American Idol may be saying goodbye this week, with the conclusion of its 15th cycle, deemed the "farewell season," but according to the show's creator Simon Fuller, it's more like farewell for now.
In a new interview, the longtime Idol showrunner revealed that Idol will be returning to TV "for sure" sometime in the future, though the face of the once biggest show on television could be quite different.
"There will no doubt be another format or refinement or elevation of the format. Now I can actually revamp it and come up with a new version. And we can look back on 15 seasons and think of some legitimate ways to allow people to enjoy them again, maybe adding another dimension to it," Fuller said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Though Fuller didn't say when, or where, Idol will return to TV, he did seem to indicate that he is going to take some time out to revamp the show. And while American Idol has had some format changes throughout the years (including a mixed performance and results show, guest mentors and a rotating panel of judges), the show will be getting its first major facelift... whenever it does come back.
"So here we are facing our last season on Fox and now the legacy can be more in our focus. Now we can catch our breath. It allows me to rethink the show for the first time. When you're a No. 1 show, it's hard to be too bold and brazen about changing the format because it's working and succeeding. Also, you're always rushing to get the next season completed," he said. "Now we start with a clean sheet of paper."
And though American Idol broke ground by being one of the first interactive shows on television in the 2000s, Fuller is looking to even further that influence on the show's next generation. So, expect even more fan interaction than we get now.
"The next generation of Idol will be a lot more interactive, a lot more immersive. For me the most exciting thing is we can really now dive deep with all the new technology that's coming. My head is exploding with opportunities," he said. "The next generation of Idol -- and Idol will certainly be coming back for sure -- will have a youthful glow and it will be pioneering again, just as it was when we first began."
American Idol's farewell season is set to wrap up on Thursday, April 7 after a three-day long event on Fox. Either La'Porsha Renae, Dalton Rapattoni or Trent Harmon will be name the show's final winner... for now.
