Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan teamed up for an announcement on Thursday night (Sept. 24) in Nashville. The country singers will be returning to American Idol in 2027.
Additionally, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest are coming back for Season 25 of American Idol.
The elder statesman of the judging panel made an appearance via video, looking like anything but a man who’s been in and out of the hospital in recent weeks.
- Online auditions for American Idol Season 25 have been ongoing.
- This will be the 10th season judging for Richie and Bryan, and third for Underwood.
- No premiere date for the ABC reality show has been revealed.
READ MORE: Every American Idol Winner Ranked, Most To Least Memorable
The announcement came during Bryan’s tour stop in Nashville. Underwood joined him on stage to share the news.
What’s Wrong With Lionel Richie?
Richie has suffered a series of health setbacks over the Summer of 2026.
He canceled a couple of concerts in June, and then in August he checked into a hospital after a performance in St. Louis that made news headlines.
More recently, the 77-year-old underwent a heart procedure to treat atrial fibrillation (A-fib). The AP shares that his reps say everything went well but he’s going to be taking a break from touring.
The next dates on his calendar are Las Vegas residency dates at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. Those six shows are scheduled between Oct. 14 and Nov. 14. After that, a single December show in Brazil rounds out his year.
American Idol Season 25 Judges:
Only Randy Jackson (12) will have judged more seasons than Bryan and Richie if both men complete Season 25.
News of their return was expected until Richie began to have health problems. Still, previous regime changes have always come with a fair bit of speculation beforehand. Think Katy Perry after Season 22.
Last year, the trio were announced in late August. Season 24 began in January, with Hannah Harper eventually taking the crown.
Every ‘American Idol’ Winner Ranked: Least To Most Memorable
We’ve sorted each of the show’s 24 champions in order of who is most famous to country fans. No. 1 may be predictable but a thorough scroll may trigger voting memories from seasons past, plus an update on who is still active in music today.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
