Where to watch and stream American Idol – is the series on Netflix?
Find out where to watch and stream American Idol, if American Idol is on Netflix as well as your guide to the cast and what the series is about
American Idol is a singing competition television series that was the highest rated show on US television for eight consecutive years between 2004 and 2011.
It remains popular today, and has aired nearly 600 episodes and numerous spin-offs including several video games and a theme park attraction at the Walt Disney World Resort, Florida.
Where to watch American Idol in the UK?
In the UK, you can watch American Idol on Netflix.
What is American Idol about?
Much like Britain's Got Talent or The Voice, American Idol is a singing competition TV series where members of the public compete to win a record deal with a major label for several albums.
The program is based on the British show Pop Idol, which was created by Simon Fuller for ITV and ran from 2001-2003 until judge Simon Cowell announced the launch of a separate show, The X Factor, which took its place in British culture.
After being chosen via televised auditions, the contestants are coached by a panel of celebrity judges – originally singer-choreographer Paula Abdul, producer Randy Jackson, and British pop music manager Simon Cowell.
The series is credited with launching the careers of countless pop idols including Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood - something that similar shows such as The Voice have failed to do. (Inexplicably, Kayne West even seemed to audition for the show in 2016.)
Who judges American Idol?
After the original trio of judges - Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Simon Cowell - the show has featured numerous A-list judges, including Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Lopez, Adam Lambert, Olivia Newton-John, Mariah Carey, and Nicki Minaj.
Currently, the show is judged by Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, with Ryan Seacrest hosting.
How many seasons of American Idol are there?
So far, 17 seasons have been released, making a whopping t0tal of 593 episodes. The show will return for an 18th season in 2020.