'American Idol' Crowns Final Champion — Find Out Who Won!

Original
judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul joined host Ryan Seacrest onstage for a
mini reunion, only to be surprised when their third Musketeer, Simon Cowell,
appeared to show off his trademark acerbic wit for the first time on the
“Idol” stage since he left the show after Season 9.

“I
thought this would be a great opportunity for Randy to apologize … for being so mean to the contestants,” the Brit deadpanned, before
referring to his former co-judges as his “best friends.”

Although Simon had previously said he’d be out of the
country for “Idol’s” big send-off, it seems he couldn’t resist saying
goodbye after all. 

Ryan enjoyed
his own blast from the past, as his Season 1 co-host Brian Dunkleman teamed
back up with the media mogul for some friendly banter.

“Looks
like after tonight, you’re going to be out of a job,” he joked, before
congratulating Ryan for doing “an amazing job hosting this show all these
years.”

But the
night belonged to Trent, who was visibly overcome as he let his victory – the
last in “Idol” history — sink in.

“I know
I have a God-given ability, but I didn’t want to take it for granted,” he
said. “I wanted to work so, so hard.”

He added that he
couldn’t have stayed the course without La’Porsha’s encouragement.

“She
pushed me to do it,” Trent said, nodding  to the 22-year-old runner-up and fellow Mississippi native.