'It's A Huge Coup.' Ryan Seacrest Has Reportedly Taken An Interest In Carrie Underwood Joining American Idol, And There's A Good Reason Why

When American Idol returns to the 2025 TV schedule, a new and yet familiar face will be amongst the judges. Carrie Underwood will make her debut on the panel on Season 23 — 20 years after standing on that stage as the winner of Season 4. That means it’ll be a reunion of sorts for her and Ryan Seacrest, who’s been the host for all 23 seasons, and there’s a good reason he’s determined to make this a big success for her.

Ryan Seacrest has reportedly taken Carrie Underwood “under his wing,” a source for OK! magazine said, as she prepares for her big full-circle moment on American Idol, and he’s apparently asked her fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie to do the same. The insider said:

Ryan Seacrest can clearly see how big of a win it was to nail down one of American Idol’s most successful contestants, and the longer she sticks around, the better. Honestly, there aren’t many bigger names they could have chosen, with Kelly Clarkson or Jennifer Hudson (two former coaches of The Voice) being among the few comparable alumni that immediately come to mind.

Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan know how big a deal it is to have a former winner sitting beside them, as they’ve both expressed that one of the biggest contributions Carrie Underwood brings is having first-hand knowledge of what the artists are experiencing. It makes sense that Ryan Seacrest — and all involved in American Idol’s production — would want to keep her around for as many seasons as possible.

Not only does Carrie Underwood have the experience and success that should inspire the contestants, but it sounds like she’s got what it takes to do the job, too. Katy Perry was hoping her replacement wouldn’t mince their words when giving feedback, and Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken agreed that the criticism contestants like himself got in earlier seasons of the show was helpful.

The “Before He Cheats” singer is likely to bring a good mix of old and new, as she has said she wants to be honest but constructive with the contestants.

It’s not just Ryan Seacrest and the current judges who have Carrie Underwood’s back. Former panelists Keith Urban, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell have all had glowing things to say about the incoming judge, with the latter downplaying how difficult the job is. Jackson, meanwhile, who was a judge on Underwood’s season along with Cowell and Paula Abdul, remembers the artist as one of his favorite auditions of all time.

It’ll be fun to see Carrie Underwood find her own favorite auditions and hopefully help mold singers to the same kind of success that she has found. American Idol Season 23 kicks off at 10:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 2, on ABC with a post-Oscars audition special before debuting in its regular timeslot at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 9. Episodes will be available to stream with a Hulu subscription the next day.