Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry Are The New American Idol Judges!

Welcome top-selling artist Lionel Richie to the American Idol reboot. The music industry giant is just in time to take the judges’ table beside celebrity singers Katy Perry and Luke Bryan as auditions get underway on October 3.

Ritchie was the third and final judge to sign on for this returning reality show that has previously discovered such enduring talent as Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Pickler, to name just a handful.

Meanwhile, Ryan Seacrest will, once again, be the glue that holds the AI competition together. As host, this prolific entertainer has been with American Idol since the very beginning.

Lionel’s been on this scene before, too, but not as a regular judge. Instead, the former Commodore performed on the AI stage, once in 2009 and again in 2011 (see the video below).

Meanwhile, Katy Perry was the first to sign on to the show that is now headed for ABC as a reboot based on the initial, long-running Fox version.

The Teenage Dream singer negotiated her deal months ago whereas country crooner Luke Bryan was tapped as an American Idol arbiter earlier this week.

The premiere date for the new American Idol with Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie has not yet been set but is reportedly going to take place in 2018.

Are you eager to watch AI when the music show returns on ABC? Share your thoughts below.