Ryan Seacrest officially announced the return date for "American Idol" on this morning's episode of "Live With Kelly And Ryan."
"American Idol" will return to ABC on March 11 with a special two-hour premiere special at 8 p.m. ET.
The announcement was confirmed a short while later via social media by Katy Perry, who will be joining the relaunched show's first season as part of the judging panel, alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
Auditions for prospective contestants have been taking place around the country over the past three months, with stops in 23 cities. Voicing her excitement over joining the show this past October, Perry said, " I think there is still talent out there to be discovered … we're here to really make dreams come true, and to hopefully find that 'American Idol'."
