American Idol host Ryan Seacrest looks back on iconic moments and legends who shaped the show

American Idol host Ryan Seacrest partners with Health-Ade to bring kombucha to LA Dodger Fans at Dodger Stadium on May 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Health-Ade)

American Idol season 24 aired its penultimate episode this week on ABC, on Monday, May 4, 2026, continuing its strong run as one of the most loved music shows on television.

At the same time, long-time host Ryan Seacrest talked about his long run with American Idol while hosting a special charity event.

The 51-year-old host of Wheel of Fortune was in Los Angeles for a special event: ͏the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation’s 29th Annual Taste for Cure.

There, he talked with PauseRewind’s Kevin Zelman and opened up on almost 25 years of the famous ABC show while leading the charity night on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Ryan Seacrest shares his “Mount Rushmore” of American Idol legends

At the event, Seacrest picked his personal “Mount Rushmore” of American Idol icons. He kept it simple and true to the beginning.

“Well it’d probably be the original team,” said Seacrest. “The original panel. The original winner. Maybe throw Carrie [Underwood] in there too since she’s with us now. But you gotta go OG on Mount Rushmore.”

He clearly loves those early days as he added further,

“We had such a great time. It all started 25 years ago almost now.”

Seacrest explained that the show has changed a lot over time with new networks, different judges, and fresh formats. But he said the real magic comes from the contestants each year.

“The biggest change is the group of contestants every year. You get a new cast of characters, a new cast of voices, you don’t quite know who’s going to excel, who’s going to make it the distance. And that’s always the highlight for me,” said Seacrest.

When asked about his favorite moment from thousands of hours on the show, he went straight back to the very first season.

“So many great performances, the contestants used to do those big medleys together, [but] I think when I look back, the history-making first-ever results show where I got to say ‘The winner is Kelly Clarkson,’ that will never ever get old,” shared Seacrest.

What happened on American Idol season 24 this week: “2006 Reunion Night”

This week’s episode celebrated the Class of 2006 with a special 2006 Reunion Night. The Top 5 contestants performed duets with stars from Season 5 to mark the 20th anniversary of that group.

Dancing with the Stars professional dancers also joined in to add ballroom energy to the performances.

Last year’s winner, Jamal Roberts, came back to perform his new song and original judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson returned too. Paula acted as a guest judge, and Randy as a mentor.

The contestants sang powerful songs and got feedback from the current judges: Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan.

Meanwhile, the performances are:

Keyla Richardson sang “River Deep and Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner with Dancing with the Stars pros.

Chris Tungseth performed “Northern Attitude” by Noah Kahan.

Braden Rumfelt took on “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims.

Hannah Harper performed the classic “Fever” by Peggy Lee.

Jordan McCullough delivered a heartfelt “Footprints in the Sand” by Leona Lewis dedicated to his younger brothers.

The duet performances added to the fun and competition as:

Keyla Richardson and Taylor Hicks sang “Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder.

Chris Tungseth and Bucky Covington performed “The Thunder Rolls” by Garth Brooks.

Braden Rumfelt and Paris Bennett took on “The Show Must Go On” by Queen.

Jamal Roberts performed his new R&B song “Perfect For Me” and shared that his recent Grammy nomination in the gospel category felt like winning American Idol again.

At the end of the night, America voted, and the judges revealed the Top 3: