ATLANTA — As American Idol prepares to leave Hollywood behind and begin a new chapter in Georgia, longtime host Ryan Seacrest says he’s excited to bring the iconic singing competition back to his home state.
Seacrest recently spoke about the move and joked that the show’s most famous catchphrase may need an update.
For years, contestants who advanced in the competition heard the words, “You’re going to Hollywood.” But with production relocating to Georgia for Season 25, Seacrest laughed when asked what comes next.
“You’re going to Ryan’s town, I don’t know!” Seacrest told Entertainment Tonight.
The Dunwoody native says the move is especially meaningful because it allows him to share the experience with family and longtime friends.
“You’re going to want to see Ryan’s mom, that’s a treat. She’s very excited. She is bringing all of her friends from the neighborhood and her exercise friends from exercise class. They’re coming to the show.”
Seacrest believes the move gives the series a fresh start as it enters its 25th season.
“It is an exciting way to freshen up 25 seasons of American Idol, don’t you think?”
The transition to Georgia will also make life a little easier for judges Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood, both of whom have strong ties to the Southeast. Seacrest acknowledged that he and fellow judge Lionel Richie will still spend plenty of time traveling back and forth.
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“Fortune is out there, so we’ll be in and out, but I think it’s a nice change. It’ll be super cool.”
One thing Seacrest is particularly looking forward to is having more familiar faces in the audience.
“Like you said, I can see all my college and high school football buddies. They can all come now. They can come to Idol.”
Even after a quarter century on television, Seacrest says what keeps the show exciting is the unpredictability of the contestants.
“With every year, we never know what to expect. We don’t know who’s going to really stand out or who will crack under the pressure.”
As auditions get underway for another season, Seacrest says the judges still have no idea who the next breakout star will be.
And despite reaching the 25-season milestone, he believes American Idol continues to have a major cultural impact, launching careers and creating memorable television moments for a new generation of viewers.