The duo responsible for MTV’s Video Music Awards and Movie Award’S will be joining Idol‘s producing team as part of season 13’s behind-the-scenes makeover.
The Wrap reports that Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager, of the Den of Thieves production company, are close to signing on as producers for 19 Entertainment, one of the production companies behind American Idol.
Ignjatovic and Prager are likely to bring a lot of excitement to the Idol team. Not only have they helmed the MTV awards, but also VH1’s Divas concert, and the CMT Music Awards. They certainly know how to handle big productions, and perhaps will bring some of that same spectacle to Idol.
The new producing duo will join recently-announced showrunner Per Blankens, the former Swedish Idol producer who was hired earlier this month, after founding producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick were fired.
American Idol execs have been concerned by Idol‘s steadily declining ratings, and seem to have decided that making changes behind-the-scenes will help Idol regain its former glory. Perhaps a younger team will help them reconnect with their younger target demographic?
We will see some changes onscreen as well, as season 12’s entire judging panel will be replaced for next season. Original judge Randy Jackson, as well as season 12’s newcomers Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey have announced that they will not be returning. Fellow judge Keith Urban has said he would be willing to return, but it seems unlikely.
There have also been reports of a judging panel made entirely of former Idol contestants, such as Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, and Adam Lambert. Clarkson’s reps have shot down tales of her involvement, but there have been no definitive statements made for the rest of them.
Season 12’s judging panel was not finalized until September, so it’s possible we won’t know anything for sure for several months.