Hit reality singing competition American Idol has been confirmed for Season 24, with fans anxious to see whether or not their favorite judges will be returning.
Season 23 of the show saw Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and country star Luke Bryan judging the competition. However, Bryan, 49, recently spoke on Taste of Country Nights and opened up about his plans for the upcoming season.
"Last year was really really incredible with Carrie and Lionel and Ryan," Bryan said, adding, "and the main thing is just, have fun with American Idol and have fun with the kids [contestants]."
He then went on to speak about Underwood's time as a judge on the show (Underwood replaced singer Katy Perry for Season 23). “[She] really enjoyed it,” Bryan said. “I know she had a great time in the role.”
He later added, “My prediction would be highly favorable,” when asked if Underwood would return for Season 24. Meanwhile, the “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” singer was less certain about his own future, noting that Idol operates on a “year‑by‑year” basis and saying simply, “We’ll see what happens.”
Last year, ahead of Season 23, the musician told Billboard that Disney often remains "tightlipped" about who comes back, and that, "We’re just kind of sitting back and waiting until they decide.” For now, whether or not Season 24 will see Underwood, Richie, and Bryan reprising their judging roles remains to be seen.
The singing competition originally aired on Fox in 2002, taking a break from 2016 to 2018 before finding a new home on ABC. Season 24 was confirmed in May, though an official release date has yet to be announced.