AMERICAN IDOL is leaving its longtime Los Angeles production home for the Atlanta area as the singing competition prepares for its landmark 25th season.
“It feels really special,” AMERICAN IDOL showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick told WJCL. “It’s a quarter-century of discovering superstars. It’s a landmark season for us, and we’re going to make it very, very big.”
Producer Fremantle confirmed the cross-country relocation, which will begin with Season 25, according to Deadline. The milestone will also mark the show’s 10th season on ABC following its original 15-season run on Fox.
The exact Atlanta-area studio remains unsettled. Deadline reported that Fremantle was in final talks with a local studio complex but had not signed an agreement when the news broke, so reports naming a specific new home would be premature.
ABC has not officially announced the Season 25 judging panel or host. Ryan Seacrest hosted the most recent season with Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie at the judges’ table; Deadline reported that the judging trio is expected back, though their deals were still in progress.
The show is already searching for its next winner. An official ABC and Disney announcement said the virtual “Idol Across America” auditions began Aug. 25, covering all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with open-call dates scheduled through Sept. 28.
ABC says the new season will premiere in 2027, but the network has not set an exact date. Episodes will stream the following day on Disney+ and Hulu, while the live rounds will also stream live on Disney+.
Related: AMERICAN IDOL Season 25 Will Look a Little Different—Here’s What’s Changing
The move ends an era that began with AMERICAN IDOL’s 2002 debut. Variety reported that the show broadcast live from Los Angeles throughout its run, spending most of that time at Television City before shifting to Red Studios Hollywood.
Still, AMERICAN IDOL had already begun stretching beyond its Hollywood traditions. Season 24 moved Hollywood Week to Nashville for the first time, while the latest “Idol Across America” search lets hopefuls audition face-to-face with producers from home.
Neither ABC nor Fremantle has released a detailed public explanation for the relocation. Deadline reported that Georgia’s production incentives were one of the main reasons, while Variety connected the decision to lower costs and a broader movement of unscripted shows away from California.
Georgia offers more than a new backdrop. The Georgia state production office touts an experienced crew base, extensive infrastructure, nearly five million square feet of stage space and tax credits of up to 30%.
California expanded its own tax-credit program to include large-scale competition shows, but eligible series must budget at least $1 million per episode. Deadline reported that AMERICAN IDOL did not qualify, even as the state tries to keep more television jobs at home.
The series is not making the trip alone. THE MASKED SINGER moved from Los Angeles to New Jersey, while SHARK TANK, LEGO MASTERS, FAMILY FEUD and CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD have also shifted production to the Atlanta area, according to Variety.
For families who have made AMERICAN IDOL a weekly tradition, the address may change, but the heart of the format remains familiar: unknown singers get a national stage, viewers help choose a winner and contestants bring their personal stories along with their songs.
“Just be yourself, because that’s what America will connect with,” Wolflick said.
That invitation gives the Atlanta chapter an upbeat starting note. AMERICAN IDOL returns in 2027 on ABC, with the search for its next voice already underway.
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