Ryan Seacrest, American Idol Season 9 | featured news

'Idol' frontrunner Crystal Bowersox claims she confided in Ryan Seacrest in a moment of weakness about desire to leave the show, which he publicly revealed

Ryan Seacrest reported that 12,000 hopefuls auditioned in Chicago over a two-day period, with only 13 making it to the next round. Those may seem like long odds, and a good reason for parents to get their kids to do homework instead of working on their voices.

There may be speculation about which judges will be returning to "American Idol" next season, but there's no question about one "Idol" regular: Host Ryan Seacrest is definitely back on board in a big way. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Seacrest closed Monday on a deal with CKX, parent company of "Idol" producer 19 Entertainment, worth $45 million over three years.