While many thought the American Idol reboot was all set to roll out, a new report says that the producers are struggling to find judges.
According to TMZ, the previously believed frontrunners like Lionel Richie, Charlie Puth, Luke Bryan and Keith Urban, are not any closer to signing deals than they were weeks ago.
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The number of judging seats that producers want to fill could only be three, but it’s apparently speculated that they might secure a fourth one as well.
It’s also reported that Nile Rodgers, a high-profile record producer, has now been added to the mix as a possible new judge.
Richie was the closest to nailing down a deal, so close that many thought he’d already been confirmed, but the new report reveals that he may be asking for more money than producers are prepared to dish out.
They’re coming down to the wire, as American Idol auditions start Thursday, August 17, in Orlando, Florida. However, auditions taped in front of the judges don’t begin until the end of next month.
The only official judge the show has at this point is pop-singer Katy Perry.
ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey opened up about Perry being brought in as a judge, saying, “We hit the jackpot with Katy. She is a songwriter, and to have someone like her on the panel is fantastic.”
She then added, “This is a business. We need to make sure we make the right decision so the show can be financially viable, so it will have a place on ABC for years to come.”
Additionally, FremantleMedia Group CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz spoke to reporters, revealing that American Idol is “not more expensive than its competitors,” in regards to Perry’s rumored $25 million payday for the gig.
She continued, “ABC wouldn’t order something that didn’t work for them financially. Katy is in a transition in terms of her own career. It has been shown now what these platforms can do for artists.”
Lastly, Frot-Coutaz said, “It has been beneficial to other people, whether it’s on Idol or The Voice. But I think she genuinely cares. She auditioned when she was a guest judge on Idol in 2010 and then on the [U.K.] X-Factor. She’s brilliant.”
