ABC officially confirmed Carrie Underwood’s return to the American Idol stage 24 hours after the news spread among various entertainment sites. Underwood, who launched her Grammy Award-winning career after winning season four of the singing competition, will be joining the judging panel for season eight on ABC, and season 23 of AI overall. Her return to the show that set her on a path to success will come 20 years after she first hit the American Idol stage.
“As a former Idol and dynamic musical force, she brings a remarkably unique perspective to one of the most popular shows on television,” stated Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group. “This is a full-circle moment both for the show and audiences at home who have been tuning in for over two decades. Welcome home, Carrie.”
Underwood will be joining returning judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie for season eight which is set to premiere in spring 2025. Ryan Seacrest will return as host.
“Carrie Underwood is the first American Idol alum ever to join the judging panel. Her global superstar status as the most successful Idol winner to date makes her a perfect fit for the show. She embodies the true spirit of Idol as she herself is the definition of the Cinderella story. Our future hopefuls will have the chance to receive advice from someone who has walked in their exact footsteps every step of the way. Carrie has always been a strong supporter of Idol, and I’m thrilled for her to be reunited with our Idol Family,” said Megan Wolflick, showrunner and executive producer.
Virtual auditions for season eight will begin on August 12th and continue through September 17th. American Idol released the following schedule for the upcoming “Idol Across America” auditions. For more details, visit americanidol.com/auditions.
• Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi (Aug 12)
• Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas (Aug 14)
• Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina (Aug 16)
• Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington (Aug 19)
• Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania (Aug 21)
• Nationwide open call (Aug 23)
• Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming (Aug 26)
• Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin (Aug 28)
• Florida, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia (Aug 29)
• West and Midwest open call (Sep 4)
• Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, Tennessee (Sep 6)
• Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington D.C. (Sep 9)
• Nationwide open call (Sep 11)
• The South open call (Sep 13)
• East Coast open call (Sep 17)
The post Carrie Underwood Returns to American Idol as Judge 20 Years After Winning appeared first on ShowbizJunkies.
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