#American Idol: Season 23; Luke Bryan Shares Who’s Been in Talks to Replace Judge Katy Perry and If He’ll Be Back on the ABC Series

(Photo: ABC)

American Idol is looking to replace at least one judge on its panel next season, but it is possible ABC could replace all three. When speaking to Billboard, Idol judge Luke Bryan spoke about who is in talks to replace the departing judge Katy Perry and his own status with the program.

According to Bryan, ABC has approached several people to become a judge for season 23 of the series, including P!nk, Miley Cyrus, and Meghan Trainor. P!nk has been publicly hesitant to take the job, saying, “I don’t like hurting people’s feelings … I like my day job.”

Meanwhile, Trainor wants to be on the panel. She has said the following in an interview:

“I’ve done every interview in the world and said that that is my dream job, and I have emailed three awesome people who work in that world who don’t really have the final say … but I have begged for this job … it’s my favorite show — I’ve watched it since I was a child.”

As for the futures of Bryan, judge Lionel Ritchie, and host Ryan Seacrest on the series, Bryan says it’s not a done deal that they will be back for the 2024-25 season:

“It’s been interesting. It’s been something Disney been really tightlipped about with me and Lionel and Ryan. We currently haven’t heard what the story is on who’s coming back, and if Lionel and I are coming back. I think Disney is just trying to figure out what they want to do and we’re just kind of sitting back and waiting until they decide.”

ABC usually announces the judges for the next season of Idol during the summer, so viewers should know who will be on the panel in the coming weeks.

What do you think? Who do you want to see on American Idol next season? Do you want an entirely new panel?