American Idol judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan will all return for Season 25 in 2027.
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"Hello Nashville! Look at this beautiful crowd," Lionel, 77, told the audience.
"Now, let me tell you something. Some of my greatest friendships have started right here in Nashville, Tennessee. That includes you, Carrie and Luke. Do you want to share our secret?"
Luke, 50, then admitted he was surprised he'd managed to keep the announcement under wraps.
"Are you ready, Carrie?" Luke asked.
"I'm ready," Carrie, 43, replied.
"We're coming back for the 25th season of American Idol, ladies and gentlemen," Luke announced.
Carrie also confirmed longtime American Idol host Ryan Seacrest will be back for the milestone season.
"And of course, what would American Idol be without Mr. Ryan Seacrest?" Carrie said. "He will be back as well."
Luke encouraged aspiring singers to audition for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to premiere in Spring 2027.
"So go tell someone to audition," Luke said. "It's going to be legendary."
Lionel and Luke have served as American Idol judges since ABC revived the reality singing competition for Season 16 in 2018.
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Carrie, who won American Idol's fourth season in 2005, joined the judging panel for Season 23, replacing Katy Perry following her departure from the show.
Carrie's return for Season 25 will mark her third consecutive season as a judge.
The judging-panel announcement comes shortly after Lionel underwent a procedure to treat atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, People reported.
Lionel's representative told the magazine last week that the singer had undergone a "common procedure" for the condition and that "everything went perfectly."
"Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon," the representative said.
The health issue resulted in the cancellation of three dates on Lionel's "Sing a Song All Night Long Tour" with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Lionel had also checked himself into a hospital out of caution following an August 29 performance in St. Louis. On September 2, People confirmed he had been released and was "doing great" after returning to Los Angeles.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
