'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Reality music competition American Idol is coming back with Season 20 on ABC.
Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie are returning as judges for the upcoming season, which will premiere on February 27 at 8.00 pm ET.
Unfortunately, the show's music mentor for the last four years, Bobby Bones, will not make his appearance this year.
The new season will bring a fresh batch of talented singers to the stage to compete for a cash prize and a major record deal.
Why Bobby Bones is not returning for American Idol Season 20
On New Year’s Eve, Bobby Bones announced that he will not be returning for Season 20 of American Idol in a now-expired Instagram story.
He addressed his absence from the show's new season promos in a Q&A, stating:
"Some of you noticed I’m not in the Idol promos this season. My contract [with] my new network won’t let me do another show right now. Love Idol, btw. Was a great 4 years."
The radio personality enjoyed a four-year stint as an Idol music mentor. He has been a great advisor to many aspiring singers on the show.
Bones has so far not revealed anything about his unannounced projects.
The iHeart Radio Show jockey recently hosted CBS’ New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash alongside Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith.
He is also the host of National Geographic’s Breaking Bobby Bones, which is currently running on Disney+.
What’s new in Season 20?
Bebe Rexha and Jimmie Allen will be stepping into Bobby Bones’ shoes as music mentors in the upcoming season of American Idol.
Moreover, the golden ticket in the show has been replaced by the platinum ticket. Judge Katy Perry described it as a “little short-cut” from the Hollywood week, which is a pressurizing round in the competition.
In a Twitter video, the show’s host Ryan Seacrest described the platinum tickets as:
"There are only three of these for the entire season. And if the judges vote unanimously for you to get this as a contestant, then you bypass the first round of Hollywood Week."
American Idol Season 20 is likely to have 18 episodes and will premiere its grand finale sometime in late May.
