'American Idol' Season 16 Casting News: Keith Urban Won't Join The Judges' Panel In ABC Reboot
Keith Urban might have officially opted out of returning to the panel of "American Idol" season 16 on ABC.
In a statement released through US Weekly, the Australian country music singer revealed that he cannot join the singing reality competition's long-time host Ryan Seacrest in its reboot on its new network.
"I think it's going to be all new people except for Ryan," Urban stated when asked by the publication during his red carpet appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, Sept. 8 with his wife Nicole Kidman.
The 49-year-old singer was part of the singing competition that originally aired on FOX since its 12th season in 2012 as a replacement for Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler. He stayed with the show until its final season in the network in 2016.
Aside from Seacrest, ABC announced that singer Katy Perry will be part of the judge's panel of the "American Idol" reboot. However, there is no other information yet on the other judges for the competition.
The production is currently conducting a nationwide search for the next lineup of contestants for "American Idol" season 16.
According to a report from Mass Live, the auditions attracted a long line of hopefuls during its Boston leg since Thursday, Sept. 7 prior to the start of the audition proper on Friday, Sept. 8.
One of the hundreds of "American Idol" hopefuls is Usen Isong from Queens, New York who exerted a lot of efforts just to attend the tryouts in Massachusetts.
"I had to take the Megabus and come all the way down here because this is my dream and my passion, and I love to sing. Against all odds. It was cold, I was sleeping, I was waking up, I was sleeping," the self-confessed Katy Perry fan stated.
ABC has yet to announce the premiere date of "American Idol" season 16.
