Good news for those of you who love the current American Idol lineup, as it’s just been confirmed that all three judges will be returning for season 21! This means that we can expect to see Katy Perry, 37, Lionel Richie, 73, and Luke Bryan, 46, as well as veteran host Ryan Seacrest, 47, on our screens when it airs on ABC in spring 2023! Happy days!
The news is extra-exciting for the “Harleys in Hawaii” singer, as she will reportedly be earning a jaw-dropping $30M for the new season, which will make her the highest-paid reality TV star in the USA!
#americanidol #wereback #yearsix pic.twitter.com/1LVpovKolT
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 28, 2022
Katy’s fellow judges are also reportedly getting a huge pay rise too, with sources telling The Daily Star that Richie could be getting $15M while Bryan is due to get around $18M, with Seacrest earning around $17.5M as part of his ongoing deal with ABC. For reference, Katy’s previous salary was rumored to have been around $25M, but producers at ABC were reportedly desperate to keep her on the show, hence offering her an even bigger salary!
“They want Katy back, she wants to return, so it’s now about getting the deal done,” the source previously told the pub. “But the figure is close to $30M now after her long run of success and how important she is for the series.” The source went on to say that there is no doubt that the “Roar” singer is worth every single cent, adding: “There are some who feel she deserves every penny for how important she has become in the series. Katy owns the screen and much of the narrative in the series. The on and off-screen teams are all close and there is a real sense of family there.” We’re glad that ABC did what it had to do to get Katy back!
Katy's fans couldn’t contain their excitement when she tweeted confirmation that she will be returning for the new season. "Just keep giving us all the lewks and the serves and we are good," one fan wrote. "Yess queen" commented another, followed by the red heart emoji. "Another season of strong emotions and lots of tears," added another, followed by the crying emoji. "Yaasss 3 musketeers, the squad is back! can’t wait," another excited fan wrote, while someone else said what we are all thinking in reference to Katy's wardrobe, writing: "Can’t wait for this seasons lewks." Neither can we!
It goes without saying, but we're delighted to hear that the boys are also returning too, which both Bryan and Richie briefly touched upon when speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the season 20 finale. "It was already American Idol, but we've made it a different deal, and we're really proud of that," Bryan said. When asked whether he was happy to sign on for another season, Richie added: "I told them, I'm good for another 40 or 50 years." Wouldn’t that be wonderful?!
