When American Idol premieres its 24th season on the 2026 TV schedule on Monday, January 26, we'll get to see Ryan Seacrest back in action once again. Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Idol winner Carrie Underwood will also be returning to the judges’ panel. However, I note the host, because Seacrest has been in the Idol game since the very beginning, going all the way back to his frosted tips. Plus, Bryan decided to give the longtime host his flowers by explaining how much work his colleague does on the show (and let me tell you, it's a heavier workload than I expected).
Seacrest is known for putting in more work than the average person. Between his radio show, his hosting gigs on American Idol and Wheel of Fortune, running his nonprofit organization, and so much more, he is seemingly always working. While some may think that hosting isn’t too big of a deal and it’s just announcing, it’s actually a lot more than that. And it’s something that Seacrest has been doing on American Idol for years.
