‘American Idol’ Renewed for Season 4 at ABC

American Idol has been renewed for a fourth season at ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter Friday. But for the second year in a row, the renewal comes without new deals for judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie and host, Ryan Seacrest. The announcement for a return comes just two days before Idol‘s Season 3 finale, airing Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

With the celebrity talent contracts by far coming in as the most expensive part of the production, Perry, Bryan and Richie all signed their deals for the ongoing season about three months after the last renewal, with Seacrest finally signing on in September 2019. Page Six reports Perry is currently signed to a deal making $25 million per season, while Richie and Bryan rake in $7 million. The longtime host reportedly signed for about $15 million.

This year’s finale will be the first of its kind as the remaining contestant compete from home amid the coronavirus, with the judges and Seacrest also recording from home. Sunday’s finale will feature performances by Perry, Bryan, Rascal Flatts and Lauren Daigle. Cynthia Erivo, the star of Nat Geo’s Genius: Aretha will sing a medley of Aretha Franklin songs, while Richie will lead a version of “We Are the World” with this season’s top 11 singers, Perry, Bryan and past Idol contestants Alejandro Aranda, Fantasia, Gabby Barrett, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Laine Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Phillip Phillips, Ruben Studdard and Scotty McCreery.

Last month, Perry said on Facebook Live of the mid-season pivot necessitated by the spread of coronavirus, “Well, I think that we’re all gonna have to be very creative. know that we’re going to get really creative and you’ll just have to be tuning into that creativity that we are probably going to create from our individual homes. We’ll see how this goes.”

It’s been an unprecedented season for Perry especially, who is expecting her first child with fiancé Orlando Bloom. During last week’s special Mother’s Day episode of Idol, she revealed her little girl has already been jamming out to the performances in utero. “I don’t know what it is to be a mother, although I’ve always felt very motherly to my friends and my fans, but I know I’m about to step into the next level. I even have a bump. She’s kicking too. She kicks when the performances are good. So just let them be good but not too good because it’s painful!” she joked.