ABC is shuffling the schedule of “American Idol” amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The broadcaster will air pre-taped episodes on both March 29 and April 5 rather than airing both episodes in the same week. Live shows were set to begin April 6, but that is no longer the case.
The singing competition series is well known for airing live shows, but given the current ban in many U.S. states on large gatherings, ABC announced Friday, “Regarding ‘American Idol’ live shows, we are monitoring the situation and exploring multiple options within statewide guidelines. We will share a production plan as soon as it’s in place.”
Now, ABC will air a rerun of “Celebrity Family Feud” on March 30 at 8 p.m. ET followed by a special edition of “20/20” about the coronavirus and then the season finale of “The Good Doctor.”
On April 6, ABC will run encores of “Celebrity Family Feud,” the primetime special “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,” and the ABC News special “Secrets and Surprises.”
Special episodes of “American Idol” will then run on both April 12 and April 19 titled “American Idol: This Is Me,” which are said to explore the lives of the top 20 contestants this season with previously unaired footage and performance highlights.
This marks the latest programming shift as the coronavirus pandemic shows no sign of slowing in the United States. Numerous shows have had to suspend production and cut their seasons short due to fears of cast and crew members contracting the virus and then spreading it to other people.
Source: Read Full Article
