Carrie Underwood Gains Key Support as She Joins ‘American Idol’ as Judge

When Carrie Underwood auditioned for American Idol in 2004 at just 21 years old, Ryan Seacrest was there right from the start. Nearly two decades and numerous accolades later, Underwood is set to return to the show—this time as a judge.

Seacrest, who has witnessed Underwood’s journey firsthand, is thrilled to share the screen with her again. “Ryan couldn’t be more excited, since he has been there every step of the way with Carrie,” said Idol’s showrunner and executive producer Megan Wolflick in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “He was just over the moon about it.”

Underwood will join the panel alongside veteran judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. “The guys are so excited, too,” Wolflick added. “They both know her and are excited to work with her.”

Wolflick expressed her excitement for Underwood’s new role, which will see her replacing Katy Perry after seven seasons. “It is 20 years since she auditioned in St. Louis for American Idol, and to have the first-ever Idol alum on the panel has always been something that’s been interesting to me,” shared Wolflick. “She is our queen, she is our icon of American Idol.”

The decision for Underwood to join the panel has been in the works for some time. “We have been searching and talking to Carrie for a little bit here,” Wolflick explained. “These talks have been going on for a while, and we’ve been really excited to make it all happen.”

Speaking on Good Morning America, Underwood reflected on her new role, saying it “feels like going home.” She remarked, “There’s so many people that even still work on the show that were there from when I was a contestant. I feel like being on both sides of the coin, I’ll hopefully be able to offer some insight and help and kind of a different viewpoint.”

As for her judging style, Underwood aims to be a constructive critic. “I feel like I’ll be very honest but hopefully very constructive and encouraging,” she said.

Source: Entertainment Tonight