Katy Perry has announced that she will be leaving American Idol at the end of the current season.
After a two-year break, ABC rebooted American Idol in 2018, with Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie signing on as judges. They have remained with the show ever since.
In an unexpected announcement, Katy Perry confirmed she will be leaving American Idol after seven seasons as a judge.
Katy Perry revealed her plan to leave the show during an appearance on The Jimmy Kimmel Show.
“I think this probably will be my last show, my last season for Idol. I mean, I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat…”
Listen to Perry talk more about the reasoning behind her departure below.
Lionel Richie Shares His Thoughts On Katy Perry’s Departure From American Idol
During a visit to the same stage where Katy Perry announced her departure, Lionel Richie shared his perspective on her decision. When asked by Jimmy Kimmel about his reaction, Richie conveyed that he wasn’t upset and joked:
“It just made me run off the road when I first heard about it. My phone blew up.”
Richie continued, “It makes sense…When Katy says, ‘I want to go and create some stories,’ remember, she’s young. But the point is that you have to take some time and actually be an artist.”
During the same interview, host Jimmy Kimmel asked about Richie’s preferences for Katy Perry’s replacement on the show.
“You know, they are keeping tight-lipped because I don’t even know, but I’m telling you though, it’s going to be really interesting…”
Luke Bryan Speaks Out On Katy Perry Leaving American Idol
Now, Perry’s other fellow judge, Luke Bryan, is offering his perspective on her departure.
In a discussion with Taste of Country, Bryan revealed his thoughts on her exit, detailing his initial reaction to the news.
“I had heard whispers that she was thinking about it — it wasn’t like a huge shock. I think she kinda just got caught up in the moment with Kimmel and maybe announced that she was done,” Bryan shared.
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When questioned about whether Perry’s departure would influence his own decision to return for Season 23 of American Idol, Bryan stated that he revisits that conversation annually.
“No, not really. I mean, every year, we re-kinda negotiate how we do Idol, and it’s a year commitment. It’s not like I have a five-year contract or anything. So when we start getting into the later stages of Idol, we’ll start deciding whether we come back or not, and that’s how we have done it for seven years.”