Seacrest: Could Be Weeks Before ‘Idol’ Judges Set

First Published: August 3, 2010 3:22 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images

Caption Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest attend the 17th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar party held at the Pacific Design Center on February 22, 2009 in West Hollywood, California

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest says it could be weeks before the guessing game over the show’s new judges comes to an end.

At auditions for the FOX TV singing contest Tuesday in East Rutherford, N.J., Seacrest said he didn’t know how big the revamped panel will turn out to be. “American Idol” started with three judges and then expanded to four.

Two openings have been created by the departures of Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres, with Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez reportedly front-runners for the chairs. Fox has declined to comment on whether Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi will be returning to the panel for season 10 in January.

Seacrest joked he misses Cowell, his “roommate” while on the road for auditions.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.