Ryan Seacrest - H 2014
AP Images/InvisionAmerican Idol fans are going to find out who’s going home in a whole new way.
Walking the red carpet at the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York on Friday night, Ryan Seacrest revealed that the show’s infamous results show will now be a thing of the past.
“We are going to do the performance show and the results in the same show,” said the program’s longtime host backstage at Madison Square Garden. “So there won’t be a ‘Wait ‘til tomorrow night.’ There won’t be a ‘Coming up, coming up, coming up.’ We are going to put it all into one format in one night. So that will be exciting.”
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Seacrest said this change in programming — similar to the performance night/results format of Dancing With the Stars — will take effect once the show gets into the final stretch. “[It will be] one night when we get to the final stage, the top 10, there will be one night of performances and results all in one night,” he said.
He added that other show changes — such as the three judges, Keith Urban, Harry Connick Jr. and Jennifer Lopez spending more personal time with contestants — have affected the quality of finalists this season. Said Seacrest: “They found some amazing contestants, and they had a chance to get to know them a little bit better.”
The sentiment echoed what Big Label Machine president Scott Borchetta said last week about spending more time with the finalists during the Green Mile portion of the show. As for whether Taylor Swift, whom Borchetta signed as a teenager, might be available for mentoring once cameras start rolling, Seacrest was coy. “You have to ask Scott,” he said. “But hopefully if he’s on the show. … It would be nice.
Seacrest added that former Idols returning to the show to mentor would benefit the contestants. “Now that we’ve been on for such a long time, you’ve got mentors in these Idols and they come back with some real experience to talk about,” he said. Season-eight runner-up, Adam Lambert, for instance, was instrumental in offering expertise when he filled in for Urban during the auditions phase. “Adam stepped up when Keith couldn’t be there, and Adam did a great job,” said Seacrest.
Also walking the red carpet, Grammy nominee and recipient of Billboard’s Powerhouse Award Jessie J. had fond memories of appearing on Idol, particularly performing with season-12 alum Angie Miller.
“She was amazing,” said Jessie J., who was happy to hear Miller put out a new EP, Weathered. “I haven’t heard it. I need to get it.”
American Idol returns to FOX on Jan. 7.
Twitter: @MicheleAmabile @Idol_Worship
