Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan Confirmed as New ‘American Idol’ Judges
Katy Perry's American Idol judging panel just got bigger.
ABC confirmed Friday (September 29) that Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan will join the "Swish Swish" singer as judges on the network's reboot of American Idol, Entertainment Weekly reports. The duo had been linked to the show for weeks.
The series is set to premiere in January.
“I am very excited to be joining Katy, Luke, and Ryan on American Idol,” Richie said in a statement. “As a singer, songwriter, and producer, I feel I can bring a great deal of experience to the table. It’s going to be so much fun!”
Bryan echoed the sentiment: “I’m excited at the chance to help some deserving artists reach their dreams," he said. "To be in a position in my career to help facilitate this along with the other judges is just a complete honor. It’s gonna be a blast!”
Richie and Bryan wasted no time spreading the news.
Perry, Bryan and Richie will all appear together for the first time on Good Morning America on Monday (October 4). Original host Ryan Seacrest will also return to the series.
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