The drama began when a now-deleted Reddit thread alleged that Foster received unauthorized vocal coaching during the live shows — a potential violation of Idol’s strict performance rules. According to the post, a family friend with industry connections reportedly advised him behind the scenes.

Then came the backlash. A former contestant (who asked to remain anonymous) told The Blast, “We were all supposed to follow the same rules. If he had outside help — that’s not fair to the rest of us.”

Meanwhile, online critics have turned harsh. “Great voice, zero originality,” one viral TikTok declared. Others say his backstory was “overplayed for sympathy points,” with one X user writing:

“John Foster is the definition of manufactured emotion. Mid voice. Overhyped. Idol got it wrong.”

So far, John Foster has stayed mostly silent — posting only a vague Instagram Story that read: “Stay grounded. Truth always rises.”

While ABC has not released an official statement, sources close to the show claim producers are “internally reviewing” the situation.

Whether the allegations hold weight or not, one thing is clear: John Foster’s road to fame just hit a major detour — and the Idol fandom is watching closely.