- Katy Perry announced her departure from American Idol earlier this year
- New judge is no stranger to appearing on American Idol
- Season 25 will air next year, with Lionel Ritchie and Luke Bryan also judging
Speculation has been rife about who would be the new judge on American Idol after Katy Perry announced her departure from the show earlier this year – and it is set to be a familiar name taking over.
Familiar name
Multiple sources have said that Carrie Underwood is set to take the vacant seat next to for season 25 of the popular talent show.
Underwood shot to fame when she won season 4 of American Idol back in 2005. Since then, she has established herself as a box-office performer, selling more than 85 million records across the world, but has never forgotten the show that gave her her big break. Underwood has previously returned to the show several times, acting as a mentor to contestants and performing at the season finale in 2022.
Other names reportedly considered for the role included Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Pink and Meghan Trainor, according to Deadline.
Pulse of own beat
Perry had been a judge on the show since 2018, coinciding with the show’s move to the ABC network from Fox. At the time of announcing her departure, she told Jimmy Kimmel that while she loved Idol, she needed to go out and feel the pulse of her own beat. She added that she might come back to the show one day.
However, Perry’s fellow judges, Lionel Ritchie and Luke Bryan, who have also been on the show since 2018, are continuing as judges on the show. Ryan Seacrest continues as host.
