The main (and essentially only regular) host of American Idol is Ryan Seacrest.

Quick Scoop: Who Hosts American Idol?

  • From season 2 onward, Ryan Seacrest has been the sole host of American Idol on both Fox and ABC.
  • In season 1 (back in 2002), he co-hosted with comedian Brian Dunkleman before continuing alone.
  • As of the 2026 season (Season 24 overall, 9th on ABC/Hulu), Ryan Seacrest is still confirmed as the returning host.

Tiny bit of context

  • Seacrest is closely associated with the brand — he has hosted every season except the two-year hiatus when the show was off the air.
  • On one live episode in 2019, Bobby Bones briefly filled in when Seacrest was ill, but he wasn’t made a permanent host.

So if you’re wondering “who are the hosts of American Idol?” in 2026, the up‑to‑date answer is: it’s hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

TL;DR: No panel of rotating “hosts” — just Ryan Seacrest as the long-time MC, with judges like Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie on the side.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.