The musician, who won the series in 2005, joins the panel alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie following the departure of Katy Perry.
Judges' slot which Katy Perry left vacant when she passed away. American Idol The show is filled with a familiar face. Carrie Underwood, who won the show's fourth season nearly two decades ago, will join Lionel Richie and Luca Bryan as a judge on the upcoming season, which will premiere in 2025.
Underwood's takeover marks the first time a former coach has taken over for Perry. Idol The winner is officially back as a judge. “She embodies the true spirit of Idol because she is the definition of a Cinderella story,” Megan Wolflick, who serves as executive producer and showrunner, said in a statement. “Our future nominees will have the opportunity to receive advice from someone who has walked in their exact footsteps every step of the way. Carrie has always been a huge supporter of Idol, and I am so happy that she will be back on our team.” Idol family.”
The new season — the show's eighth on ABC and 23rd overall — will see Ryan Seacrest return to his duties as host. Seacrest recently took over Wheel of Fortune After longtime host Pat Sajak retired, Ritchie and Brian had already been on the judging panel for seven consecutive seasons. Perry worked alongside them during that time before leaving to focus on her music, which may be going better for her.
There were a few other artists who set their sights on taking over. American Idol The role before it went to Underwood. In June, Meghan Trainor told Watch what's happening live“I begged for this job,” Andy Cohen said. “I did all the interviews in the world and said this was my dream job.” She had her resume, having hosted The Four: Battle for Stardom, The Voice UK, and Australian Idol. But ultimately, Underwood has a deeper history with the show.
“This is a full-circle moment for both the show and the audience at home who have been following it for over two decades,” said Craig Erevich, chairman of Disney Television Group. “Welcome home, Carrie.”
