ABC to reboot American Idol

US broadcaster ABC is to revive iconic FremantleMedia talent format American Idol this autumn, a year after it ended a 15-year run on rival Fox.

American Idol has already aired for 15 seasons

FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, a subsidiary of Core Media which is part of the Endemol Shine Group, will produce the revived version of the singing format, with a host and judges to be confirmed.

It will join ABC’s stable of hit formats, which already includes Dancing With The Stars and The Bachelor.

It was based on the UK format Pop Idol which was created by Simon Fuller for ITV, which in turn was inspired by New Zealand series Popstars, which producer Nigel Lythgoe brought across to the UK.

Contestants from the 15 seasons of American Idol aired so far have gone on to win 14 Grammys, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award while the show itself earned 67 Emmy nominations and nine wins. It launched the careers of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, among others.

The brand has already been part of the Disney/ABC family with The American Idol Experience taking place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park for five years.

Channing Dungey, president of ABC Entertainment, said: “American Idol is a pop-culture staple that left the air too soon. ABC is the right home to reignite the fan base. We are thrilled viewers will once again share in these inspiring stories of people realising their dreams.”

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of the FremantleMedia Group, said: “ABC’s passion and enthusiasm make them a perfect home for American Idol. We are excited to be partnering with them to discover the next generation of talented artists.

“It’s an irresistible combination that means now is the ideal time to welcome back one of the most successful shows in the history of contemporary television.”