Big Shots,which started strongly, already has faded in its second season. 
 
 Although ABC found success adapting two other British reality hits, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Dancing with the Stars, it has failed in several attempts to clone Idol. Among the notorious bombs were The One: Making a Music Star, a costly summer series that opened with 3 million viewers and was canceled after two weeks in 2006; and Rising Star,which aired in 2014 and featured contestants singing behind partitions. But Idol has a built-in (if faded) fan base, and the reboot will likely be heavily promoted during ABC's Oscar telecast, typically the highest-rated entertainment program each year. Except for that time Idol beat it. 
 
 Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2pZOIk5 ||||| Ryan Seacrest is confirmed to host ABC’s resurrected American Idol. The announcement was made on today’s Live with Kelly and Ryan. 
 
 Seacrest is perhaps the person most closely associated with the long-running show’s original Fox run, his only rival for that spot being Simon Cowell, who has already nixed a return to the ABC version. 
 
 In addition to Seacrest, ABC’s upcoming season of Idol will include Katy Perry, who’s been signed as a judge. Her involvement was announced by ABC during upfront presentations in May. 
 
 Seacrest hosted Idol from its inception in 2002 to its final Fox installment in 2016. ABC says he’ll continue to host Live with Kelly and Ryan from New York. Seacrest also hosts and executive produces ABC’s annual live show, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. 
 
 The Idol news doesn’t come as a huge surprise – Seacrest’s involvement has been rumored for months. 
 
 Seacrest will also continue hosting and executive producing On Air with Ryan Seacrest, his nationally syndicated L.A. morning drive-time radio show for iHeartMedia’s 102.7 KIIS-FM, as well as a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show from his iHeart studio at New York’s ABC7. 
 
 In an announcement confirming the news, ABC says Seacrest “will help reinvigorate the series that pioneered a new genre of television, staying true to the heart of the show by sharing inspiring stories and turning dreams into reality.” 
 
 “It’s genuinely hard to put into words what American Idol means to me,” said Seacrest. “I’m so grateful for the show and all the career and life opportunities it’s allowed me to experience. It’s been an incredible journey from day one. To be asked to return this year, at my new home at Disney|ABC, is an honor, if not a bit surreal. I believe ABC is the perfect home for Idol, and I’ve every confidence the show’s legions of fans will love it – especially Idol’s best traditions of showcasing heartwarming stories, remarkable talent discovery, and, best of all, making dreams come true.” 
 
 “We are thrilled to be ushering in this new era of American Idol with Ryan at the helm,” said Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment. “So much of American Idol’s overwhelming success can be attributed to Ryan, whose larger-than-life personality and laudable dedication to creating quality entertainment has made him a true master of his craft. His talent is limitless, and I can’t think of a more appropriate person to honor the Idol legacy as it takes on new life than the man who has been there through it all.” 
 
 Trish Kinane, president of Entertainment Programming, FremantleMedia North America, executive producer and showrunner of American Idol, said, “American Idol is back and already on the road searching to find the next generation of superstars. Idol has always been about the contestants and the music, and we couldn’t be more excited to start this next chapter – first with the incredibly talented new judge, Katy Perry, and now our own series icon, Ryan Seacrest. We’re delighted that he’s joining us and ABC as we set out to uncover the amazing talent America has to offer.” 
 
 “Idol wouldn’t be Idol without Ryan,” said Core Media Group CEO Peter Hurwitz. “He is a natural who has been there from the start, shines on live television and has dominated in every one of his professional endeavors. The show’s millions of devoted fans will be delighted to welcome him back to center stage on ABC.” 
 
 The nationwide search for the next Idol kicks off Thursday, August 17, as the Idol Bus tour heads out across America for auditions. 
 
 American Idol is produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, a division of CORE Media Group. Executive producers include FremantleMedia North America’s Trish Kinane and Jennifer Mullin along with co-executive producer, Megan Wolflick. FremantleMedia International distributes the series worldwide.
– Turns out all that fanfare over the end of American Idol was a bit premature. The singing competition is coming back after all, just not on its original network. ABC will revive the show next season after reportedly outbidding NBC and Fox (which canceled it last year due in part to flagging ratings), Entertainment Weekly reports. In its official announcement, ABC got in a couple little digs at Fox: "American Idol is a pop-culture staple that left the air too soon," says ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey. "ABC is the right home to reignite the fan base." "Idol is an entertainment icon, and now it will air where it belongs, in ABC’s lineup of addictive fan favorites," adds Disney co-chairman Ben Sherwood (Disney owns ABC). "America, get ready for the return of a bigger, bolder, and better-than-ever Idol." The network does not yet have a host or judges lined up, though TMZ reports Ryan Seacrest might be interested in returning as host. The speculation is that ABC will launch a shortened season, starting next spring, on Sunday nights, USA Today reports. How excited is the general public? Well, not very. "American Idol is back by popular demand! ..oh wait there was no demand? Oh okay. American Idol is just back then," reads one tweet. Another: "Not real sure why anyone thinks bringing American Idol back is a good idea. Go ahead and keep it, we're good." Meanwhile, Jezebel compares the show to "that strange rash on your elbow that miraculously went away but then resurfaces."