"American Idol" on ABC seems to have brewing troubles. According to an industry insider, Ryan Seacrest could be backing out from his deal to host the show for the 16th time and things aren't turning out the way the network would have wanted it.
Ryan Seacrest reportedly realized he would be paid much, much less than the first judge hired for the reboot. So, he's reconsidering his return on the singing competition that made him a household name.
Katy Perry recently revealed that she landed a $25 million contract to sit on the judges' panel for the "American Idol" reboot.
She also said she is getting paid a whole lot more than any Idol guy and that is why Ryan Seacrest is having second thoughts.
No familiar names, no reason for reboot
Richard Rushfield of The Ankler said ABC wanted to have some familiar names attached to the "American Idol" revival because it will matter to the show's continuity. It's for this reason the network sought Kelly Clarkson as judge, but the singer already has commitments with "The Voice" " on NBC. Clarkson's appearance will be in the 2018 spring season, which is also the scheduled return of "American Idol," the show that launched her career.
Simon Cowell also expressed he's not interested in coming back. He confirmed he was asked but turned the offer down since he has "The X Factor" franchise and "America's Got Talent" to keep him busy.
American Idol: could reboot fail?
ABC's other familiar big name choice was Ryan Seacrest. But if he's considering backing out of "American Idol" then this could mean loyal viewers from the previous seasons might not find any reason to watch the show. This opens up bigger possibilities the reboot would be a failure for the network.
If Seacrest, however, would be convinced to return, then the only reason would be because ABC will have to cough up some dough just for the talent fees for two star -- Perry and Seacrest. The reboot hasn't even aired but its budget could begin ballooning just for two people.
Either way, the arrangements won't be a win-win for the network.
As Rushfield said, ABC is slowly losing its sight on making the "American Idol" reboot a "cost effective endeavor.”
Andy Dehnhart of Reality Blurred, however, pointed out it might be a mistake to remake the original "American Idol" and retain some of its familiar elements anyway. He suggested that perhaps ABC should look into fresh ideas that have never been done on the show before, including dropping Ryan Seacrest.
