'American Idol' Reboot News: ABC Talks Katy Perry's Salary; Ryan Seacrest Returns as Host
ABC's "American Idol" reboot has been drawing a lot of attention as of late, especially because it opted to pay anchor judge Katy Perry a reported $25 million in salary. However, the network is adamant that the right decision was made.
Perry's whopping salary has not been officially confirmed by ABC, and it remains unlikely that the network ever will. There is no doubt that the figure is large, but ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey believes that money has to be spent in order to be earned.
"We hit the jackpot with Katy," Dungey said at the Television Critics Association press tour on Sunday (via Entertainment Weekly). "She is a songwriter, and to have someone like her on the panel is fantastic. This is a business. We need to make sure we make the right decision so the show can be financially viable, so it will have a place on ABC for years to come."
The other two judges have yet to be announced, though there have been rumors going around that Lionel Richie and Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx could be joining the "Swish Swish" singer on the panel.
However, "American Idol" fans will be happy to know that Ryan Seacrest will be returning to host the reboot once more. Seacrest has hosted the reality singing competition since the beginning, and there have been numerous reports about negotiations between him and ABC. The announcement of his return was made by Kelly Ripa on the show she co-hosts with Seacrest.
Prior to divulging the big news, Ripa sought permission from Seacrest, who confirmed that he is "absolutely, without a doubt" returning. She then proceeded to praise Seacrest for making hosting look so easy. He also recalled the first time he auditioned in front of "American Idol" producers.
"They put you through these moments of possibilities as tests," Seacrest recounted, explaining that he was given a scenario involving a contestant whose mother had just died and who just received criticism from the judges.
The "American Idol" reboot will premiere in early 2018 on ABC.
