Luke Bryan To Serve As Judge On ‘American Idol’

With American Idol back in the works at ABC, getting judges are a top priority. Country star Luke Bryan, 41, has signed on as a the second judge in the series.

LUKE BRYAN JOINS AMERICAN IDOL AS JUDGE

Bryan joins Katy Perry as judge on the show, and a third will be locked down soon. According to insiders, this season of Idol will stick with three, not four judges. Lionel Richie had been in the running for a judge spot, but no longer. Others considered were Charlie Puth and Keith Urban but it appears neither is still an option.

The show is set to start auditions rounds next week. ABC revived the long-running Fox series in May, and Perry was announced as the first judge shortly after, and will receive a salary of $25 million.

Ryan Seacrest, who hosted all the original seasons, will be returning to the show. “I had said at the end of the series, ‘Goodbye for now,’ hoping somewhere it would come back,” Seacrest said in May. “Who am I if not the American Idol guy? I’ve always loved the show, and if I could do it forever, I would do it forever.”

The reboot is slated to premiere in early March, shortly after the Oscars. Bryan, who has released five albums since 2007, saw his latest hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Album charts. He will be honored at this year’s CMT “Artists of the Year” special on Oct .18. Other included will be Chris Stapleton, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Urban, and Sam Hunt.