Katy Perry’s ‘American Idol’ farewell wasn’t what anyone expected — Luke Bryan spills major tea
Since her debut on the show in 2018, Katy Perry has been close with fellow 'American Idol' judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. Sadly, the trio was broken apart when Perry announced her exit in 2024. It was anticipated that the show would honor one of its favorite judges with a lavish party. However, Bryan, in an interview with 'GMA', revealed that the vibe was nostalgic and sentimental while bidding the 'Dark Horse' hitmaker farewell. "Everybody thinks we're gonna go out and stand on barstools and spray champagne over everybody, but we just had a chill dinner," the country icon explained.
"We got to toast Katy and we got to say some really amazing things to her, and it was really emotional and [there was] a lot of love in the room," he noted that it was the "perfect way" to finish out the season and "certainly Katy's tenure with us, and it was really special." The trio had been famous for their funny chemistry and camaraderie on the sets of the talent show for almost seven seasons. Perry had celebrated her birthdays in special ways with them each year. In 2018, they had organized two birthday surprises for the diva, one a piñata-themed setup and another with puppies.
In 2023, they were photographed leaving Funke restaurant with host Ryan Seacrest after having a great time at the 'American Idol' after party, which was one of their final appearances together. Perry was seen making fun of Bryan, saying he is "drunk," while the latter called her a "liar" in jest. Meanwhile, during the 'GMA' interview, the 'God's Country' singer joked that it would be hard for Perry's successor to tolerate him and Richie. "Whoever you are, just be on time," he said, "Just have fun with it and don't treat it like a job." In April 2024, in an exclusive with Taste of Country, Bryan explained that he had an intuition about Perry exiting the show but had never really confronted her about it.
“It’s been a good run with Katy, and she and I have developed a great friendship. And to work alongside her, I mean, heck, I was there before her daughter was born, and now her daughter is 3 or 4 years old,” he gushed about their long-standing friendship. Bryan also revealed that they have promised each other to keep in touch, "She can pick up the phone and call me and check in, and say hey." Speaking with Jimmy Kimmel, the 'Buy Dirt' singer confessed that Perry never informed him or Richie about her exit plans.
"Katie did break the news on the show, and she told me she hadn't told you or hadn't told Lionel," Kimmel revealed. Bryan informed that he had an inkling, but never thought she would announce her decision suddenly. The 'Play it Again' singer further explained that they never had a say in who would be replacing Perry, "We let the smart people do that, we just show up and and judge the talent and have fun," he concluded.