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American Idol Moves Production to Georgia After 24 Years in Hollywood
Confirmed
In Short: American Idol is shifting its production base from Los Angeles to Georgia for its 25th season.
The shift in location is not just a logistical change but also a departure from the show's iconic "Hollywood Week" tradition. For 24 seasons, aspiring singers were told by the judges, "You’re going to Hollywood!" However, with the upcoming season, this phrase will no longer apply. According to a report from Deadline, the show will no longer hold its traditional Hollywood Week, which has been a highlight of the competition, featuring performances in Los Angeles.
The current judging panel, consisting of Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, will continue for the 25th season. This marks 10 years as judges for Bryan and Richie, and the third for Underwood, who replaced Katy Perry in Season 23. The move to Georgia is expected to bring new challenges and opportunities for the show, as it adapts to a new environment and audience.
The move to Georgia also means that the show will no longer be associated with the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame and the city's vibrant entertainment scene. However, it opens up new possibilities for the show, including access to a different set of venues and a potentially larger audience base in the southeastern United States. The future of "Hollywood Week" remains uncertain, as the show will no longer be held in Los Angeles, but the judges are optimistic about the new chapter.
What's confirmed
- The shift in location is not just a logistical change but also a departure from the show's iconic "Hollywood Week" tradition. For 24 seasons, aspiring singers were told by the judges, "You’re going to Hollywood!" However, with the upcoming season, this phrase will no longer apply. According to a report from Deadline, the show will no longer hold its traditional Hollywood Week, which has been a highlight of the competition, featuring performances in Los Angeles.
- The current judging panel, consisting of Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, will continue for the 25th season. This marks 10 years as judges for Bryan and Richie, and the third for Underwood, who replaced Katy Perry in Season 23. The move to Georgia is expected to bring new challenges and opportunities for the show, as it adapts to a new environment and audience.
- The move to Georgia also means that the show will no longer be associated with the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame and the city's vibrant entertainment scene. However, it opens up new possibilities for the show, including access to a different set of venues and a potentially larger audience base in the southeastern United States. The future of "Hollywood Week" remains uncertain, as the show will no longer be held in Los Angeles, but the judges are optimistic about the new chapter.
What's still developing
- Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American Journalism Review and The Shreveport Times.
- Production company Fremantle has confirmed to Entertainment Weekly the plan to relocate the ABC show.
- The last season of Idol concluded in May, with singer-songwriter Hannah Harper — a favorite of judge Carrie Underwood — winning the title.
- The same trio judged the most recent season, when they notably held the annual Hollywood Week not in California but at Belmont University’s Fisher Center in Nashville.
- The outlet is reporting that “Idol” will be shifting its production from Los Angeles — the show’s home since its debut in 2002 — to Georgia.
- As TheWrap points out, “Idol” is the latest of several shows to shift its production out of Los Angeles in recent years.
- Fox’s “The Masked Singer,” for example, recently announced production was moving out of L.A., with the upcoming 15th season to be shot in New Jersey.
- According to the outlet, a recent report from FilmLA that surveyed film and television production during the second quarter of 2026 shared some sobering statistics.