'American Idol' fans beg this contestant to replace Carrie Underwood after returning to show as guest judge
For former 'American Idol' contestant Jennifer Hudson, life certainly seems to have come full circle. More than 20 years after she appeared on the long-running music competition-based reality television show, Hudson was invited to serve as a guest judge and mentor on the ongoing American Idol season 24. On Monday night, the ABC show featured 'Disney Night' for the top nine contestants. As part and parcel of the special night, the contestants had to perform a classic lineup of songs from Disney films throughout the live two-hour program.
Hudson participated in Season 3 of 'American Idol', which aired back in 2004, and was eliminated before reaching the top spot. Alongside Hudson as the guest judge, the rest of the panel consisted of Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood. In a tribute to the night's theme, Underwood caused a lot of heads to turn with her Belle costume reminiscent of 'Beauty and the Beast'. In the aftermath of Hudson's appearance, several fans of the show took to the social media platform X to express their wholehearted approval for replacing Underwood in favor of Hudson as a permanent judge.
One user wrote, "Now… can Jennifer Hudson stay on #americanidol as her presence and she’s the only idol with an egot plus is the voice it’s just simple. And maybe replace another female judge…." Another user commented, "Yes, she was one of the ones that actually had good music and didn’t need a change." A third user stated, "Jennifer Hudson would've been a better judge than Carrie Underwood is #AmericanIdol". Another user quipped, "Can we swap Carrie for Jennifer Hudson permanently, thanks #AmericanIdol". One user came up with the proposal, "How about Jennifer stay, and Carrie goes! #AmericanIdol."
Meanwhile, one user claimed, "Carrie Underwood seems off.. doesn’t bring the vibe to the show.." while another user commented, "Jennifer Hudson is a big improvement over Carrie. JHUD for next season please," Underwood, who is a renowned Country singer and the voice behind the hit track 'Before He Cheats', has been consistently receiving flak as the least likable judge on 'American Idol'. She stepped in as a judge following Katy Perry's exit from Season 22 of the ABC show. According to a report by the US Sun, the producers have been working hard to ensure that Underwood remains on the show. It was previously rumored that she might not return this season after receiving intense backlash. According to a source close to the production, Underwood and Bryan might leave the show after Season 24. The source also revealed, "Carrie and Luke’s heart don’t seem to be in it anymore. Especially Luke, he seems like he’s just going through the motions."
