Starting next month, American Idol will simulcast live on Disney+ alongside ABC, marking the first time for the singing competition series. The show will also launch an official companion podcast on Disney+ and Hulu. These announcements were made at the Realscreen Summit in Miami.
The 24th season of American Idol, which is ABC's ninth season of the revived series, began on January 26, 2026, drawing strong viewership numbers. The premiere averaged 8.27 million viewers in live+3 and multiplatform viewing, including ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+, and digital platforms, with a 1.04 rating among adults 18-49. This marked the best premiere since 2022 and represented a 20% increase in total viewers compared to the previous year's regular premiere of 6.88 million on March 9, 2025, and a 7% rise in the 18-49 demographic from a 0.97 rating.
In linear television, the episode was the top show of the night across broadcast and cable, with 7.23 million viewers and a 0.72 rating in 18-49 during live+3. Social metrics from Talkwalker indicated it generated more video views than any other premiere in the 2025-2026 TV season.
Beginning March 30, 2026, American Idol will air live on Disney+ at the same time as its traditional Monday 8 p.m. ET slot on ABC, with tape-delayed streams available the following day on Hulu. This move positions it alongside Dancing With the Stars as a key live unscripted series simulcasting on both platforms.
Coinciding with the live shows at the end of March, Disney+ and Hulu will debut the American Idol Official Podcast, also available on other platforms. According to its logline, "Each week, the podcast will dive deeper into America’s most iconic music competition series, exploring the performances everyone’s talking about, and offering exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and expert analysis of the judges’ critiques."
Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the panel features judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. This season introduced the Ohana Round, where the top 30 finalists performed at Disney’s Aulani resort on Oahu for industry tastemakers, family, and friends. Hollywood Week shifted to Nashville, rebranded as Hollywood Week: Music City Takeover, with a single round.
Fremantle and 19 Entertainment, part of Sony Pictures Television, produce the series. Executive producers include showrunner Megan Wolflick, as well as Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman for 19 Entertainment. Fremantle handles worldwide distribution.
The updates were revealed on a panel at Miami’s Realscreen Summit.
