Well that cancellation didn’t last long. American Idol ended after 15 seasons last April, which wasn’t overly surprising as the series saw the ratings sink over the last few years. At the time the series was airing on Fox, it’s one and only network. ABC officially closed a deal with FremantleMedia North America and CORE Media Group’s 19 Entertainment yesterday however to bring the series back.

ABC had long been trying to get a music competition series on the air, but their attempts has never lived up to hype. Duets and Rising Star both flopped, as did their other series. They are hoping that American Idol will help change their fortunes though. When it first appeared on TV, American Idol held the title of the highest rated TV series in North America for close to a decade. In a released statement ABC Ben Sherwood of ABC said “Idol is an entertainment icon, and now it will air where it belongs, in ABC’s lineup of addictive fan favorites alongside Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelor.” He also claimed it would be a “bigger, bolder and better-than-ever Idol.”

FMNA and CMG/19 Entertainment had been pitching a return of American Idol almost a soon as it went off the air. Fox was given the first offer, with ABC and NBC given the next shots as reviving the series. All three networks were interested, with ABC finally winning out. 

As of right now a host and the panel of judges haven’t been chosen, but it would be hard to imagine the series without host Ryan Seacrest. Seacrest of course recently signed on to be the co-host of the ABC morning show, Live with Kelly Ryan.