American Idol may not be returning before the end of the 2025 TV schedule as the new season will be premiering in 2026, but fans are already speculating who could be part of the judges’ panel. The latest season of the long-running singing competition series saw returning judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, with Idol winner Carrie Underwood joining the fun. There have been rumors that Underwood might be leaving the show already, and Bryan is also part of those rumors, but the latter is weighing in on his future on American Idol.
Bryan has been a judge on Idol since the show was revived in 2018, along with Richie. Katy Perry, who also had been on since the revival, exited in 2024 to focus more on her music and was replaced by Underwood. While it’s unknown who will be returning and if anyone will be leaving, Bryan told Taste of Country that Underwood’s first season on the other side of the table was a success:
[She] really enjoyed it. I know she had a great time in the role.
Underwood nearly quit American Idol during her season as a competitor before she won the whole thing and then came back as a judge 20 years later, she is a walking ad for how your life can change because of the show. She’s one of the most famous Idol contestants, and it was so great seeing her as a judge this past season, knowing what those contestants are going through. Despite the rumors, Bryan shared his prediction on Underwood returning, and they’re pretty good:
reported feud with Richie:
Last year was really, really incredible with Carrie and Lionel and Ryan [Seacrest]. And the main thing is just, have fun with American Idol and have fun with the kids [contestants].
At this point, it’s really anyone’s guess as to who will return. Even though Luke Bryan has a great time on the show, it’s hard to tell if he will be up to returning, as well as Carrie Underwood. There’s no word on Lionel Richie thinking about leaving, so he is probably safe. But as for Bryan, all fans really have to do is wait and see:
We’ll see what happens.
Of course, American Idol has switched up the judges’ panel over the course of its entire run, so it wouldn’t be surprising if that were to happen again. But the wait will just have to continue until an official announcement is made.