'American Idol' News: Lionel Richie, Charlie Puth, Luke Bryan Are New Judges
It has only been a year since "American Idol" bade audiences good-bye. ABC, however, is gearing up for its revival. The singing competition has assembled its judging panel, reports say.
Apart from singer-songwriter Katy Perry, who has long since been selected as a judge, Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Charlie Puth are expected to join the pop star on the panel. A source informed The Hollywood Reporter of the news. However, when they asked Fremantle and Core Media to comment on the claim, they refused to issue a statement.
Perry, according to reports, received a $25 million contract for signing onto the show.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
To note, negotiations for the three remaining slots have yet to commence, but the publication hints that Richie and Bryan are the top contenders among the rumored bunch. The former is an international singing sensation and the latter, a country singer, remains close to the network, which is home to the Country Music Awards.
Although the panel has yet to be revealed, negotiations should come to a close in the next few weeks given that the show will cast auditions in August. "American Idol" will once again open its doors to the public for auditions. They will start in Florida this Aug. 17.
After three months of negotiations, Ryan Seacrest, host of all 15 seasons of the show's original run, agreed to be on board for the reboot of the FremantleMedia and Core Media produced show.
Seacrest made the announcement himself, just last week, on another TV platform he hosts, "Live with Kelly and Ryan."
Kelly Ripa, Seacrest's co-host, lauded him for being the "heart and soul" of the show. "People really don't understand how difficult it is to be there, be supportive, keep the show moving at the clip that it moves and then back away when you need to back away," she said. "And step away when you need to step in ... because you make it look so easy, no one understands how difficult it is. Only you can do it."
More updates should roll out in the following weeks.
