It’s a show that launched the careers of a long line of household names, including Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks. Could American Idol Season 21 Find Another Superstar?
The long-running reality show’s final season sees Ryan Seacrest once again in charge of hosting, with Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and soul legend Lionel Richie all returning to the judging panel.
Along with virtual auditions, open calls were held in Vegas, New Orleans and Nashville late last year for this season, so expect a steady stream of country singing hopefuls looking to replicate the success of last year’s winner, Noah Thompson.
Catch every flat note and star performance by following our guide to watching American Idol 2023 from anywhere in the world.
From left, Lionel Ritchie, Katy Perry Luke Bryan and Ryan Seacrest are hoping for good luck in Vegas as they go in search of more singing talent for season 21 of American Idol.
ABC
When does American Idol 2023 start?
American Idol Season 21 is set to premiere in the United States on Sunday, February 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC with new episodes at the same time and day every week from there. Each episode will be available to stream the next day after it airs on Hulu.
How to Watch American Idol 2023 from Anywhere on VPN
And if you are traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the show or want an extra layer of privacy for streaming? There is an option that does not require searching the internet for a sketchy website: you can use a vpnor virtual private network.
With a VPN, you can virtually switch locations on your phone, tablet, or laptop to access the show. If you’re unable to watch locally, a VPN might come in handy. Plus, it’s a great idea when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and connections.
Most VPNs, like CNET Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it easy to change your location virtually. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN offers.
Sarah Tew/CNET
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN for people who want a reliable and secure VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month. But you can save 49% and get three months of free access — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch in the United States
There are plenty of live TV streaming services available in the US that carry ABC live, letting you watch American Idol as soon as it airs on Sundays, and YouTube TV is our favorite. It costs $65 per month. Plug your postal code into its home page to see what local networks are available in your area.
Read our YouTube TV review.
ABC will present American Idol in the United States for the sixth consecutive year. This also means the episodes will be available to stream on Hulu every Monday, one day after they air on ABC.
New Hulu subscribers can enjoy a 30-day Hulu free trial on its With-Ads or No-Ads plan. Once the trial is over, the service will cost you $8 per month. There’s also the option of the Disney Plus bundle with Hulu starting at $10 per month.
Watch in Canada
City TV
The good news for Canadian reality TV fans is that Citytv will be airing new episodes of American Idol 2023 at the same time they release in the US – that’s 8pm ET/PT every Sunday. , from February 19.
If you miss an episode when it’s released live, you can stream every episode for FREE on Citytv online platform a day after they air, but you will need to enter your TV provider details.
Can I watch American Idol Season 21 in the UK?
There are currently no confirmed broadcasters for this final season of the TV talent show in the UK, but we suspect that, like season 20, this new run of the show will eventually find its way to netflix.
Tips for streaming American Idol 2023 using a VPN
- With four variables in play – your ISP, browser, video streaming provider, and VPN – experience and success can vary.
- If you don’t see your desired location as the default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for a city or country” option.
- If you experience viewing issues after activating your VPN and setting it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure that the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address registered in your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps that you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll need to install the VPN on your router or whatever mobile hotspot you use (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with Smart TV services, after installing a network’s app, you will be asked to verify a numeric code or click on a link sent to your registered email address for your Smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, as both devices will appear in the correct place.
- And remember, browsers can often give away location despite using a VPN, so make sure you’re using a privacy-focused browser to connect to your services. We normally recommend Brave.
