Fans call for Katy Perry’s return after Carrie Underwood's judging falls flat on 'American Idol'
Since Carrie Underwood stepped into the judge's shoes earlier in 'American Idol' Season 23, fans have not let her off the hook. The number of times the country singer has faced backlash during her brief judging career on the show is only on the rise. Many fans had hopes for the season 4 winner when she became the judge; however, from her looks to her judging skills, Underwood has faced a lot of criticism. And when ABC announced that it's being renewed for season 24, fans didn't hold back.
One 'American Idol' viewer tweeted, "Need Katy to come back and be a full-time pop star. F--k American Idol, f--k the shoes, f--k the drinks f--k the cider vinegar shit. We want good music and serves." Even in a buzzing Reddit thread titled “Did anyone miss Katy Perry?” fans didn't shy away from making their opinions known. One person commented, “I never thought I would miss Katy. But yikes, Carrie is dull as dirt. The personality of a rock.” Another Redditor wrote, “Yes, I miss Katy and her wild and fun outfits and personality!” The third 'American Idol' viewer also added, “Katy’s personality is so outgoing and vibrant—I missed it. And those iconic facial expressions? Unmatched.” and the fourth summed it up best: “Yes, I did. I don’t mind Carrie so far, but I feel like Katy just brought something different and fun to the dynamic. She made it exciting to watch, whereas Carrie doesn’t seem to add much to the conversation.”
The consensus is loud and clear, but will Perry return on popular demand? The answer most likely is no. Katy Perry had left Idol to focus on her music career. "I love the show so much, but I want to go and see the world and maybe bring new music," Perry shared in an interview with 'Jimmy Kimmel Live.' Perry, who has been on a tour and released another hit album, '143,' since her exit from the show, admitted to Talent Recap that during her time at Idol, she was "unable to pursue her music projects to their full capacity." She also added that the show's months-long filming schedule is another reason she is "not interested" in returning to the judge's panel.
According to The Sun, an insider also revealed that Perry spoke of her experience on Idol as "suffocating." The source also revealed, "Katy doesn’t even watch the show, so she hasn’t seen Carrie. But she feels more like herself now than she has in years of being a pop star. She is a pop star to the core, and her team all felt like the show was holding her back; she felt that too." It continued, "Katy wishes the show and everyone there well; she still views it as a positive overall. She just graduated from that chapter and has no interest in going back."
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Despite the fan clash over who's best, Perry or Underwood, Idol remains one of the most watched and loved reality TV shows since its premiere, proving that it's more about the contestants and less about the judges. And now with the announcement of season 24, one thing is clear: the show will continue to entertain the fans, no matter the judge. Even though the exact date is not revealed, according to Good Housekeeping, the show is scheduled to air sometime in 2026.
