Fremantle has confirmed that American Idol will relocate production to Georgia for its upcoming 25th season, expected to air in 2027. The company produces the competition series with 19 Entertainment.
The new base will be in the Atlanta area. A specific studio has not yet been announced, with negotiations for a production complex still being finalized.
A long-running Los Angeles booking disappears
The move matters beyond the branding of American Idol. Los Angeles production levels have been falling, with unscripted television among the areas hit particularly hard. FilmLA reported a 27 percent year-over-year decline in regional production activity during the second quarter of 2026, driven largely by fewer reality shoots.
A recurring competition series occupies stages and employs crews on a different scale from a short location shoot. Losing American Idol therefore removes another dependable television production from the local calendar.
California has expanded its incentive programs in response to the broader decline, but other states continue to compete aggressively for television work.
Georgia offers a very different production equation
Georgia's incentive structure can provide credits of up to 30 percent for qualifying productions, including unscripted and reality programs that meet spending requirements. Fremantle has not publicly said that tax incentives are the reason for the move, but the financial context is difficult to separate from the decision.
American Idol is not alone. The Masked Singer also left Los Angeles for New Jersey as competition between states for unscripted television production intensified.
Atlanta already has an extensive studio ecosystem. Trilith has expanded into live and unscripted production through Trilith Live, while Tyler Perry Studios has also hosted major television programs. Fremantle has not disclosed which facility will ultimately become Idol's new home.
Hollywood Week had already left Hollywood
The show's geography began changing before the full production move. Season 24 relocated Hollywood Week to Nashville and renamed it the Music City Takeover.
Contestants then traveled to Hawaii before the final 20 returned to Los Angeles for seven live shows. Season 25 goes much further by moving the main production operation itself to Georgia.
Virtual Idol Across America auditions for the new season are already underway, allowing hopefuls from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. to audition remotely.
A major change for the 25th season
The timing gives the relocation additional weight. American Idol is preparing its 25th overall season after its original Fox run and its ABC revival, which began in 2018.
Ryan Seacrest remains the program's longtime host, while Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie are expected back around the judges' table as the show enters its Georgia era.
For more than two decades, contestants went to Hollywood because American Idol was there. Starting with Season 25, the show itself will be somewhere else.
