Carrie Underwood has officially returned to American Idol!
On Wednesday, the former winner of the show replaced Katy Perry as a judge as she joined Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and host Ryan Seacrest in an official photo for season 25.
Underwood, 41, is coming back 20 years after she first auditioned for the talent contest in 2005.
Perry, 39, has left the show for now to concentrate on her music – releasing her comeback album 143.
American Idol first look at new lineup Carrie Underwood replaces Katy Perry and joins Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and host Ryan Seacrest
In August, Carrie shared her theories about how she will fare as a judge, during a conversation at Resorts World in Las Vegas with SiriusXM.
She pointed out that she has worked in several genres and so ‘I like to think that I am versatile, and hopefully when I listen to people come in and audition, I can have any lens I need to put on as far as what kind of music I’m thinking.’
The Before He Cheats songstress added: ‘I think I can be honest and constructive but still kind, and I think that’s the whole point.
Carrie noted that ‘people are coming in and, you know, it’s dreams, and you’re part of somebody’s story from that moment on.’
She went on: ‘So I think it’s important to be honest but I think it’s also very important to be kind, so hopefully I can marry all of those together and be a good judge.’
Underwood, 41, is coming back 20 years after she first auditioned for the talent contest in 2005.
She joined Luke Bryan , Lionel Richie and host Ryan Seacrest in an official photo for season 25
Carrie has already spoken out about what kind of judge she is going to be
Carrie is stepping in for Katy Perry, who was first announced as an American Idol judge in 2017, reportedly earning a staggering $25 million a season.
Last year, Katy was frequently raked over the coals online and accused of ‘bullying’ because of her spiky on-air remarks to contestants.
DailyMail.com exclusively reported then that she was on the brink of quitting the ABC reality show, feeling she was ‘thrown under the bus by producers’ who positioned her to be the ‘nasty judge’ on the series.
Months after the controversies exploded across the internet, Katy announced this February on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that she would leave the show after season 22.
