‘American Idol’ season 15: Nigel Lythgoe to return to produce series finale

“American Idol” is seriously in the middle of quite the nostalgia kick right now! On the heels of learning that the original trio of judges (Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul) will make at least some sort of appearance on the final season, we’re now hearing that one of the original executive producers will also be on hand to help with the finale.

This news was first confirmed by Variety, who makes it clear that Lythgoe will be working alongside current showrunner Trish Kinane in order to produce a finale that pays tribute to the past decade and a half in addition to the roster of contestants that are there this time around. Here is what Nigel had to say in a statement:

“I doubt we will ever see another television show with the same cultural and social impact as ‘American Idol.’ It has also given such incredible opportunities to so many young, talented performers and changed so many lives, including my own … Consequently, I am delighted and proud to rejoin the ‘Idol’ team in order to create what is sure to be one of the most memorable and spectacular finales in all of television history.”

Typically, reality show showrunners are not the sort that tend to generate headlines, but Nigel has changed that a little bit thanks to him being an on-screen presence for multiple seasons of “So You Think You Can Dance” on Fox. Nigel was with “American Idol” from the very beginning, and after a few years away, rejoined them for a stint from season 10 until season 12. He was then replaced by Per Blankens, who departed after this past season.

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