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Los Angeles. — The ABC reality series has been airing pre-taped audition rounds on its Sunday and Monday time slots and was set to start filming live shows in Hollywood in April.

However, according to TVLine.com, the singing competition with celebrity judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, has been suspended and contestants have been sent home.

A source told the outlet that filming on Idol was halted in order to make sure that participants would be able to travel to be with their families as lock downs and restrictions are put in place to try and slow the spread of COVID-19.

At the weekend, America’s Got Talent, which, like American Idol, is produced by Freemantle, cancelled production after judge Heidi Klum fell ill and was tested for coronavirus.

The show had been scheduled to film without a live audience on Saturday with judges Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara seen arriving at the studio in Pasadena.

But later that day Page Six reported that production was suspended.

More than 100 TV shows have halted production including scripted and unscripted series.

On Tuesday, NBC’s Days Of Our Lives joined fellow daytime soaps The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless on CBS and General Hospital on ABC and closed down.

In addition to television, streaming services are also stopping work on their shows with Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale closing down on Sunday and Netflix is shutting down all of its scripted film and TV productions in the United States and Canada, including Stranger Things.

Hollywood studios are suspending production on films including tentpoles such as Universal’s Jurassic World: Dominion and Disney’s Little Mermaid live action remake.

Some studios are also making their new releases available for digital purchase the same day as they were scheduled to open in movie theatres as more states and cities order multiplexes to close along with other public gathering places such as bars, restaurants and gyms.

Other big screen releases have been postponed including the new James Bond film No Time To Die, A Quiet Place Part II and Fast & Furious 9. – dailymail.co.uk.