The ABC singing competition has been picked up for another season following the latest finale which caused a buzz due to Caleb Kennedy's departure over Ku Klux Klan scandal.
- May 14, 2021
AceShowbiz - "American Idol" has been picked up for a new season, 10 days before the show's latest finale this month (23May21).
The singing competition has been renewed for a fifth season at ABC, taking its total run of seasons to 20.
Current judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, and host Ryan Seacrest have yet to confirm if they will be back.
The pick-up news comes a day after Idol favourite Caleb Kennedy quit the show after a video featuring him seated next to a guy dressed like a white supremacist Ku Klux Klan member surfaced on Snapchat.
Members of the singer's family insist Caleb was just 12 when the video was filmed, but Kennedy has opted not to fight the backlash.
"Hey y'all, this is gonna be a bit of a surprise, but I am no longer gonna be on American Idol," he said in a statement on Wednesday (12May21). "There was a video that surfaced on the internet and it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way."
"I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that's not an excuse. I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down. I'll be taking a little time off social media to better myself, but saying that, I know this has hurt and disappointed a lot of people and made people lose respect for me. I'm so sorry!"
"I pray that I can one day regain your trust in who I am and have your respect! Thank you for supporting me."
He's the second contestant to exit the show this season - Wyatt Pike's reasons for leaving remain a mystery.
